Oi there, listen up! Amazon Prime Video’s list of new releases for June 2024 includes another season of its biggest, bloodiest hit.
The Boys season 4 premieres its first three episodes on Thursday, June 13. Based on the trailers, The Boys is really leaning into the political side of its social satire with a presidential election underway and Homelander on trial for the small matter of killing a guy last season. The season will continue to air on Thursdays, culminating with the finale on July 18.
Amazon is really leaning into its sports offerings this month as well. Fans will get to watch the New York Yankees, the WNBA, and the Nwsl several times throughout June. That’s in addition to a couple of sports docs: Power of the Dream on June 18 and Federer: Twelve Final Days on June 20.
But if you’re looking for something even more explosive than Homelander and Roger Federer,...
The Boys season 4 premieres its first three episodes on Thursday, June 13. Based on the trailers, The Boys is really leaning into the political side of its social satire with a presidential election underway and Homelander on trial for the small matter of killing a guy last season. The season will continue to air on Thursdays, culminating with the finale on July 18.
Amazon is really leaning into its sports offerings this month as well. Fans will get to watch the New York Yankees, the WNBA, and the Nwsl several times throughout June. That’s in addition to a couple of sports docs: Power of the Dream on June 18 and Federer: Twelve Final Days on June 20.
But if you’re looking for something even more explosive than Homelander and Roger Federer,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Nearly a decade ago, Oscar-winning cinematographer Greig Fraser was hanging out at one of Roger and James Deakins’ famous barbecues when he was introduced to a French-Canadian man he didn’t immediately recognize. But as soon as he put a face to the name “Denis Villeneuve,” he instantly called to mind two of the filmmaker’s critically acclaimed Canadian films, Polytechnique (2009) and Incendies (2010), as well as his American debut, Prisoners (2013), that he shot with the co-host of that day’s festivities, Roger Deakins. So Fraser and Villeneuve got to know each other that day, before going their separate ways for a few years.
During the intervening time period, Fraser photographed a handful of projects including the first Star Wars spinoff film, Rogue One (2016), as well as the first live-action Star Wars series in The Mandalorian. And then, in 2018, Villeneuve reached out regarding the Dp position on his forthcoming adaptation of...
During the intervening time period, Fraser photographed a handful of projects including the first Star Wars spinoff film, Rogue One (2016), as well as the first live-action Star Wars series in The Mandalorian. And then, in 2018, Villeneuve reached out regarding the Dp position on his forthcoming adaptation of...
- 5/14/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Denis Villeneuve is inevitably one of the biggest jewels in Hollywood’s crown of filmmakers. The magnificent brain behind a ton of absolute gems that have ever been created in the entertainment industry, he has given his fans everything they could ever ask for, including his Dune live-action adaptations too. But there is one movie that is somehow better than all the other masterpieces.
Denis Villeneuve. | Credit: Film at Lincoln Center.
This movie is none other than his 2013 worldwide acclaimed crime-thriller, Prisoners. However, as profoundly great as this piece of work of his was, Villeneuve was actually terrified of making it at first, and it was all because of his personal fear. But then, the Dune 2 filmmaker decided to follow his “inspiration,” and eventually gave a film that is now considered one of his best works of all time.
Denis Villeneuve was “Deeply Scared” of Making Prisoners
Released in...
Denis Villeneuve. | Credit: Film at Lincoln Center.
This movie is none other than his 2013 worldwide acclaimed crime-thriller, Prisoners. However, as profoundly great as this piece of work of his was, Villeneuve was actually terrified of making it at first, and it was all because of his personal fear. But then, the Dune 2 filmmaker decided to follow his “inspiration,” and eventually gave a film that is now considered one of his best works of all time.
Denis Villeneuve was “Deeply Scared” of Making Prisoners
Released in...
- 4/6/2024
- by Mahin Sultan
- FandomWire
Denis Villeneuve's 2017 sci-fi film "Blade Runner 2049" is a worthy follow-up to Ridley Scott's 1982 flick "Blade Runner." Both presented unique and beautifully photographed sci-fi landscapes that were unique to the genre, and gorgeous to behold. They were the kinds of sci-fi landscapes that college-aged cineastes love to use as their laptop wallpapers. Additionally, both "Blade Runners" contained a few notably punchy action setpieces nestled in between steamroller-paced scenes of sorrowful contemplation. Also, both were infused with the same flavor of navel-gazing angst that feels incredibly profound when you're 16. Villeneuve's film outstripped Scott's in that it was a full 46 minutes longer.
"Blade Runner 2049" was Villenueve's ninth feature film as a director, having established his aesthetic in Canada with films like "Polytechnique" and "Incendies," and who became an international superstar with the success of films like "Prisoners" and "Sicario." Villeneuve's films tend to feature a very particular type of hazy,...
"Blade Runner 2049" was Villenueve's ninth feature film as a director, having established his aesthetic in Canada with films like "Polytechnique" and "Incendies," and who became an international superstar with the success of films like "Prisoners" and "Sicario." Villeneuve's films tend to feature a very particular type of hazy,...
- 3/3/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
For those who may not be aware, Denis Villeneuve started his career in Quebec long before he became a big Hollywood director. One of the biggest directors ever to emerge from this Canadian province (where some of us working for JoBlo – including yours truly – live), Villeneuve started to break through internationally with his films Polytechnique and Incendies. These movies led to his American debut with Prisoners, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In a full-circle moment, Villeneuve brought Dune: Part Two back to his Montreal home for a gala premiere, and JoBlo was invited to speak to the legendary director on the red (or rather spice-coloured) carpet, where we had a few minutes to chat with him about what’s coming up next for him. As you can see in the interview embedded above, Villeneuve is currently developing two scripts, one of which is Dune Messiah, and he...
In a full-circle moment, Villeneuve brought Dune: Part Two back to his Montreal home for a gala premiere, and JoBlo was invited to speak to the legendary director on the red (or rather spice-coloured) carpet, where we had a few minutes to chat with him about what’s coming up next for him. As you can see in the interview embedded above, Villeneuve is currently developing two scripts, one of which is Dune Messiah, and he...
- 3/1/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
You’d be hard-pressed to find a filmmaker who has put together a finer body of work than Denis Villeneuve has since making his U.S. debut in 2013. From the mold-breaking thrillers of Prisoners, Enemy and Sicario to a murderers’ row of sci-fi films including Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 and Dune, the French Canadian director’s films have amassed over $1.1 billion in worldwide box office and landed him three Oscar nominations. His winning streak is all the more impressive when you consider that he put his camera down for much of the 2000s in order to refine his cinematic identity. That nine-year gap was still flanked by a handful of lauded Canadian films, but it wasn’t until 2010’s Oscar-nominated Incendies that Villeneuve felt like he’d finally discovered his signature. Now, Dune: Part Two (March 1) is poised to be his new top grosser after effusive early reactions and reviews.
- 3/1/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Superbly acted and beautiful to look at, Dune: Part Two is 2024’s first truly great multiplex film from director Denis Villeneuve. Here’s our review:
There’s the old saying that by trying to please everybody, you end up pleasing no one. To his credit, director Denis Villeneuve has somehow managed to forge a path through mainstream filmmaking without sacrificing the understated, arthouse sensibility that has marked out his work since the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Dune: Part Two, like its 2021 opening chapter, may be a space fantasy shot on an IMAX scale, but it’s also every bit as personal, human and intimate as Villeneuve’s earlier, more raw films like Polytechnique (2009) or Incendies (2010). It also might be the most darkly enthralling $190m-plus sci-fi film ever made.
Ahead of Dune: Part Two’s release, there have been some suggestions that it’s possible to watch this film without having seen the first.
There’s the old saying that by trying to please everybody, you end up pleasing no one. To his credit, director Denis Villeneuve has somehow managed to forge a path through mainstream filmmaking without sacrificing the understated, arthouse sensibility that has marked out his work since the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Dune: Part Two, like its 2021 opening chapter, may be a space fantasy shot on an IMAX scale, but it’s also every bit as personal, human and intimate as Villeneuve’s earlier, more raw films like Polytechnique (2009) or Incendies (2010). It also might be the most darkly enthralling $190m-plus sci-fi film ever made.
Ahead of Dune: Part Two’s release, there have been some suggestions that it’s possible to watch this film without having seen the first.
- 3/1/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan are two auteurs in the greater realm of cinema that have had a transcending impact on the audience and the whole cinematic landscape. While Nolan is better known for his mind-blogging, intriguing cinematic pieces, Villeneuve is an equally brilliant filmmaker known for his exploration of complex themes from identity to morality or even the nature of existence.
Denis Villeneuve (Source: The Tonight Show)
While both filmmakers are not that different, seeing how they tend to push the idea of conventional filmmaking, they are still miles apart with talent that cannot really be compared. Yet, Villeneuve cannot genuinely compete with Nolan despite him being a living legend already.
Why Denis Villeneuve Cannot Compete With Christopher Nolan Denis Villeneuve (Credit: Gage Skidmore/cc-by-sa-2.0)
Denis Villeneuve‘s astounding filmography includes the Dune movies as well as movies like Arrival, Incendies, and Sicario. With a profound understanding of human...
Denis Villeneuve (Source: The Tonight Show)
While both filmmakers are not that different, seeing how they tend to push the idea of conventional filmmaking, they are still miles apart with talent that cannot really be compared. Yet, Villeneuve cannot genuinely compete with Nolan despite him being a living legend already.
Why Denis Villeneuve Cannot Compete With Christopher Nolan Denis Villeneuve (Credit: Gage Skidmore/cc-by-sa-2.0)
Denis Villeneuve‘s astounding filmography includes the Dune movies as well as movies like Arrival, Incendies, and Sicario. With a profound understanding of human...
- 2/27/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
Denis Villeneuve At Worldwide Box Office (Photo Credit – Facebook/IMDb)
Denis Villeneauve’s Dune: Part Two is about to hit the screens in just a few days, and this month, the first part was re-released in the theatres. The film has done well again, adding a few more million to its global collections. But besides the Dune franchise, Villeneuve has done other films as well, and today, we have brought to you a least to the best-ranked list of his movies, per their global collections.
The French-Canadian filmmaker is known for his sci-fi movies like Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and more. He received an Oscar nomination as a director for his film Arrival. In 2021, his movie Dune came out with Timothee Chalamet in the lead role, winning six Academy Awards, including Best Sound and Visual Effects. The sequel’s early reviews have been positive, and the critics only praise it.
Denis Villeneauve’s Dune: Part Two is about to hit the screens in just a few days, and this month, the first part was re-released in the theatres. The film has done well again, adding a few more million to its global collections. But besides the Dune franchise, Villeneuve has done other films as well, and today, we have brought to you a least to the best-ranked list of his movies, per their global collections.
The French-Canadian filmmaker is known for his sci-fi movies like Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and more. He received an Oscar nomination as a director for his film Arrival. In 2021, his movie Dune came out with Timothee Chalamet in the lead role, winning six Academy Awards, including Best Sound and Visual Effects. The sequel’s early reviews have been positive, and the critics only praise it.
- 2/20/2024
- by Esita Mallik
- KoiMoi
Two years ago, Souheila Yacoub took a call from an unknown number – and on the other end of line was Denis Villeneuve.
“I was so blacked out thinking how unreal it all was that I didn’t really understand everything that happened,” the actor tells Variety. “All I know is he asked me to read for ‘Dune: Part Two’ and shortly thereafter he offered me the part – and I was trying to stay professional, but on the inside I was crying, ‘This is so surreal!’”
One question the Swiss-born, Paris-based gymnast-turned-actor thought best not to ask was how she found her way onto Villeneuve’s radar to begin with.
“I was so nervous that he’d made mistake – that he was actually thinking of someone else – that I never dared to ask,” she laughs. “So I just signed the contract and showed up on set.”
With a pedigree that includes...
“I was so blacked out thinking how unreal it all was that I didn’t really understand everything that happened,” the actor tells Variety. “All I know is he asked me to read for ‘Dune: Part Two’ and shortly thereafter he offered me the part – and I was trying to stay professional, but on the inside I was crying, ‘This is so surreal!’”
One question the Swiss-born, Paris-based gymnast-turned-actor thought best not to ask was how she found her way onto Villeneuve’s radar to begin with.
“I was so nervous that he’d made mistake – that he was actually thinking of someone else – that I never dared to ask,” she laughs. “So I just signed the contract and showed up on set.”
With a pedigree that includes...
- 1/23/2024
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
When ‘Prisoners’ first graced the silver screen, it left audiences gripped with its intense narrative and haunting questions of morality. As we look back on this cinematic gem, let’s unearth some of the lesser-known facts and production secrets that add layers to our appreciation of this masterful thriller. Unveiling Prisoners production background The journey of ‘Prisoners’ from script to screen is a tale of meticulous craftsmanship. The original screenplay, a twisty-turny exploration into the dark side of the human psyche, was the first big-budget studio film for French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve. His transition from indie films like ‘Polytechnique’ and ‘Incendies’...
- 11/27/2023
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan,” a drama revolving around the love between a closeted man and his wife, has sold more than 500,000 tickets around the world.
The Arabic-language movie, which world premiered at Cannes in 2022 and won the Fipresci prize, has sold the most admissions overseas than any other Moroccan film in recent history, according to French promotion org Unifrance. “The Blue Caftan” was particularly successful in France, where it sold 214,000 admissions, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Japan.
Produced by leading Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, “The Blue Caftan” stars Lubna Azabal (“Incendies”) and Saleh Bakri.
Touzani’s follow-up to Un Certain Regard title “Adam,” “The Blue Caftan” tells the story of Halim and Mina, a married couple running a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the commands of the demanding customers, they hire Youssef. The talented apprentice...
The Arabic-language movie, which world premiered at Cannes in 2022 and won the Fipresci prize, has sold the most admissions overseas than any other Moroccan film in recent history, according to French promotion org Unifrance. “The Blue Caftan” was particularly successful in France, where it sold 214,000 admissions, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Japan.
Produced by leading Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, “The Blue Caftan” stars Lubna Azabal (“Incendies”) and Saleh Bakri.
Touzani’s follow-up to Un Certain Regard title “Adam,” “The Blue Caftan” tells the story of Halim and Mina, a married couple running a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the commands of the demanding customers, they hire Youssef. The talented apprentice...
- 11/21/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Juliette Binoche, Marion Cotillard and Jacques Audiard are among 500 French cinema professionals to have signed an open letter in support of a silent march for peace in Paris this Sunday.
The initiative – created in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict and its ongoing reverberations around the world – is being spearheaded by the newly launched Une Autre Voix (Another Voice) collective.
“This fratricidal war affects us all, and regardless of our reasons or affinities on each side of the wall, we want it to cease and that both peoples finally live in peace,” reads the letter.
“This is why we are organizing a silent, united, humanist and peaceful march that will open with a single long white banner. No political claims nor slogans. White flags, white handkerchiefs are welcome.”
Belgian-Moroccan actress Lubna Azabal presides over the Une Autre Voix collective which also features French...
The initiative – created in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict and its ongoing reverberations around the world – is being spearheaded by the newly launched Une Autre Voix (Another Voice) collective.
“This fratricidal war affects us all, and regardless of our reasons or affinities on each side of the wall, we want it to cease and that both peoples finally live in peace,” reads the letter.
“This is why we are organizing a silent, united, humanist and peaceful march that will open with a single long white banner. No political claims nor slogans. White flags, white handkerchiefs are welcome.”
Belgian-Moroccan actress Lubna Azabal presides over the Une Autre Voix collective which also features French...
- 11/17/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Bendita Films Sales has taken worldwide rights outside Benelux to Jawad Rhalib’s social drama “Amal,” toplining award-winning Belgian actress Lubna Azabal, who appeared in Oscar-nominated films “Paradise Now” and “Incendies.”
Télescope has acquired the film’s distribution rights for the Benelux region.
“Amal” world premieres Nov. 17, competing in main competition at Tallinn’s 27th Black Nights Film Festival edition.
Set up at prolific, successful Belgian outfit Scope Pictures, “Amal” is produced by Geneviéve Lemal and co-produced by Ellen de Waele.
Azabal plays an idealistic and passionate French literature teacher in a suburban Brussels school, who becomes the target of intense hostility from students and colleagues tied to Islamic extremism when she chooses to help a teenage Muslim girl accused of homosexuality.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife-based Bendita Films Sales will make “Amal’s” market premiere at Berlin’s European Film Market in February.
“We were completely dazzled by the film’s narrative strength,...
Télescope has acquired the film’s distribution rights for the Benelux region.
“Amal” world premieres Nov. 17, competing in main competition at Tallinn’s 27th Black Nights Film Festival edition.
Set up at prolific, successful Belgian outfit Scope Pictures, “Amal” is produced by Geneviéve Lemal and co-produced by Ellen de Waele.
Azabal plays an idealistic and passionate French literature teacher in a suburban Brussels school, who becomes the target of intense hostility from students and colleagues tied to Islamic extremism when she chooses to help a teenage Muslim girl accused of homosexuality.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife-based Bendita Films Sales will make “Amal’s” market premiere at Berlin’s European Film Market in February.
“We were completely dazzled by the film’s narrative strength,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
The Marsh King’s Daughter is a psychological thriller directed by Neil Burger, from a screenplay by Elle Smith and Mark L. Smith. Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Karen Dionne, the film revolves around Helena, who has to confront her dark and tormenting past as her estranged father is being released from prison. Helena’s father kidnapped her mother two years before she was born and kept both of them in the jungle. Now, she is convinced that he will try to take her daughter and that’s why she must confront him. The Marsh King’s Daughter stars Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn in the lead roles with Brooklyn Prince, Garrett Hedlund, Caren Pistorius, and Joey Carson starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved The Marsh King’s Daughter here are some similar movies you could watch next.
The Girl on the Train (Rent on...
The Girl on the Train (Rent on...
- 11/4/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Reptile is a mystery thriller film directed by Grant Singer, who also co-wrote the film with Benicio Del Toro and Benjamin Brewer. The Netflix film follows a hardened detective who tries to uncover the mystery behind the murder of a young real estate agent. Reptile stars Benicio Del Toro, Alicia Silverstone, Justin Timberlake, and Michael Pitt. So, if you love the Netflix film here are some similar shows you could watch next.
The Little Things (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Warner Bros.
Synopsis: Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon (Washington) is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence‐gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city. Leading the hunt, L.A. Sheriff Department Sergeant JimBaxter (Malik), impressed with Deke’s cop instincts, unofficially engages his help. But as they track the killer, Baxter is...
The Little Things (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Warner Bros.
Synopsis: Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon (Washington) is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence‐gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city. Leading the hunt, L.A. Sheriff Department Sergeant JimBaxter (Malik), impressed with Deke’s cop instincts, unofficially engages his help. But as they track the killer, Baxter is...
- 10/14/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Two-day event runs September 10-11 in association with TIFF.
New Zealand producers Emma Slade and Victoria Dabbs of Firefly Films and Canadian partner Michelle Morris of Lily Pictures are among 40 producer teams set to participate in Ontario Creates’ 2023 International Financing Forum (Iff) running September 10-11 in Toronto.
The two-day feature film co-financing and co-production market, in association with TIFF and now in its 18th year, is a hybrid event. There will be in-person one-on-one producer and executive meetings, an industry panel discussion with Ontario and international producers, networking opportunities, and online international meetings.
Selected producers will get the chance to...
New Zealand producers Emma Slade and Victoria Dabbs of Firefly Films and Canadian partner Michelle Morris of Lily Pictures are among 40 producer teams set to participate in Ontario Creates’ 2023 International Financing Forum (Iff) running September 10-11 in Toronto.
The two-day feature film co-financing and co-production market, in association with TIFF and now in its 18th year, is a hybrid event. There will be in-person one-on-one producer and executive meetings, an industry panel discussion with Ontario and international producers, networking opportunities, and online international meetings.
Selected producers will get the chance to...
- 8/30/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Arthouse genre distribution company Yellow Veil Pictures has acquired North American rights “Rebel,” a music-filled thriller by the Belgian directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. The pair broke into Hollywood with “Bad Boys for Life” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence and are set to direct the sequel for Sony Pictures.
“Rebel” was produced by Caviar, the banner behind the Oscar-winning film “Sound of Metal” as well as “War Pony.” It world premiered at Cannes last year in the Midnight section and be theatrically released later this year.
“Rebel” follows Kamal, a young man seeking meaning for his life, who leaves Belgium to help war victims in Syria. Once there, he is forced to join Isis and discovers the propaganda, manipulation, and atrocity the militia is responsible for. Back home, Kamal’s brother Nassim is slowly indoctrinated by radical recruiters and persuaded to join Kamal in Syria, while...
“Rebel” was produced by Caviar, the banner behind the Oscar-winning film “Sound of Metal” as well as “War Pony.” It world premiered at Cannes last year in the Midnight section and be theatrically released later this year.
“Rebel” follows Kamal, a young man seeking meaning for his life, who leaves Belgium to help war victims in Syria. Once there, he is forced to join Isis and discovers the propaganda, manipulation, and atrocity the militia is responsible for. Back home, Kamal’s brother Nassim is slowly indoctrinated by radical recruiters and persuaded to join Kamal in Syria, while...
- 4/7/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Premiering in Series Mania’s International Panorama section, the Quebecois limited series “Disobey” tackles the docudrama as urgent thriller, finding notes of tension in the lead up to a 1980s ruling the guaranteed abortion rights to women across Canada.
With the visual polish that has become signature for Montreal-based Also Productions, the six-part premium drama follows the real case of Chantale Daigle (Éléonore Loiselle), a 21-year-old woman who pushed against an abusive ex-partner and two court injunctions, eventually leading to a Supreme Court ruling that secured body autonomy for Canadian women. And all that in just a matter of weeks.
“For us, it was important [to hit that urgency], because that’s what really happened,” says Also founder Sophie Lorain. “Chantale went through three steps of jurisdiction and all the way to the Supreme Court in less than two months. While a child grew inside, these gentlemen were chatting along, not making up their...
With the visual polish that has become signature for Montreal-based Also Productions, the six-part premium drama follows the real case of Chantale Daigle (Éléonore Loiselle), a 21-year-old woman who pushed against an abusive ex-partner and two court injunctions, eventually leading to a Supreme Court ruling that secured body autonomy for Canadian women. And all that in just a matter of weeks.
“For us, it was important [to hit that urgency], because that’s what really happened,” says Also founder Sophie Lorain. “Chantale went through three steps of jurisdiction and all the way to the Supreme Court in less than two months. While a child grew inside, these gentlemen were chatting along, not making up their...
- 3/17/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
[Editor’s note: The following was first published in February 2021 and has been updated multiple times since.]
Denis Villeneuve has emerged as one of the most visionary directors working in the Hollywood studio system thanks to a string of critically acclaimed films such as “Prisoners,” “Sicario,” “Arrival,” and “Blade Runner 2049.” That’s saying nothing of Villeneuve’s challenging indie fare, from “Enemy” to “Incendies” and more. IndieWire counts “Arrival and “Blade Runner 2049” as two of the greatest science-fiction movies of the 21st century, with the former title landing Villeneuve his first (and so far only) Oscar nomination for Best Director. Next up for Villeneuve is “Dune”, but as fans wait for the delayed tentpole they can start catching up on several of the director’s favorite films.
From “Under the Skin” to “Dogville” (two titles Villeneuve considers benchmarks of 21st century cinema), many of Villeneuve’s favorite films are as narratively daring as his own feature directorial work. In some cases, a favorite film played...
Denis Villeneuve has emerged as one of the most visionary directors working in the Hollywood studio system thanks to a string of critically acclaimed films such as “Prisoners,” “Sicario,” “Arrival,” and “Blade Runner 2049.” That’s saying nothing of Villeneuve’s challenging indie fare, from “Enemy” to “Incendies” and more. IndieWire counts “Arrival and “Blade Runner 2049” as two of the greatest science-fiction movies of the 21st century, with the former title landing Villeneuve his first (and so far only) Oscar nomination for Best Director. Next up for Villeneuve is “Dune”, but as fans wait for the delayed tentpole they can start catching up on several of the director’s favorite films.
From “Under the Skin” to “Dogville” (two titles Villeneuve considers benchmarks of 21st century cinema), many of Villeneuve’s favorite films are as narratively daring as his own feature directorial work. In some cases, a favorite film played...
- 2/26/2023
- by Zack Sharf, Alison Foreman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Documentary world premieres in Berlin.
Les Films du Losange has sold Nicolas Philibert’s Berlinale competition title On The Adamant to key territories including Adok Films in Switzerland and to I Wonder Pictures in Italy.
The documentary market premiered at Unifrance’s Rendez-Vous in Paris and Les Films du Losange will continue sales at February’s EFM.
On The Adamant follows patients and caregivers at a psychiatric centre with a unique floating structure located in the middle of the Seine river in central Paris.
Philibert’s Être Et Avoir (To Be And To Have) premiered in Cannes in 2002, La Maison...
Les Films du Losange has sold Nicolas Philibert’s Berlinale competition title On The Adamant to key territories including Adok Films in Switzerland and to I Wonder Pictures in Italy.
The documentary market premiered at Unifrance’s Rendez-Vous in Paris and Les Films du Losange will continue sales at February’s EFM.
On The Adamant follows patients and caregivers at a psychiatric centre with a unique floating structure located in the middle of the Seine river in central Paris.
Philibert’s Être Et Avoir (To Be And To Have) premiered in Cannes in 2002, La Maison...
- 1/27/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
It is fair to assume Criterion could plunder the world of licensed film to build an ultimate noir playlist; credit, then, for focusing sharp and nabbing deep cuts. The Criterion Channel’s November / Noirvember program will be headlined by “Fox Noir,” an eight-title program with Otto Preminger deep cut Fallen Angel, three by Henry Hathaway, Siodmak, Dassin, Kazan, and Robert Wise, and while retrospectives of Veronica Lake and John Garfield will bring some canon into the fold, I’m mostly thinking about that potential for discovery.
Following “Free Jazz,” Bob Hoskins, and Joyce Chopra programs, the other big series is a 30-year survey of Sony Pictures Classics: Sally Potter, Satoshi Kon, Panahi, Errol Morris, Almodóvar, Haneke, Mike Leigh, just a murderer’s row. Streaming premieres include 499 and A Night of Knowing Nothing, two recent epitomes of I Wish I Had Seen That; Criterion Editions comprise Cure, Brazil, Sullivan’s Travels,...
Following “Free Jazz,” Bob Hoskins, and Joyce Chopra programs, the other big series is a 30-year survey of Sony Pictures Classics: Sally Potter, Satoshi Kon, Panahi, Errol Morris, Almodóvar, Haneke, Mike Leigh, just a murderer’s row. Streaming premieres include 499 and A Night of Knowing Nothing, two recent epitomes of I Wish I Had Seen That; Criterion Editions comprise Cure, Brazil, Sullivan’s Travels,...
- 10/26/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Paul Dano has played a “Batman” villain and a Beach Boy, but the Emmy nominee had no desire to play a presumed child kidnapper in “Prisoners.”
The Denis Villeneuve-directed film stars Hugh Jackman, Viola Davis, and Terence Howard as parents whose children are taken. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the detective on the case, as the local community fingers Dano’s character and his suspicious mother (Melissa Leo) as being involved. The 2013 film was nominated for Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins’ work.
“People love ‘Prisoners,'” Dano said while reflecting on his best roles for a GQ video. “This is one of those that you don’t really want to do, but you do, if you know what I mean.”
He continued, “I’d seen Denis’ film ‘Incendies,’ and he told me Roger Deakins was shooting it, who I had a massive crush on. Did I want to play that part?...
The Denis Villeneuve-directed film stars Hugh Jackman, Viola Davis, and Terence Howard as parents whose children are taken. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the detective on the case, as the local community fingers Dano’s character and his suspicious mother (Melissa Leo) as being involved. The 2013 film was nominated for Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins’ work.
“People love ‘Prisoners,'” Dano said while reflecting on his best roles for a GQ video. “This is one of those that you don’t really want to do, but you do, if you know what I mean.”
He continued, “I’d seen Denis’ film ‘Incendies,’ and he told me Roger Deakins was shooting it, who I had a massive crush on. Did I want to play that part?...
- 10/18/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Canadian writer/director Denis Villeneuve initially made his mark on international audiences with a series of compelling character studies that were couched in audience-friendly film genres, whether crime dramas (“Prisoners”) or action thrillers (“Sicario”). In recent years, however, the acclaimed filmmaker has largely focused on telling his complex stories using science-fiction/fantasy, as with “Dune” and “Arrival.” This platform allows him to add an extra layer of visual wizardry to his work and has brought his craft to a whole new audience.
In the past dozen years or so, Villeneuve’s work has been acclaimed by critics and audiences around the world, as well as recognized by a wide array of guilds and critics groups. He has been nominated for the Best Director Oscar (“Arrival”), and was Golden Globe-nominated for his direction of “Dune.” In addition, he has been honored with two Directors Guild Award nominations as well as three...
In the past dozen years or so, Villeneuve’s work has been acclaimed by critics and audiences around the world, as well as recognized by a wide array of guilds and critics groups. He has been nominated for the Best Director Oscar (“Arrival”), and was Golden Globe-nominated for his direction of “Dune.” In addition, he has been honored with two Directors Guild Award nominations as well as three...
- 10/1/2022
- by Tom O'Brien, Marcus James Dixon and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Not many international filmmakers have broken into Hollywood on the level that Denis Villeneuve has over the last decade. A French-Canadian, Villeneuve began as a director in Québécois cinema but won international attention for 2009's "Polytechnique" (about the real life École Polytechnique massacre in 1989) and 2010's "Incendies" (a dark drama about twins who discover their family's disturbing history in Lebanon).
But 2013 was when his career changed forever with the release of two films. "Enemy" was shot in Toronto but was Villenueve's first feature headlined by a movie star: Jake Gyllenhaal. "Prisoners" was his first straight-up American movie. As Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) investigates the disappearance of two young girls, the father of one of them, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), takes efforts into his own hands. "Prisoners" earned deserved comparisons to the work of David Fincher. Like "Seven," "Prisoners" is a mystery overlaid with Christian symbolism, and it's genuinely disturbing. The rainy cinematography evokes "Seven" as well,...
But 2013 was when his career changed forever with the release of two films. "Enemy" was shot in Toronto but was Villenueve's first feature headlined by a movie star: Jake Gyllenhaal. "Prisoners" was his first straight-up American movie. As Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) investigates the disappearance of two young girls, the father of one of them, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), takes efforts into his own hands. "Prisoners" earned deserved comparisons to the work of David Fincher. Like "Seven," "Prisoners" is a mystery overlaid with Christian symbolism, and it's genuinely disturbing. The rainy cinematography evokes "Seven" as well,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Co-financing, co-production forum takes place September 11-12.
New projects involving the producer of The Babadook, Game Of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin and Lemon Tree filmmaker Eran Riklis will be front and centre when the first in-person Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (Iff) in three years kicks off at TIFF next month.
Now in its 17th year, the two-day co-financing and co-production market takes place from September 11-12 in association with TIFF and features 42 feature film producer teams – 20 from Canada and 22 from as far afield as Australia, India, Norway, Scotland and the US.
The producers will participate in one-on-one producer...
New projects involving the producer of The Babadook, Game Of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin and Lemon Tree filmmaker Eran Riklis will be front and centre when the first in-person Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (Iff) in three years kicks off at TIFF next month.
Now in its 17th year, the two-day co-financing and co-production market takes place from September 11-12 in association with TIFF and features 42 feature film producer teams – 20 from Canada and 22 from as far afield as Australia, India, Norway, Scotland and the US.
The producers will participate in one-on-one producer...
- 8/29/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Co-financing, co-production forum takes place September 11-12.
New projects involving the producer of The Babadook, Game Of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin and Lemon Tree filmmaker Eran Riklis will be front and centre when the first in-person Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (Iff) in three years kicks off at TIFF next month.
Now in its 17th year, the two-day co-financing and co-production market takes place from September 11-12 in association with TIFF and features 42 feature film producer teams – 20 from Canada and 22 from as far afield as Australia, India, Norway, Scotland and the US.
The producers will participate in one-on-one producer...
New projects involving the producer of The Babadook, Game Of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin and Lemon Tree filmmaker Eran Riklis will be front and centre when the first in-person Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (Iff) in three years kicks off at TIFF next month.
Now in its 17th year, the two-day co-financing and co-production market takes place from September 11-12 in association with TIFF and features 42 feature film producer teams – 20 from Canada and 22 from as far afield as Australia, India, Norway, Scotland and the US.
The producers will participate in one-on-one producer...
- 8/29/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Hybrid doc to open in Canada on September 23.
Jason Loftus’s hybrid documentary Eternal Spring has been selected from a pool of 16 films to represent Canada at the 2023 Oscars.
Lofty Sky Entertainment produced and Sideways Film handles international sales on the film, which marks the 20th anniversary of a hack of Chinese state TV in March 2002 by outlawed Chinese religious group Falun Gong’s
Comic book illustrator Daxiong was a member of Falun Gong and fled the country after the hack triggered police raids. Arriving in North America, his views on the incident changed when he met the sole lone...
Jason Loftus’s hybrid documentary Eternal Spring has been selected from a pool of 16 films to represent Canada at the 2023 Oscars.
Lofty Sky Entertainment produced and Sideways Film handles international sales on the film, which marks the 20th anniversary of a hack of Chinese state TV in March 2002 by outlawed Chinese religious group Falun Gong’s
Comic book illustrator Daxiong was a member of Falun Gong and fled the country after the hack triggered police raids. Arriving in North America, his views on the incident changed when he met the sole lone...
- 8/24/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The pan-Canadian Selection Committee has chosen director Jason Loftus’ Eternal Spring as its entry for the Best International Feature Film Oscar.
The animated documentary highlights the work of internationally renowned comic book illustrator Daxiong who, as a member of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group, was forced to flee China after police raids in the city of Changchun.
Combining present-day footage with 3D animation inspired by Daxiong’s art, Eternal Spring retraces the events that precipitated the crackdown on their 20th anniversary, with eyewitness accounts of persecution and details of the fight for political and religious freedoms.
Eight Canadian films have been official nominees in the Best Foreign Language Film category: in 2013, Rebelle by Kim Nguyen; in 2012, Monsieur Lazhar by Philippe Falardeau and In Darkness by Agnieszka Holland (a minority co-production with Poland and Germany); in 2011, Incendies by Denis Villeneuve; and in 2007, Water by Deepa Mehta.
The animated documentary highlights the work of internationally renowned comic book illustrator Daxiong who, as a member of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group, was forced to flee China after police raids in the city of Changchun.
Combining present-day footage with 3D animation inspired by Daxiong’s art, Eternal Spring retraces the events that precipitated the crackdown on their 20th anniversary, with eyewitness accounts of persecution and details of the fight for political and religious freedoms.
Eight Canadian films have been official nominees in the Best Foreign Language Film category: in 2013, Rebelle by Kim Nguyen; in 2012, Monsieur Lazhar by Philippe Falardeau and In Darkness by Agnieszka Holland (a minority co-production with Poland and Germany); in 2011, Incendies by Denis Villeneuve; and in 2007, Water by Deepa Mehta.
- 8/24/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Strand Releasing has acquired all North American rights to Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan,” which world premiered at Cannes and won the Fipresci prize. The film, which is represented in international markets by Films Boutique, will have its North American premiere at Toronto in the Special Screenings section.
Touzani’s follow-up to Un Certain Regard title “Adam,” “The Blue Caftan” tells the story of Halim and Mina, a married couple running a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the commands of the demanding customers, they hire Youssef. The talented apprentice shows an utmost dedication in learning the art of embroidery and tailoring from Halim. Slowly Mina realizes how much her husband is moved by the presence of the young man.
Produced by Nabil Ayouch, “The Blue Caftan” stars Lubna Azabal (“Incendies”) and Saleh Bakri.
Touzani said “The Blue Caftan...
Touzani’s follow-up to Un Certain Regard title “Adam,” “The Blue Caftan” tells the story of Halim and Mina, a married couple running a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the commands of the demanding customers, they hire Youssef. The talented apprentice shows an utmost dedication in learning the art of embroidery and tailoring from Halim. Slowly Mina realizes how much her husband is moved by the presence of the young man.
Produced by Nabil Ayouch, “The Blue Caftan” stars Lubna Azabal (“Incendies”) and Saleh Bakri.
Touzani said “The Blue Caftan...
- 8/9/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Skies of Lebanon, the directorial debut of Chloé Mazlo, has been acquired for the U.S. by Dekanalog. The distributor is aiming to release the film theatrically on July 22.
A poetic blending of the personal and political, Skies of Lebanon combines live action with animation to create a vivid picture of Lebanon, inspired by the family history of filmmaker Mazlo. Using stories told to her by her grandmother about life during the Lebanese Civil War, Mazlo crafts what the producers describe as a “touching and heart-breaking story of love during wartime.”
The film sees Alba Rohrwacher (Happy as Lazzaro) play Alice, a Swiss woman who moves to Beirut in the 1950s and falls in love with a Lebanese man. Wajdi Mouawad (author of the play Incendies, which was the source material for Denis Villeneuve’s 2010 film with that same title) plays Joseph, an...
Skies of Lebanon, the directorial debut of Chloé Mazlo, has been acquired for the U.S. by Dekanalog. The distributor is aiming to release the film theatrically on July 22.
A poetic blending of the personal and political, Skies of Lebanon combines live action with animation to create a vivid picture of Lebanon, inspired by the family history of filmmaker Mazlo. Using stories told to her by her grandmother about life during the Lebanese Civil War, Mazlo crafts what the producers describe as a “touching and heart-breaking story of love during wartime.”
The film sees Alba Rohrwacher (Happy as Lazzaro) play Alice, a Swiss woman who moves to Beirut in the 1950s and falls in love with a Lebanese man. Wajdi Mouawad (author of the play Incendies, which was the source material for Denis Villeneuve’s 2010 film with that same title) plays Joseph, an...
- 6/27/2022
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s no secret that Morocco is one of the most homophobic places on Earth, punishing certain acts with prison sentences of up to three years. The secret, as far as Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan” is concerned, is that its main character is homosexual. The man, Halim (Salem Bakri), is devoted to both his religion and his wife, Mina (“Incendies” star Lubna Azabal). Together they own an old-fashioned garment shop in the town’s medina, where such stories almost certainly exist. Still, it takes equal measures of audacity and sensitivity to portray them on-screen, especially from a woman’s point of view.
Halim works as a maalem, or master tailor, struggling to keep the trade alive. These days, machines accomplish the work that artisans like Halim once did by hand, and apprentices are hard to find. Much of the film is dedicated to this disappearing craft: Touzani (“Adam...
Halim works as a maalem, or master tailor, struggling to keep the trade alive. These days, machines accomplish the work that artisans like Halim once did by hand, and apprentices are hard to find. Much of the film is dedicated to this disappearing craft: Touzani (“Adam...
- 6/5/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
"Prisoners" marked the English-language crossover of Denis Villeneuve, the director of "Sicario" and sci-fi heir apparent to Ridley Scott. Though Villeneuve actually shot another warm-up film with Jake Gyllenhaal — the spidery doppelgänger thriller "Enemy" — before "Prisoners," its release would come after, meaning that "Prisoners" would be the first introduction to many stateside audiences for Villeneuve's work -- unless they were already versed in his earlier French-language movies like "Incendies."
Whereas "Enemy" and "Sicario" are the length of standard movies, clocking in at 90 and 121 minutes, respectively, "Prisoners" is a longer film with a 153-minute runtime. Though...
The post Prisoners Ending Explained: Captive to a Vicious Circle of Victimization appeared first on /Film.
Whereas "Enemy" and "Sicario" are the length of standard movies, clocking in at 90 and 121 minutes, respectively, "Prisoners" is a longer film with a 153-minute runtime. Though...
The post Prisoners Ending Explained: Captive to a Vicious Circle of Victimization appeared first on /Film.
- 5/23/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
Films Boutique has acquired four films set to world premiere at Cannes, including Albert Serra (“The Death of Louis Xiv”)’s “Pacifiction” which will compete in the 75th edition’s Official Selection.
The Berlin-based international sales banner has also acquired rising Morrocan helmer Maryam Touzani (“Adam”)’s “The Blue Caftan” and Costa Rican director Ariel Escalante Meza’s “Domingo and the Mist” which will both play in Un Certain Regard; as well as Portuguese filmmaker João Pedro Rodrigues (“The Ornithologist”)’s “Will-o’-The-Wisp,” set for Directors’ Fortnight.
“Pacifiction” stars Cesar-winning French actor Benoit Magimel (“Peaceful”) as a calculating French government official working in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. While investigating on a mysterious submarine, he navigates the high end ’establishment,’ and mingles with locals in underground venues.
Serra was last in Cannes with his 2019 feature film “Liberté” which won the jury prize at Un Certain Regard.”‘Pacifiction’ is a...
The Berlin-based international sales banner has also acquired rising Morrocan helmer Maryam Touzani (“Adam”)’s “The Blue Caftan” and Costa Rican director Ariel Escalante Meza’s “Domingo and the Mist” which will both play in Un Certain Regard; as well as Portuguese filmmaker João Pedro Rodrigues (“The Ornithologist”)’s “Will-o’-The-Wisp,” set for Directors’ Fortnight.
“Pacifiction” stars Cesar-winning French actor Benoit Magimel (“Peaceful”) as a calculating French government official working in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. While investigating on a mysterious submarine, he navigates the high end ’establishment,’ and mingles with locals in underground venues.
Serra was last in Cannes with his 2019 feature film “Liberté” which won the jury prize at Un Certain Regard.”‘Pacifiction’ is a...
- 5/6/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Canadian writer/director Denis Villeneuve initially made his mark on international audiences with a series of compelling character studies that were couched in audience-friendly film genres, whether crime dramas (“Prisoners”) or action thrillers (“Sicario”). In recent years, however, the acclaimed filmmaker has largely focused on telling his complex stories using science-fiction/fantasy, as with “Dune” and “Arrival.” This platform allows him to add an extra layer of visual wizardry to his work and has brought his craft to a whole new audience.
In the past dozen years or so, Villeneuve’s work has been acclaimed by critics and audiences around the world, as well as recognized by a wide array of guilds and critics groups. He has been nominated for the Best Director Oscar (“Arrival”), and was Golden Globe-nominated for his direction of “Dune.” In addition, he has been honored with two Directors Guild Award nominations as well as three...
In the past dozen years or so, Villeneuve’s work has been acclaimed by critics and audiences around the world, as well as recognized by a wide array of guilds and critics groups. He has been nominated for the Best Director Oscar (“Arrival”), and was Golden Globe-nominated for his direction of “Dune.” In addition, he has been honored with two Directors Guild Award nominations as well as three...
- 1/30/2022
- by Tom O'Brien
- Gold Derby
Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will be presented with the Advanced Imaging Society’s 2022 Harold Lloyd Award for filmmaking at the 12th annual Lumiere Awards at Warner Bros. Studios on Feb. 1.
With his directorial work in “Dune,” based on Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel, the film has garnered critical acclaim as well as having major success at the worldwide box office. The film was recently re-released in IMAX and is a major contender this awards season.
Other works directed by Villeneuve include “Arrival,” for which he was nominated for an Oscar for best director, “Incendies,” “Prisoners,” “Sicario” and “Blade Runner 2049.”
“In his more than 200 films, Harold Lloyd was passionate about using his creative teams and the latest technology to empower his storytelling in the service of entertaining his millions of fans,” said Suzanne Lloyd, Chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment. “He was a cheerleader for the groundbreaking directors and creatives who followed him.
With his directorial work in “Dune,” based on Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel, the film has garnered critical acclaim as well as having major success at the worldwide box office. The film was recently re-released in IMAX and is a major contender this awards season.
Other works directed by Villeneuve include “Arrival,” for which he was nominated for an Oscar for best director, “Incendies,” “Prisoners,” “Sicario” and “Blade Runner 2049.”
“In his more than 200 films, Harold Lloyd was passionate about using his creative teams and the latest technology to empower his storytelling in the service of entertaining his millions of fans,” said Suzanne Lloyd, Chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment. “He was a cheerleader for the groundbreaking directors and creatives who followed him.
- 12/20/2021
- by Jennifer Yuma
- Variety Film + TV
Denis Villeneuve will be the recipient of the William Cameron Menzies Award from the Art Directors Guild at the 26th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards.
The award recognizes his unique visuals and innovative storytelling which have established Villeneuve as one of the premier filmmakers working today.
“We are beyond thrilled to recognize the scale and scope of the cinematic vision of director Denis Villeneuve with the 2022 William Cameron Menzies Award,” said Nelson Coates, president of the Adg. “The seamless integration of design into all aspects of Villeneuve’s storytelling process, and the promotion of narrative design and designers in his work and in the industry, make him the perfect honoree. Fostering strong collaborations and working relationships between directors and designers is vital to the creation of strong and unique films. Villeneuve has proven extremely adept at this foundational collaboration.”
Villeneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for his directorial...
The award recognizes his unique visuals and innovative storytelling which have established Villeneuve as one of the premier filmmakers working today.
“We are beyond thrilled to recognize the scale and scope of the cinematic vision of director Denis Villeneuve with the 2022 William Cameron Menzies Award,” said Nelson Coates, president of the Adg. “The seamless integration of design into all aspects of Villeneuve’s storytelling process, and the promotion of narrative design and designers in his work and in the industry, make him the perfect honoree. Fostering strong collaborations and working relationships between directors and designers is vital to the creation of strong and unique films. Villeneuve has proven extremely adept at this foundational collaboration.”
Villeneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for his directorial...
- 12/14/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
When Denis Villeneuve got the thumbs up from Warner Bros. and Legendary to shoot “Dune,” he knew he was headed back to the Middle East.
Specifically, to the deserts of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, which are inextricably tied to the Canadian director’s passionate vision of the planet Arrakis. These countries have also played key roles in several of the “Star Wars” installments, giving all these films a soul they never could have attained using green screens and the CGI visuals of most sci-fi movies.
Villeneuve in several interviews has said he started scouting for “Dune” a decade ago in Jordan when he first came to the region to make his 2010 Oscar-nominated breakout film “Incendies.” Even then, he was dreaming of bringing Frank Herbert’s book to life. As heard in promotional materials for the film, Villeneuve vowed to himself that if he ever got to make “Dune,...
Specifically, to the deserts of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, which are inextricably tied to the Canadian director’s passionate vision of the planet Arrakis. These countries have also played key roles in several of the “Star Wars” installments, giving all these films a soul they never could have attained using green screens and the CGI visuals of most sci-fi movies.
Villeneuve in several interviews has said he started scouting for “Dune” a decade ago in Jordan when he first came to the region to make his 2010 Oscar-nominated breakout film “Incendies.” Even then, he was dreaming of bringing Frank Herbert’s book to life. As heard in promotional materials for the film, Villeneuve vowed to himself that if he ever got to make “Dune,...
- 11/29/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
"We're so bounded by time, by its order. But now I am not so sure I believe in beginnings and endings." There's a lovely new video on YouTube to watch titled "The Beauty of Denis Villeneuve." It's made by a French movie lover who runs a Yt channel called "The Beauty Of" making short videos about the beautiful cinematography found in various films & TV & games. This one is all about Villeneuve and his movies, from Incendies to Dune and everything else (he has made 10 features in total so far). All set to the music "On the Nature of Daylight" also heard in Arrival. Villeneuve has worked with these great cinematographers: Greig Fraser, Roger Deakins, Bradford Young, André Turpin, Nicolas Bolduc, and Pierre Gill. There's many other memorable shots not seen in this video, but this just makes me want to rewatch every last one of his movies. Thanks to Kottke for the tip on this.
- 11/15/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Event ran September 12-13 concurrent Toronto International Film Festival.
The virtual 2021 Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) that took place this month brought together feature producers on projects at various stages of development with industry executives and hosted more than 550 meetings.
Iff, which took place from September 12-13 concurrent with Toronto International Film Festival, invited 42 industry executives from the likes of Netflix, Neon, Voltage Pictures, The Match Factory and Protagonist Pictures. Charlotte Mickie, vice-president of Celluloid Dreams, said: “Iff is awesome. The offering is diverse and rich, and the conversations with the producers are so stimulating and provocative, in a good way.
The virtual 2021 Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) that took place this month brought together feature producers on projects at various stages of development with industry executives and hosted more than 550 meetings.
Iff, which took place from September 12-13 concurrent with Toronto International Film Festival, invited 42 industry executives from the likes of Netflix, Neon, Voltage Pictures, The Match Factory and Protagonist Pictures. Charlotte Mickie, vice-president of Celluloid Dreams, said: “Iff is awesome. The offering is diverse and rich, and the conversations with the producers are so stimulating and provocative, in a good way.
- 9/30/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
With a full year of creative pauses and improvisational workflow behind them, Canadian producers hit the 2021 Toronto festival bullish that in-person screenings and heightened fall fest excitement will focus critics and sales buzz to connect their films with audiences beyond their home turf.
Luc Dery and Kim McCraw of Montreal’s micro_scope, who introduced Denis Villeneuve’s “Incendies” and Philippe Falardeau’s “Monsieur Lazhar” to North American audiences at TIFF, return with Ivan Grbovic’s “Drunken Birds” (pictured), one of eight titles screening in Platform, the festival’s juried competition program.
Jorge Antonio Guerrero (“Roma”) stars as a Mexican drug-cartel worker who falls in love with his boss’s wife and whose pursuit of her lands him in rural Quebec, where he gets mixed up in his host family’s troubles. The film is exec produced by Nicolas Celis (“Roma”), with Wazabi Films selling.
“The marketplace is quite brutal right now,...
Luc Dery and Kim McCraw of Montreal’s micro_scope, who introduced Denis Villeneuve’s “Incendies” and Philippe Falardeau’s “Monsieur Lazhar” to North American audiences at TIFF, return with Ivan Grbovic’s “Drunken Birds” (pictured), one of eight titles screening in Platform, the festival’s juried competition program.
Jorge Antonio Guerrero (“Roma”) stars as a Mexican drug-cartel worker who falls in love with his boss’s wife and whose pursuit of her lands him in rural Quebec, where he gets mixed up in his host family’s troubles. The film is exec produced by Nicolas Celis (“Roma”), with Wazabi Films selling.
“The marketplace is quite brutal right now,...
- 9/10/2021
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
TIFF Ebert Director Award
Denis Villeneuve
Filmmaker
When French-Canadian filmmaker Villeneuve made his breakthrough — 2010’s film, “Incendies,” which was nominated for a foreign-language Oscar — the world took notice.
“‘Incendies’ was the first film where I was finally able to make cinema the way I had always dreamt of,” he says, “That is when I was truly born as a filmmaker.”
His latest, “Dune,” bowed in Venice and screens at the Toronto festival. It his theaters Oct. 22.
Villeneuve earned a reputation for his keen attention to detail and unique approach towards cinematography, which often relies on a thematic color palette, intentional use of light and a voyeuristic style, owed largely to his collaborations with the legendary Dp Roger Deakins. “Working with Roger on three movies has been the most intense and profound film school ever.
“How blessed I was to have the privilege to work with so many great artists in front and behind the camera.
Denis Villeneuve
Filmmaker
When French-Canadian filmmaker Villeneuve made his breakthrough — 2010’s film, “Incendies,” which was nominated for a foreign-language Oscar — the world took notice.
“‘Incendies’ was the first film where I was finally able to make cinema the way I had always dreamt of,” he says, “That is when I was truly born as a filmmaker.”
His latest, “Dune,” bowed in Venice and screens at the Toronto festival. It his theaters Oct. 22.
Villeneuve earned a reputation for his keen attention to detail and unique approach towards cinematography, which often relies on a thematic color palette, intentional use of light and a voyeuristic style, owed largely to his collaborations with the legendary Dp Roger Deakins. “Working with Roger on three movies has been the most intense and profound film school ever.
“How blessed I was to have the privilege to work with so many great artists in front and behind the camera.
- 9/9/2021
- by Katherine Brodsky, Selome Hailu, Jennie Punter, Jazz Tangcay, Chris Willman and Jennifer Yuma
- Variety Film + TV
In the end, Denis Villeneuve was all too right: Your television isn’t big enough for the scope of his “Dune,” but that’s only because this lifeless spice opera is told on such a comically massive scale that a screen of any size would struggle to contain it. Likewise, no story — let alone the misshapen first half of one — could ever hope to support the enormity of what Villeneuve tries to build over the course of these interminable 155 minutes (someone mentions that time is measured differently on Arrakis), or the sheer weight of the self-serious portent that he pounds into every shot. For all of Villeneuve’s awe-inducing vision, he loses sight of why Frank Herbert’s foundational sci-fi opus is worthy of this epic spectacle in the first place. Such are the pitfalls of making a movie so large that not even its director can see around the sets.
- 9/3/2021
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Director Denis Villeneuve has succeeded in wrestling Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi classic “Dune” to the big screen, and that’s an impressive feat all by itself. So when his film premiered on Friday at the Venice Film Festival, it’s no surprise that it showed what a movie version of “Dune” can be, but also why it’s been so difficult to get one onto the screen.
Villeneuve’s “Dune” is both dazzling and frustrating, often spectacular and often slow. It’s huge and loud and impressive but it can also be humorless and bleak – though on the whole, it tries valiantly to address the problems of taking on Herbert’s complex epic, which requires a director to spend lots of time setting things up and explaining the world before they can even get the damn thing off the ground.
The adventurous Chilean-French director Alejandro Jodorowsky could never quite pull...
Villeneuve’s “Dune” is both dazzling and frustrating, often spectacular and often slow. It’s huge and loud and impressive but it can also be humorless and bleak – though on the whole, it tries valiantly to address the problems of taking on Herbert’s complex epic, which requires a director to spend lots of time setting things up and explaining the world before they can even get the damn thing off the ground.
The adventurous Chilean-French director Alejandro Jodorowsky could never quite pull...
- 9/3/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Roster includes Lantern’s Lane, Flee The Light.
Montreal-based WaZabi Films will launch sales on Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) world premiere selections Maria Chapdelaine from Sébastien Pilote and Ivan Grbovic’s Drunken Birds (Les Oiseaux Ivres).
Maria Chapdelaine will screen in Contemporary World Cinema and takes place in rural Quebec in the early 20th century where a teenage girl must choose one of three suitors. Pilote adapted the screenplay from Louis Hémon’s 1913 novel. WaZabi represents worldwide rights excluding Canada, where MK2|Mile End will distribute.
Pierre Even (War Witch) of Item 7 and Sylvain Proulx produced the film, which...
Montreal-based WaZabi Films will launch sales on Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) world premiere selections Maria Chapdelaine from Sébastien Pilote and Ivan Grbovic’s Drunken Birds (Les Oiseaux Ivres).
Maria Chapdelaine will screen in Contemporary World Cinema and takes place in rural Quebec in the early 20th century where a teenage girl must choose one of three suitors. Pilote adapted the screenplay from Louis Hémon’s 1913 novel. WaZabi represents worldwide rights excluding Canada, where MK2|Mile End will distribute.
Pierre Even (War Witch) of Item 7 and Sylvain Proulx produced the film, which...
- 8/25/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The Toronto Film Festival said Thursday that Dune director Denis Villeneuve will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award and documentary filmmaker/activist Alanis Obomsawin the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media as part of the fest’s 2021 TIFF Tribute Awards. The annual awards will be presented during the run of the festival, which runs September 9-18.
The TIFF Tribute Awards, which were created in 2019, recognize the film industry’s outstanding contributors and their achievements and are the festival’s largest annual fundraiser to support its year-round programs. The ceremony is broadcast nationally in Canada by CTV.
The French-Canadian Villeneuve’s credits include Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Sicario, Enemy, Prisoners and Incendies, with his next film Dune arriving in October.
“There is no question Denis is an accomplished and outstanding filmmaker,” TIFF co-head Cameron Bailey said. “He has a wonderful body of work and operates at an incredible level of excellence on the world stage.
The TIFF Tribute Awards, which were created in 2019, recognize the film industry’s outstanding contributors and their achievements and are the festival’s largest annual fundraiser to support its year-round programs. The ceremony is broadcast nationally in Canada by CTV.
The French-Canadian Villeneuve’s credits include Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Sicario, Enemy, Prisoners and Incendies, with his next film Dune arriving in October.
“There is no question Denis is an accomplished and outstanding filmmaker,” TIFF co-head Cameron Bailey said. “He has a wonderful body of work and operates at an incredible level of excellence on the world stage.
- 7/22/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
P&i screenings remain available online on TIFF Digital Cinema Pro for those unable to travel.
TIFF heads have added Scotiabank Theatre Toronto to the list of in-person venues for the first five days of the festival to accommodate a select number of additional public and press and industry screenings.
The move comes after the Canadian government announced it will relax entry restrictions for all fully vaccinated visitors by September 7. The festival runs September 9-18.
Press and industry screenings will remain available online on TIFF Digital Cinema Pro for press and industry unable to travel. The Industry Conference will continue...
TIFF heads have added Scotiabank Theatre Toronto to the list of in-person venues for the first five days of the festival to accommodate a select number of additional public and press and industry screenings.
The move comes after the Canadian government announced it will relax entry restrictions for all fully vaccinated visitors by September 7. The festival runs September 9-18.
Press and industry screenings will remain available online on TIFF Digital Cinema Pro for press and industry unable to travel. The Industry Conference will continue...
- 7/22/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Filmmaker and Academy Award nominee Denis Villeneuve and documentary filmmaker, writer, singer and activist Alanis Obomsawin are the first two announced honorees for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. Set to be honored at the 2021 TIFF Tribute Awards, Villeneuve will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award, while Obomsawin will be honored with the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media.
Cameron Bailey, artistic director and co-head of TIFF, said, in part, “Denis Villeneuve’s many films… are a testament to [his] boundless ability for authentic, passionate storytelling. There is no question Denis is an accomplished and outstanding filmmaker. It is wonderful to be celebrating his career at this time.”
Villeneuve has an eclectic body of work with a wide range of genres and themes, including “Arrival” (2016), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for best director, and “Incendies” (2010), which picked up a nom for foreign language film. His other screen credits include “Blade Runner 2049,...
Cameron Bailey, artistic director and co-head of TIFF, said, in part, “Denis Villeneuve’s many films… are a testament to [his] boundless ability for authentic, passionate storytelling. There is no question Denis is an accomplished and outstanding filmmaker. It is wonderful to be celebrating his career at this time.”
Villeneuve has an eclectic body of work with a wide range of genres and themes, including “Arrival” (2016), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for best director, and “Incendies” (2010), which picked up a nom for foreign language film. His other screen credits include “Blade Runner 2049,...
- 7/22/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The fall award season is starting up. Last year, eventual Oscar winners Sir Anthony Hopkins (Sony Pictures Classics’ “The Father”) and Chloé Zhao (Searchlight’s “Nomadland”), as well as nominated composer Terence Blanchard (“Da 5 Bloods”) started their Oscar campaigns at the (hybrid) Toronto International Film Festival’s second annual Tribute Awards fundraiser. The year before, TIFF’s first Awards Gala honored such eventual Oscar winners as Taika Waititi (“Jojo Rabbit”) and Joaquin Phoenix (“The Joker”).
So with the final format of the 46th edition of the Toronto festival still up in the air, Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, announced that they will present the TIFF Ebert Director Award to French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, whose long-delayed space epic “Dune” will debut at Venice before screening at TIFF.
“The TIFF Ebert Director Award recognizes filmmakers who have exemplified greatness in their career,” said Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head,...
So with the final format of the 46th edition of the Toronto festival still up in the air, Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, announced that they will present the TIFF Ebert Director Award to French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, whose long-delayed space epic “Dune” will debut at Venice before screening at TIFF.
“The TIFF Ebert Director Award recognizes filmmakers who have exemplified greatness in their career,” said Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head,...
- 7/22/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and documentary filmmaker, writer and singer Alanis Obomsawin are the first honorees to be announced for the 2021 TIFF Tribute Awards, Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, co-heads of TIFF, announced on Thursday.
Obomsawin will be honored with the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media, while Villeneuve will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award. The TIFF Tribute Awards will take place during the 46th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival.
The awards honor the film industry's contributors and their achievements, and also serves as the festival's largest annual fundraiser to support its year-round programmes. This year, the event will raise funds for TIFF's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and will support a safe return to cinemas. Bell Media Studios will co-produce and will be broadcast nationally by CTV.
In 2020, the TIFF Tribute Awards honored Mira Nair, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Kate Winslet, Chloe Zhao, Terence Blanchard and Tracey Deer.
Obomsawin will be honored with the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media, while Villeneuve will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award. The TIFF Tribute Awards will take place during the 46th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival.
The awards honor the film industry's contributors and their achievements, and also serves as the festival's largest annual fundraiser to support its year-round programmes. This year, the event will raise funds for TIFF's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and will support a safe return to cinemas. Bell Media Studios will co-produce and will be broadcast nationally by CTV.
In 2020, the TIFF Tribute Awards honored Mira Nair, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Kate Winslet, Chloe Zhao, Terence Blanchard and Tracey Deer.
- 7/22/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
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