Brigitte Bardot, Iconic French Film Star and Cultural Figure, Dies at 91

Posted on December 28, 2025 by admin

Brigitte Bardot, the French actor, singer, and international cultural icon who rose to global fame in the 1950s before leaving cinema to become a prominent animal rights activist, has died at the age of 91. Her death was announced by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which did not disclose a cause.

Bardot became an international sensation with her breakthrough role in Roger Vadim’s And God Created Woman (1956), a film that reshaped attitudes toward sexuality in postwar cinema and established her as one of France’s most recognizable celebrities. Over the following two decades, she starred in more than 40 films, including The Truth, Contempt, and Viva Maria!, working with directors such as Jean-Luc Godard, Louis Malle, and Henri-Georges Clouzot.

She retired from acting in 1973 at age 39 and devoted her life to animal welfare, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986. In later years, Bardot remained a polarizing public figure due to her outspoken far-right political views and repeated convictions in France for inciting racial hatred.

French President Emmanuel Macron called Bardot “a legend of the century,” noting her lasting impact on French culture. She is survived by her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier.

Christopher Nolan Unveils First Trailer for Epic Adaptation of The Odyssey

Posted on December 22, 2025 by admin

Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek poem. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, on his perilous journey home following the Trojan War.

The teaser offers glimpses of large-scale sea voyages, shipwrecks, and the famed Trojan Horse, while hinting at the mythic dangers Odysseus will face, including legendary monsters and supernatural forces.

The footage also introduces Tom Holland as Telemachus and Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, whose plea for his return frames the trailer’s emotional core.

The cast includes Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, and John Leguizamo. Nolan wrote and directed the film, producing alongside Emma Thomas, and shot the project using newly developed IMAX film technology to stage the story on an epic scale. The Odyssey is scheduled for theatrical release on July 17, 2026.

Michael Apted’s The Long Way Home Returns in Remastered, Expanded Form at MoMA Festival

Posted on December 20, 2025 by admin

Michael Apted’s documentary The Long Way Home will receive its world premiere in a newly remastered and expanded edition at To Save and Project: The 22nd MoMA International Festival of Film Preservation in January.

The 2026 version has been restored from the only surviving 16mm print under the supervision of producer Steven Lawrence and editor Susanne Rostock. The updated edition also includes a newly created epilogue examining the later life of Soviet rock icon Boris Grebenshchikov, whose career and exile following the release of his Western album Radio Silence are revisited decades after the film’s original release.

Originally released in the late 1980s, The Long Way Home follows Grebenshchikov as he became the first Soviet underground rocker to record in the West during the early days of Glasnost. The film documents his collaborations with Western musicians including Dave Stewart, Annie Lennox, Chrissie Hynde, Ray Cooper, and members of Crosby, Stills & Nash, while also capturing tensions with his longtime band Aquarium and his Russian audience.

The remastered edition will screen at MoMA on January 28, with an in-person introduction by Lawrence and Rostock.

“We Shall Not Be Moved” Recognized as One of the Year’s Top International Films

Posted on December 11, 2025 by admin

We Shall Not Be Moved (No nos moverán), Mexico’s official submission for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards®, has been named one of the year’s Best International Films by New York Film Critics Online. The recognition comes as the acclaimed debut feature from Mexican filmmaker Pierre Saint Martin continues its U.S. theatrical rollout.

Following a strong run in New York through Cinema Tropical, the dark dramedy will screen for one week at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco beginning December 18, before heading to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in January. A U.S. streaming release is expected to be announced soon.

Shot in black and white, the film follows Socorro, a 67-year-old retired lawyer played by Luisa Huertas, whose decades-long pursuit of the soldier responsible for her brother’s death during Mexico’s 1968 Tlatelolco massacre has consumed her life and fractured her family. When a new lead emerges, she risks everything to confront the past.

The film premiered at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, winning Best Mexican Film and the Audience Award, and went on to receive four Ariel Awards, including Best First Feature and Best Actress. It has screened at more than 40 international festivals and will also represent Mexico at Spain’s Goya Awards.

Saint Martin’s debut blends dark humor with an intimate exploration of memory, trauma, and political reckoning, offering a personal lens on one of Mexico’s most painful historical chapters.

Slamdance Sets Alexandre Rockwell’s The Projectionist as Opening Night Film for 2026 Festival

Posted on December 10, 2025 by admin

The Slamdance Film Festival has named Alexandre Rockwell’s The Projectionist as the opening night film for its 32nd edition, marking the film’s world premiere. The artist-led festival returns to Los Angeles for a second year, running in person from February 19–25, 2026, with virtual screenings continuing through March 6 on the Slamdance Channel.

Produced by Quentin Tarantino and Jack Auen, The Projectionist centers on a reclusive cinema projectionist haunted by a wrongful conviction and personal loss, living in isolation inside a fading arthouse theater until his past resurfaces. The film stars Vondie Curtis-Hall, Karyn Parsons, Kasi Lemmons, David Proval, Kevin Corrigan, and Michael Buscemi.

The festival also announced a new partnership with independent studio Utopia, which will offer theatrical distribution to at least one 2026 Slamdance Grand Prize winner. Additional distribution and digital aggregation opportunities will be made available to competition films through Utopia’s platform.

Also screening in the festival’s Spotlight section is The Untitled Ruby Slippers Documentary, directed by Seth Gordon and Nikki Calabrese, a long-gestating project tied to Gordon’s early Slamdance roots.

Slamdance will once again host Market Monday on February 23, featuring panels and workshops focused on filmmaking, distribution, and audience development. The full festival lineup will be announced at a later date.

‘One Battle After Another’ Leads 2026 Golden Globe Nominations; ‘The White Lotus’ Tops TV as Globes Expand Into Podcasts

Posted on December 8, 2025 by admin

The 2026 Golden Globe nominations were unveiled Monday morning, and the race quickly narrowed around a handful of major contenders. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another dominated the film side with nine nominations, the most of any title this year. Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value followed with eight, while Ryan Coogler’s Sinners earned seven, and Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet collected six. Frankenstein and Wicked: For Good landed five apiece.

On television, HBO’s The White Lotus led with six nominations, edging out Netflix’s Adolescence, which received five. Only Murders in the Building and Severance each secured four, continuing their awards-season consistency.

The ceremony returns to the Beverly Hilton on Jan. 11, airing live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, with Nikki Glaser hosting. Marlon Wayans and Skye P. Marshall announced the nominees from Los Angeles, including categories for film, television, stand-up comedy, and, for the first time, the best podcast award.

This year’s podcast lineup reflects the Globes’ push toward broader media recognition, while also avoiding the political and culture-war flashpoints that have defined the category elsewhere. Titles such as Armchair Expert, Call Her Daddy, Good Hang with Amy Poehler, The Mel Robbins Podcast, SmartLess, and NPR’s Up First made the inaugural shortlist.

On the distributor front, Neon led all film companies with 21 nominations, while Netflix dominated television with 22.

The Globes also continue building out their rebranding campaign, including the launch of “Golden Eve,” a primetime special honoring this year’s career-achievement recipients: Helen Mirren (Cecil B. DeMille Award) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Carol Burnett Award).

Below is the full list of nominees:

Here’s the full list of nominees.

Motion picture – Drama
“Sinners”
“It Was Just an Accident”
“Sentimental Value”
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“The Secret Agent”

Motion picture – Musical or comedy
“One Battle After Another”
“No Other Choice”
“Marty Supreme”
“Blue Moon”
“Bugonia”
“Nouvelle Vague”

Continue reading →

AFI Announces 2025 Honorees Across Film and Television

Posted on December 5, 2025 by admin

The American Film Institute has unveiled its selections for the 2025 AFI Awards, recognizing ten films and ten television programs that the organization deems the year’s most significant artistic achievements. One additional project, It Was Just an Accident, received the annual Special Award, given to works outside AFI’s standard eligibility.

This year’s film lineup spans major studio releases, acclaimed auteurs, and international literary adaptations, with titles including Avatar: Fire and Ash, Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Jay Kelly, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sinners, Train Dreams, and Wicked: For Good.

On the television side, the honorees reflect a broad mix of prestige drama, genre storytelling, and serialized world-building. The 2025 selections include Adolescence, Andor, Death by Lightning, The Diplomat, The Lowdown, The Pitt, Pluribus, Severance, The Studio, and Task.

AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale emphasized the awards’ long-standing focus on celebrating collective achievement rather than competition. Honorees will be recognized at AFI’s annual luncheon on January 9, 2026, a gathering known for bringing filmmakers and television creators together in an informal, industry-wide celebration of the year’s work.

The AFI Awards have become a consistent bellwether for awards-season momentum, often overlapping significantly with later Oscar and Emmy nominations.

New Distributor EKKL Entertainment Launches With “She Dances,” Hitting Theaters in March 2026

Posted on December 3, 2025 by admin

EKKL Entertainment, a newly formed distribution banner focused on values-driven, audience-friendly filmmaking, has officially launched with its first acquisition: She Dances, the feature debut of writer-director Rick Gomez. The film, co-written with Steve Zahn, will receive a North American theatrical release in March 2026.

The family drama stars Steve Zahn, Audrey Zahn, Mackenzie Ziegler, Rosemarie DeWitt, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Ethan Hawke. After premiering at Tribeca earlier this year, the film drew strong audience reaction and was recently added to the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival lineup.

EKKL is led by producer Michael Scott, known for helping establish the modern faith-based boxoffice landscape. The company plans to release roughly eight theatrical titles annually, aiming to serve audiences looking for uplifting, character-driven storytelling.

In a joint statement, Gomez and Zahn said they were “thrilled” the film would play in theaters, noting that its emotional impact is strongest when shared communally.

She Dances centers on a strained father-daughter relationship navigating loss and reconciliation during a regional youth dance competition, an intimate portrait of grief, resilience, and rediscovery.

Glen Powell Leads Dark Inheritance Thriller ‘How to Make a Killing,’ Arriving February 2026

Posted on November 30, 2025 by admin

A24 has unveiled the first trailer for How to Make a Killing, a darkly comic thriller led by Glen Powell and set to hit theaters on February 20, 2026.

Powell stars as Becket Redfellow, a working-class outsider who was cut off from his wealthy family long before he had the chance to inherit anything. After the death of his mother, he decides to claim the fortune he believes should have been his and devises a lethal plan to eliminate the relatives who stand between him and the estate. The film follows Becket’s increasingly brazen efforts to move up the family line, while navigating complicated relationships with a devoted girlfriend and a flirtatious figure from his past.

The cast also includes Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace, and Ed Harris.

John Patton Ford, who earned acclaim for Emily the Criminal, writes and directs the feature. The story draws loose inspiration from the classic 1949 film Kind Hearts and Coronets.

How to Make a Killing opens in theaters nationwide on February 20, 2026.

Diane Kruger Leads Psychological Thriller Visions, Opening December 12

Posted on November 28, 2025 by admin

Dark Sky Films will release the French psychological thriller Visions on December 12, featuring Diane Kruger in the lead role. The film is directed by Yann Gozlan, known for Black Box and Burn Out.

Kruger stars as Estelle, an accomplished airline pilot whose stable life with her husband (Mathieu Kassovitz) begins to fracture when she enters a sudden, consuming affair with a woman from her past, played by Marta Nieto. The relationship sets off a chain of increasingly disorienting events, pushing Estelle to question what is real as her personal and professional worlds begin to unravel.

The film explores themes of desire, memory, and psychological instability, continuing Gozlan’s interest in high-tension, character-driven thrillers. Visions arrives with strong European pedigree, produced by SND, Eagle Team Entertainment, and 24 25 Films.

Visions will open in select theaters and debut on digital VOD on December 12.