Category Archives: International

Bi Gan’s Resurrection Lands on Criterion Channel With Critical Acclaim

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Huace Pictures

Visionary filmmaker Bi Gan returns with his most ambitious work yet, Resurrection, now streaming on the Criterion Channel.

The film, which earned the Jury Special Prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, blends fantasy, romance, and cinematic history into a dreamlike narrative. It follows a mysterious “dreaming monster” (played by Jackson Yee) pursued by a woman (played by Shu Qi) through a shifting world where humanity has traded dreams for immortality.

Structured as a genre-spanning journey, Resurrection moves through styles ranging from silent-era expressionism to noir and surreal fantasy, creating what critics have described as a visually striking and deeply immersive experience.

The film has received widespread acclaim, with many outlets naming it among the year’s best, praising its ambition and unique approach to storytelling.

A home video release is expected to follow, expanding access to one of the most talked-about international films of the year.

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Tony Shalhoub to Appear at Lighthouse International Film Festival

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Tony Shalhoub is set to attend this year’s Lighthouse International Film Festival, running June 10–14 on Long Beach Island, New Jersey.

The Emmy- and Tony-winning actor will take part in a post-screening conversation following a showing of the 1996 film Big Night, reflecting on his career and creative process. The discussion will be moderated by Jason Alexander, with co-director Campbell Scott also expected to attend.

Shalhoub is widely known for his work across film, television, and theater, including Monk, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and The Band’s Visit. His appearance adds to this year’s lineup, which highlights independent filmmaking and includes special programming like a multi-day masterclass led by Alexander.

Now in its 18th year, the festival continues to spotlight emerging voices while bringing established talent to a more intimate setting for audiences.

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Berlin Silver Bear Winner Living the Land Opens at Film Forum April 3

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living-the-landThe Berlin International Film Festival award-winning drama Living the Land will have its U.S. theatrical premiere at Film Forum on April 3.

Directed by Huo Meng, the film earned the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival and marks the filmmaker’s second feature. The coming-of-age story unfolds in rural China during the early 1990s, a period of rapid industrial change.

The film follows Chuang, a sensitive 10-year-old boy whose parents leave their wheat-farming village to seek work in the city. Left in the care of his extended family, Chuang witnesses the rhythms of rural life through the guidance of his outspoken great-grandmother and independent-minded aunt.

Told from the child’s perspective, Living the Land captures a community at the edge of transformation as traditional village life begins to disappear.

Following its Berlin premiere, the film has also screened at international festivals including Vancouver, Valladolid, and the International Film Festival of India. The film is distributed in the United States by Film Movement.

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Shame and Money Wins World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance

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shame-and-moneyVisar Morina’s Shame and Money was awarded the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, marking a major moment for the filmmaker following his earlier Sundance entry Exile.

Set between rural Kosovo and the capital, the film follows a family forced to rebuild their lives after losing their livelihood, tracing how pride, financial pressure, and quiet desperation shape everyday choices. Morina approaches the story with restraint, letting tension build through small moments rather than spectacle.

The film stars Astrit Kabashi and Flonja Kodheli, whose performances anchor the story with emotional clarity and lived-in realism. Shame and Money represents Germany and Kosovo and continues its festival run following its Sundance win.

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Blades of the Guardians Heads to North American Theaters in February

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blades-of-the-guardiansWell Go USA Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to Blades of the Guardians, the large-scale historical action film directed by legendary martial arts filmmaker Yuen Woo-ping. The film is set for a theatrical release on February 17, 2026, timed to the Chinese New Year.

Based on the popular comic by Xianzhe Xu, Blades of the Guardians stars Wu Jing, who also serves as producer, alongside Jet Li, Nicholas Tse, Yosh Yu, and K-pop idols JUN (Seventeen) and Winwin (NCT).

Set during China’s Sui Dynasty, the film follows a mercenary tasked with escorting a mysterious mission across the Western Regions, only to find himself pulled into a dangerous political scheme.

With Yuen Woo-ping at the helm, the film leans heavily into classical martial arts spectacle, blending large-scale action choreography with historical intrigue. The release continues Well Go USA’s long-standing focus on bringing international action cinema to North American audiences.

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One Battle After Another Leads Online Film Critics Society Awards

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onebattle-after-anotherPaul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerged as a major winner at the 2025 Online Film Critics Society Awards, taking Best Picture and Best Director among five total wins. The film’s strong showing places it firmly among the most critically embraced releases of the year.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners ultimately led the awards overall, collecting 10 wins across major categories including acting, writing, cinematography, score, and multiple technical honors. With more than 38 films recognized across 22 categories, this year’s OFCS awards reflected an unusually broad spread of genres, from studio releases to international and independent titles.

One notable takeaway from this year’s results is how concentrated the wins were at the top: just two films accounted for nearly half of all awards handed out, underscoring a rare level of consensus among the Society’s nearly 300 voting critics worldwide.

The organization also presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Colleen Atwood, Jack Nicholson, Steven Spielberg, Vittorio Storaro, and Walter Murch, alongside Special Achievement Awards recognizing sustainability efforts in filmmaking and advocacy within the industry.

Here’s the complete list of Online Film Critics Society Award winners and nominations for 2025.

Continue reading →

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Levitating (Para Perasuk) Makes Its Sundance Debut at World Cinema Dramatic Competition Red Carpet

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Levitating (Para Perasuk) premiered today at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival as part of the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, with a press line and red carpet held at The Yarrow Theatre in Park City ahead of its first public screening.

Director Wregas Bhanuteja appeared alongside cast members Angga Yunanda, Maudy Ayunda, Anggun, Bryan Domani, and Chicco Kurniawan, joined by producers and executive producers representing the film’s international production team. The group paused for photographs and brief press moments before heading inside for the morning screening.

Set in a town where trance possession is both ritual and livelihood, Levitating follows Bayu, a gifted spirit channeler whose flute music guides dancers into altered states as he struggles to protect his community and his home amid growing outside pressures. The film blends music, movement, and spirituality into a coming-of-age story rooted in tradition and collective survival.

The premiere marks Indonesia’s presence in this year’s competition lineup, with additional in-person and online screenings scheduled later in the festival’s run.

Photos from the red carpet capture the filmmakers and cast moments before the film’s Sundance journey officially began.

Photos: AIPImaging.com

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Big Girls Don’t Cry Premieres at Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Competition

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By Armando

Writer Director Paloma Schneideman

Writer Director Paloma Schneideman

Big Girls Don’t Cry premiered Saturday, January 24, at the Sundance Film Festival, screening at The Ray Theatre in Park City as part of the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. The afternoon screening was preceded by a red carpet press line, where the film’s creative team gathered for photos and interviews ahead of the first public showing.

In attendance were writer-director Paloma Schneideman, lead cast members Ani Palmer, Rain Spencer, and Noah Taylor, along with producers and executive producers connected to the project. The atmosphere reflected the film’s debut status, with the team marking its introduction to festival audiences following its New Zealand production.

Set in rural New Zealand in 2006, Big Girls Don’t Cry follows 14-year-old Sid Bookman over the course of a formative summer as she navigates early desire, shifting friendships, and the influence of the early internet. The film centers on observation rather than spectacle, placing its young protagonist in everyday situations that quietly shape her sense of identity and belonging.

The premiere screening in Park City was the film’s first stop at the festival, with additional in-person and online screenings scheduled as Sundance continues through the end of January.

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Filipiñana Debuts at Sundance with Red Carpet Screening in Park City

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Writer director Rafael Manuel

Rafael Manuel’s feature debut Filipiñana premiered at the Sundance Film Festival as part of the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, screening at The Ray Theatre in Park City, Utah.

The screening was preceded by a red carpet event, where the filmmakers paused for photos and interviews ahead of the film’s first public showing.

The film stars Isabel Sicat and centers on a teenage girl working at an elite country club who becomes drawn to its powerful president, only to uncover a darker history beneath the institution’s polished surface. Set across multiple languages including Filipino, English, and Ilokano, Filipiñana explores class tension, identity, and inherited power through a stylized and unsettling lens.

In attendance at the premiere were writer-director Rafael Manuel, supporting cast member Isabel Sicat, producers Jeremy Chua and Alex Polunin, and executive producer Farhana Bhula. Filipiñana continues its Sundance run in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, with in-person and online screenings scheduled through the festival.

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Wregas Bhanuteja’s Levitating Set for World Premiere in Sundance World Cinema Competition

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levitatingLevitating (Para Perasuk), the latest film from award-winning Indonesian filmmaker Wregas Bhanuteja (Photocopier, Andragogy), will world premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. A teaser trailer and poster for the film have been released ahead of the festival.

The film stars Angga Yunanda as Bayu, a young man living in Latas Village, a suburban community known for its traditional trance rituals passed down through generations. When the village’s sacred spring central to its spiritual practices, faces eviction, Bayu sets out to become a lead spirit channeler in hopes of raising funds to save it. His journey forces him to confront the limits of ambition and the deeper meaning of spiritual responsibility.

Levitating features a prominent Indonesian cast including international music icon Anggun in her acting debut, Maudy Ayunda in her first film role since Losmen Bu Broto, as well as Bryan Domani, Chicco Kurniawan, and veteran actor Indra Birowo.

Blending cultural ritual with coming-of-age drama, Levitating continues Bhanuteja’s exploration of identity, belief, and social pressure within contemporary Indonesian life.

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