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Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight makes its South African debut
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight makes its South African debut

Time Out

time3 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Time Out

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight makes its South African debut

Joburg film lovers, clear your calendars for 25 July. Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, the moving new adaptation of Alexandra Fuller's best-selling memoir, is finally getting its South African premiere. Directed by South African-born actor and filmmaker Embeth Davidtz, this is a story rooted deeply in African soil. Shot in South Africa and adapted for the screen by Davidtz herself, the film offers a rare and emotionally layered portrayal of Zimbabwe's transition from colonial Rhodesia to independence. At the heart of it all is eight-year-old Bobo, played by newcomer Lexi Venter, a young white girl navigating a childhood shaped by grief, shifting family dynamics, and a land at war. The story unfolds through Bobo's eyes, bringing tenderness, innocence, and emotional truth to a time often only seen through historical or political lenses. 'Even in the middle of pain and inherited racism, love and transformation are actually possible,' says Davidtz, who also stars in the film. 'This story helped me process my own childhood in apartheid-era South Africa.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sony Pictures Classics (@sonyclassics) With a stellar local cast that includes Zikhona Bali, Fumani N Shilubana, and Rob Van Vuuren, the film is both intimate and expansive, telling a personal tale against a backdrop of war and cultural upheaval. Behind the scenes, a powerhouse production team backs the film, including executive producers Anele Mdoda, Frankie Du Toit, and Trevor Noah, and acclaimed producers Helena Spring and Paul Buys. Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film now comes home, offering South African audiences a chance to witness this poignant coming-of-age story where memory, identity, and healing are front and centre.

Missed Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe in Broadway's Merrily We Roll Along? It's coming to movie theaters this fall
Missed Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe in Broadway's Merrily We Roll Along? It's coming to movie theaters this fall

Time Out

time4 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Time Out

Missed Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe in Broadway's Merrily We Roll Along? It's coming to movie theaters this fall

We may never see Richard Linklater's film adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along —starring Ben Platt, Beanie Feldstein and Paul Mescal, the movie, shot in real time to mirror the passing of 30 years in the story, isn't set to finish shooting until 2039. But luckily, another, equally star-studded version of the classic musical is coming to theaters later this year. A live capture of the Tony-winning Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along will premiere in movie theaters on December 5, an early holiday gift for theater lovers and Sondheim fans courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics and Fathom Entertainment. Directed by Maria Friedman and starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez, the production follows three best friends from the end of their decades-long friendship to its very beginnings, as they grapple with fame, success and thwarted romance. George Furth wrote the musical's book, an adaptation of a Moss Hart-George S. Kaufman play. Merrily We Roll Along opened on Broadway on October 10, 2023, and closed July 7, 2024, after extending its run. 'This is a show that makes demands of its audience, perhaps sometimes unreasonable ones,' Time Out New York's Adam Feldman wrote in his five-star review. 'But as Charley sings during a loving argument with his friends: 'What's the point of demands you can meet?' Friedman's production meets the audience halfway, and a Broadway audience today just might be able to make up the difference as it couldn't in 1981. Cross your fingers: It might finally be Merrily's time.' Reviving an infamous flop that ran for just 16 performances in its first Broadway incarnation, this Merrily We Roll Along set box office records after transferring from Off-Broadway to the Hudson Theater, winning Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Orchestrations for Jonathan Tunick, Leading Actor in a Musical for Groff and Featured Actor in a Musical for Radcliffe. The score boasts some of Sondheim's most-loved songs, including 'Not a Day Goes By,' 'Old Friends,' and 'Good Thing Going.' The cast also includes Krystal Joy Brown, Katie Rose Clarke, and Reg Rogers.

Scarlett Johansson-directed 'Eleanor the Great' opens Sept. 26
Scarlett Johansson-directed 'Eleanor the Great' opens Sept. 26

UPI

time4 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • UPI

Scarlett Johansson-directed 'Eleanor the Great' opens Sept. 26

1 of 6 | Scarlett Johansson, seen at the "Jurassic World Rebirth" premiere in June in New York City, directed "Eleanor the Great." Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo July 17 (UPI) -- Sony Pictures Classics has announced a Sept. 26 release date for Eleanor the Great. It is the first feature film directed by Scarlett Johansson. Johansson previously directed a short and an American Express commercial. Eleanor stars June Squibb as the title character. Eleanor Morgenstein is a 94-year-old woman who tells a tall tale. While speaking with UPI about her film Thelma, Squibb said Eleanor claims to have been in the Holocaust. The film was previously called Eleanor, Invisible. It also stars Erin Kellyman, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jessica Hecht. Tory Kamen wrote the film. The movie played at this year's Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard sidebar. Sony Pictures Classics and TriStar are partnering on it for the first time. Johansson also produced with Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn. Additional production companies include Pinky Promise, Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray's Maven Screen Media, Justin Baldoni, Steve Sarowitz, Jamey Heath and Andrew Calof's Wayfarer Studios, Content Engineers and MacPac. Johanson is currently in theaters in Jurassic World Rebirth. Scarlett Johansson, Jodie Foster bring new films to Cannes Director Scarlett Johansson attends the photo call for her film "Eleanor the Great" at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival in France on May 21, 2025. Photo by Rune Hellestad/ UPI | License Photo

Daniel Radcliffe 'Merrily We Roll Along' production coming to theaters
Daniel Radcliffe 'Merrily We Roll Along' production coming to theaters

UPI

time5 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • UPI

Daniel Radcliffe 'Merrily We Roll Along' production coming to theaters

1 of 5 | Daniel Radcliffe, seen after wining the Tony Award for "Merrily We Roll Along" in 2024 in New York City, starred in the show until this month. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo July 16 (UPI) -- Sony Pictures Classics announced Wednesday that it is bringing a filmed performance of Merrily We Roll Along to theaters. Fathom Entertainment will release the production December 5. This performance stars Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez. Maria Friedman directed the 2023-24 production. Originally staged in 1981, the Stephen Sondheim musical follows the 30 year friendships between Franklin Shepard and his friends Charley Kringas and Mary Flynn. Sondheim and George Furth adapted the George S. Kauffman and Moss Hart play. The Broadway production had its last performance July 7. Groff played Shepard, Radfcliffe, Kringas and Mendez, Flynn. Krystal Joy Brown, Katie Rose Clarke and Reg Rogers also starred. The show won four Tonys for Radcliffe, Groff, Best Revival of a Musical and Best Orchestration. The filmed version is expected to play in the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, U.K. and additional territories. Fathom previously released Broadway productions of Waitress: The Musical and Kinky Boots along with National Theatre Live performances. Richard Linklater is directing a film adaptation of Merrily, We Roll Along, to be filmed over 20 years like his Boyhood filmed over 12 years.

Wayward Teens Find Solace in Horse Country During Sundance Award-Winning ‘East of Wall' Trailer
Wayward Teens Find Solace in Horse Country During Sundance Award-Winning ‘East of Wall' Trailer

Yahoo

time11-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Wayward Teens Find Solace in Horse Country During Sundance Award-Winning ‘East of Wall' Trailer

Kate Beecroft makes her directorial debut with the Sundance Audience Award-winning Western 'East of Wall,' which blends genre tropes with docu-fiction storytelling. It was Beecroft's investigative instinct and deftness for storytelling that led her to encounter Tabatha, a real-life rancher on whose own life 'East of Wall' is based. Tabatha stars as a fictionalized version of herself in the feature set in South Dakota. The official synopsis teases that 'East of Wall' is an 'authentic portrait of female resilience in the 'New West' inspired and played by the women and girls who live it. Set in the Badlands of South Dakota, Tabatha, a young, rebellious rancher, who rescues and resells horses, must make hard decisions to deal with her fractured family, financial uncertainty, and unresolved grief, all while providing refuge for a group of wayward neighborhood teens.' More from IndieWire Zoe Saldaña Says Her 'Emilia Pérez' Oscar Is 'Trans': The Statue 'Goes by They/Them' Two Lost Exploitation Films from Trash-Cult Favorite Andy Milligan Will 'Re-Premiere' at Tribeca Tabatha Zimiga and her daughter Porshia Zimiga are joined by actors Scoot McNairy and Jennifer Ehle for the film. Beecroft told IndieWire that she first realized Tabatha's story belonged on the screen after driving through her town in 2019 with DP Austin Shelton. Beecroft spent the next five years living at Tabatha's ranch for three weeks every month. 'Really, what I was doing was just talking to them all the time, and having them tell me their stories,' Beecroft said of creating the story around Tabatha and her family. 'So, in a way, it was kind of like an audition. If you can tell me a story and keep me into that story, then you have something that could be held on screen. And they all did.' Beecroft added of structuring the film to include parts of the Zimiga's life, 'When it is somewhat fiction, they don't feel so naked. I don't want to put these kids in a position where they feel naked. It just wasn't fair, but it also wasn't fair for their artistry.' 'East of Wall' is screening as a Spotlight feature at Tribeca Festival and also will screen at the 2025 Bentonville Film Festival. The film is produced by Beecroft, Lila Yacoub, Melanie Ramsayer, and Shannon Moss, with Scott Frank, Al Engemann, Naia Cucukov, Peter Richards, Randy Wooten, Caitlin Gold, Ryan Hawkins, John D. Martin, and Staci Hartman executive producing. 'I am a no name director, no name DP, no name cast. I had no one attached to it,' Beecroft said of getting 'East of Wall' made. 'The only thing I could do, especially as a female filmmaker, especially with no name, was make the best pitch trailer possible, so I can be like, 'Look what me and my DP can do without any crew, without any money. If you give us money, imagine what we could do with more.'' Sony Pictures Classics will release 'East of Wall' in theaters on Friday, August 15. Check out the trailer and poster below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See

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