Latest news with #TheQueenofMyDreams
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wscripted Unveils 2025 Cannes Screenplay List Supporting Women & Non-Binary Writers
EXCLUSIVE: Wscripted has unveiled its fifth Cannes Screenplay List, in partnership with global streamer and distributor Mubi. The 2025 list showcases projects from 14 female and non-binary filmmakers and screenwriters seeking producing and financing partners. (scroll down for full list). More from Deadline Mubi Acquires Kleber Mendonça Filho's Cannes Competition Title 'The Secret Agent' Joachim Trier's 'Sentimental Value' Wows Cannes In Premiere, Gets Extraordinary 19-Minute Ovation Cannes Film Festival 2025: Read All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews Among the nominees is Emmy-nominated Kenyan American filmmaker Peres Owino, who co-wrote Netflix's African Queens – Njinga and Queen Cleopatra, and is now developing feature film The Basket Weaver, from her own original screenplay. The list also features New York writer, comedian, and singer-songwriter Liz Nico and L.A.-based trans writer, director and artist Jules Byrne, whose debut feature Summer of 69 premiered at this year's SXSW as a Hulu original film. The pair are collaborating on rom-com feature Jane Hates Miranda. Further nominees include Filipina American actor, filmmaker, and Sundance fellow Kristine Gerolaga, with horror feature Lamok. Spearheaded by Wscripted's founder and CEO Ellie Jamen, Wscripted's Cannes Screenplay List was launched in 2021 to support women and non-binary writer-directors, with a focus on film. It has championed 92 diverse projects since its inception. The initiative was designed to mirror the market dynamics between international sales agents and distributors during the Cannes's Marche du Film, with a focus on pushing deal opportunities for female-led projects in early to late stage development. This year's shortlist was revealed during an event in Cannes, with nominees in attendance to pitch their projects and a fireside chat featuring Mounia Meddour (Papicha, Houria), who has previously supported the initiative as a jury member. Other previous jurors include Vanessa Kirby. This year's jury featured Emmy and BAFTA TV Award nominee Nava Mau (Baby Reindeer), filmmaker Fawzia Mirza (The Queen of My Dreams), and director Erica Tremblay (Fancy Dance). Mau made history as the first trans woman nominated for both Emmy and Bafta TV Awards for her performance in Baby Reindeer and won an Independent Spirit Award for the role. Beyond acting, Mau also directs. Her short film All The Words But The One screened in festivals around the world and competed for the prestigious LGBTQ Iris Prize. 'We know that the film industry is in need of significant culture change, and I'm honored to support this effort to amplify the power of women and non-binary filmmakers,' she said. Mirza's Pakastani-Canadian comedy The Queen of My Dreams starred Amrit Kaur as a woman, whose relationship with parents was strained after she came out as a Lesbian. The film will be released in the U.S. by female-led distribution labels Willa and Product of Culture on June 20. Following screenings at TIFF and SXSW, the film won prestigious awards from the Directors Guild of Canada and Canadian Screen Awards, marking a significant achievement in Canadian cinema with the film's groundbreaking portrayal of queer love and identity. Tremblay, an alumna of the Second Wscripted Cannes Screenplay List with her debut feature film Fancy Dance. Starring Lily Gladstone as a Native American woman who takes her niece to a state powwow while searching for her missing sister, the film was acquired and released by Apple TV in summer 2024. Tremblay is currently a co-executive producer and director on AMC's series Dark Winds. 'Fancy Dance is a story about Native women and the deep responsibility they often carry in our communities. I wanted to show how love and care persist, even in the face of loss and systemic injustice. My work centers Native characters who are fully human: messy, funny, complicated. My next project is a horror feature, and I'm excited to explore those same complexities within the genre space,' she said. Tremblay emphasized the importance of initiatives such as the Wscripted Cannes Screenplay List. 'They help open doors that are often closed to women and other marginalized voices. These spaces make it possible to meet the right creative partners, to build lasting collaborations, and to receive meaningful support from fellow filmmakers and jury members who genuinely believe in your voice,' she said. Wscripted's Cannes Screenplay List has been presented in partnership with Mubi since 2022. The company regularly champions female directors, with recent titles including The Substance by Coralie Fargeat. Bird by Andrea Arnold, Dahomey by Matt Diop, and How to Have Sex by Molly Manning Walker. The full list of nominees: Acids by Tamar Feinkind Alma Aparicio by Jesahel Newton-Bernal El Baca by Michelle Calderon Jane Hates Miranda by Liz Nico & Jules Byrne Lamok by Kristine Gerolaga Livingstone by Robin Henry & Pearse Lehane Long Story Short by Simbi Hall Piper by Katy Dore Satoshi by Sara Crow & David Rafailedes Show & Tell by C.C. Webster The Basket Weaver by Peres Owino The Seahorse by Devon Kirkpatrick To The Sea by Vanessa Magic With Your Permission by Sahar Jahani Best of Deadline Every 'The Voice' Winner Since Season 1, Including 9 Team Blake Champions Everything We Know About 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' So Far 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wscripted Unveils 2025 Cannes Screenplay List Supporting Women & Non-Binary Writers
EXCLUSIVE: Wscripted has unveiled its fifth Cannes Screenplay List, in partnership with global streamer and distributor Mubi. The 2025 list showcases projects from 14 female and non-binary filmmakers and screenwriters seeking producing and financing partners. (scroll down for full list). More from Deadline Mubi Acquires Kleber Mendonça Filho's Cannes Competition Title 'The Secret Agent' Joachim Trier's 'Sentimental Value' Wows Cannes In Premiere, Gets Extraordinary 19-Minute Ovation Cannes Film Festival 2025: Read All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews Among the nominees is Emmy-nominated Kenyan American filmmaker Peres Owino, who co-wrote Netflix's African Queens – Njinga and Queen Cleopatra, and is now developing feature film The Basket Weaver, from her own original screenplay. The list also features New York writer, comedian, and singer-songwriter Liz Nico and L.A.-based trans writer, director and artist Jules Byrne, whose debut feature Summer of 69 premiered at this year's SXSW as a Hulu original film. The pair are collaborating on rom-com feature Jane Hates Miranda. Further nominees include Filipina American actor, filmmaker, and Sundance fellow Kristine Gerolaga, with horror feature Lamok. Spearheaded by Wscripted's founder and CEO Ellie Jamen, Wscripted's Cannes Screenplay List was launched in 2021 to support women and non-binary writer-directors, with a focus on film. It has championed 92 diverse projects since its inception. The initiative was designed to mirror the market dynamics between international sales agents and distributors during the Cannes's Marche du Film, with a focus on pushing deal opportunities for female-led projects in early to late stage development. This year's shortlist was revealed during an event in Cannes, with nominees in attendance to pitch their projects and a fireside chat featuring Mounia Meddour (Papicha, Houria), who has previously supported the initiative as a jury member. Other previous jurors include Vanessa Kirby. This year's jury featured Emmy and BAFTA TV Award nominee Nava Mau (Baby Reindeer), filmmaker Fawzia Mirza (The Queen of My Dreams), and director Erica Tremblay (Fancy Dance). Mau made history as the first trans woman nominated for both Emmy and Bafta TV Awards for her performance in Baby Reindeer and won an Independent Spirit Award for the role. Beyond acting, Mau also directs. Her short film All The Words But The One screened in festivals around the world and competed for the prestigious LGBTQ Iris Prize. 'We know that the film industry is in need of significant culture change, and I'm honored to support this effort to amplify the power of women and non-binary filmmakers,' she said. Mirza's Pakastani-Canadian comedy The Queen of My Dreams starred Amrit Kaur as a woman, whose relationship with parents was strained after she came out as a Lesbian. The film was released in the U.S. by female-led distribution labels Willa and Product of Culture. Following screenings at TIFF and SXSW, the film won prestigious awards from the Directors Guild of Canada and Canadian Screen Awards, marking a significant achievement in Canadian cinema with the film's groundbreaking portrayal of queer love and identity. Tremblay, an alumna of the Second Wscripted Cannes Screenplay List with her debut feature film Fancy Dance. Starring Lily Gladstone as a Native American woman who takes her niece to a state powwow while searching for her missing sister, the film was acquired and released by Apple TV in summer 2024. Tremblay is currently a co-executive producer and director on AMC's series Dark Winds. 'Fancy Dance is a story about Native women and the deep responsibility they often carry in our communities. I wanted to show how love and care persist, even in the face of loss and systemic injustice. My work centers Native characters who are fully human: messy, funny, complicated. My next project is a horror feature, and I'm excited to explore those same complexities within the genre space,' she said. Tremblay emphasized the importance of initiatives such as the Wscripted Cannes Screenplay List. 'They help open doors that are often closed to women and other marginalized voices. These spaces make it possible to meet the right creative partners, to build lasting collaborations, and to receive meaningful support from fellow filmmakers and jury members who genuinely believe in your voice,' she said. Wscripted's Cannes Screenplay List has been presented in partnership with Mubi since 2022. The company regularly champions female directors, with recent titles including The Substance by Coralie Fargeat. Bird by Andrea Arnold, Dahomey by Matt Diop, and How to Have Sex by Molly Manning Walker. The full list of nominees: Acids by Tamar Feinkind Alma Aparicio by Jesahel Newton-Bernal El Baca by Michelle Calderon Jane Hates Miranda by Liz Nico & Jules Byrne Lamok by Kristine Gerolaga Livingstone by Robin Henry & Pearse Lehane Long Story Short by Simbi Hall Piper by Katy Dore Satoshi by Sara Crow & David Rafailedes Show & Tell by C.C. Webster The Basket Weaver by Peres Owino The Seahorse by Devon Kirkpatrick To The Sea by Vanessa Magic With Your Permission by Sahar Jahani Best of Deadline Every 'The Voice' Winner Since Season 1, Including 9 Team Blake Champions Everything We Know About 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' So Far 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Buzz Feed
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
"Sex Lives Of College Girls" Star Amrit Kaur Recalled Being Told She'd Never Land A Leading Role If She Didn't Get Facial Surgery
Amrit Kaur is opening up about the discouraging and insensitive feedback she received from a popular agent early in her career. She is widely known for starring as the confident and utterly hilarious Bela Malhotra on the hit series The Sex Lives of College Girls. But before she landed that role, there was a time when the Canadian actor and writer didn't fully believe in herself, and unfortunately, she was surrounded by people who made her feel even more insecure. Earlier this year, in a Q with Tom Power interview, Amrit spoke candidly about her career journey and how she was told multiple times to make changes to her physical appearance, particularly her face. "I had a very well-known Canadian agent look at my headshot, put it on the desk, and she took her pen out and said, 'When you smile, your nose goes down to your mouth, and because your nose is so big, you'll never be a lead in a TV show." Amrit went on to reveal the agent suggested getting a "nose job" was her "best bet" to move forward in her career, and, unfortunately, at the time, Amrit believed her. "It's because there wasn't enough," she began to say about the lack of South Asian representation on-screen. "I never saw people, I mean Mindy Kaling, sure, but it was so few that looked like me. So, I was like, you're right." "This is the thing: I had self-loathing about my race and about what I looked like. I was being told from every cross-section that what I am is less than, which is such unintelligent thinking. How could the universal create someone who is less than someone?" Unfortunately, that agent wouldn't be the last person to criticize Amrit's physical appearance. She recalled other agents and acting teachers telling her that the right side of her face was more "white looking." These were the messages she was being bombarded with in an industry she so desperately wanted to succeed in. It wasn't until she met a mentor who encouraged her to embrace her natural beauty that her mindset began to change. "I met a teacher who was phenomenal who said, 'I'm going to stop working with you if you ever change your nose. The way you look is exactly the type of stories you need to tell.'" "'Because your face is the one of everyone. We need to see the everyone on TV. How many billions of brown girls are there that look like you?'" Amrit said that advice really resonated with her purpose. She's still training with that teacher to this day. Ugh, I love a happy ending, and I'm so glad she found someone in the business who uplifted her. We won't take any Amrit slander over here! Oh, and I can't help but smile at the fact that she got the last laugh. Not only did she prove she could become a leading actor, but she's also received a ton of recognition in Hollywood and Canada. Did you know she won the Canadian Screen Award for Leading Role in a Drama for her film The Queen of My Dreams? View this video on YouTube To learn more about Amrit, be sure to watch her full interview below. And don't forget to binge The Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO Max, which recently released their third and, sadly, final season.
