20th Annual GEMFest Kicks Off With Premiere Screening Of “One Must Wash Eyes”

Posted on January 30, 2025 by admin

Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver Announces Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Sepideh Yadegar’s One Must Wash Eyes as the Opening Night Film for the 20th Annual GEMFest.

Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver (GEMS) has announced the Opening Night Film for the 20th annual GEMFest, set to take place in-person at VIFF Centre in Vancouver from March 5-9, 2025. GEMFest kicks off with the premiere screening of One Must Wash Eyes, Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Sepideh Yadegar’s feature film debut, inspired by the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. This year’s festival, celebrating two decades of championing women and gender-diverse filmmakers, features a robust schedule of feature films, panels, networking events, and special programming designed to advance gender equity in the film industry, which will be announced in full on February 5th.

The hometown premiere of the award-winning One Must Wash Eyes at GEMFest on March 5th, follows a successful festival run and marks the first time B.C. audiences can see the film. The screening will be followed by an exclusive panel and Q&A session with some of the filmmaking team including writer/director Sepideh Yadegar, moderated by GEMS Board President, Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Ghazal Elhaei.

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Josh Stewart & Juddah Lewis Star In “Lifeline”

Posted on January 29, 2025 by admin

Dark Sky Films has announced the upcoming release of LIFELINE in select theaters and digital platforms on February 21st. See the trailer debut below.

Directed by Feras Alfuqaha and produced by Leal Naim, “Lifeline” is and written by Brian Price and Brady Morell.

The thriller mystery stars Josh Steward (The Collector, Criminal Minds, The Punisher, The Dark Knight Rises), Judah Lewis (Demolition, The Babysitter, The Christmas Chronicles) and Brecken Merrill (Yellowstone, This Is Us).

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:
A late-night suicide hotline operator receives a disturbing call from someone claiming to be him, knowing personal details only he would know. The caller threatens to end his life within the hour, forcing the operator into a tense, emotional race against time. As the clock ticks down, he must confront his deepest fears and uncover the truth before it’s too late to save “himself”.

2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Program Award Winners Announced

Posted on January 28, 2025 by admin

Tonight the nonprofit Sundance Institute awarded the prizes for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Program at the Short Film Awards Ceremony & Party Presented by Vimeo. Filmmakers from across all 57 shorts selected for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival gathered at The Park in Park City, Utah, for a private event celebrating short-form storytelling. Most award-winning short films are available online nationwide January 30 through February 2 for audiences to view from home. Visit festival.sundance.org for all details. The 2025 Festival, taking place now through February 2, has featured world premieres, screenings, talks, events, and more in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Grand Jury Prize went to The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing (International Nonfiction). Short Film Jury Awards were presented to Trokas Duras (U.S. Fiction), Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites (International Fiction), We Were The Scenery (Nonfiction), and Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado (Animation).

Two Special Jury Awards were also presented: Short Film Special Jury Award for Animation Directing to The Eating of an Orange (Animation) and Short Film Special Jury Award for Directing to Tiger (Nonfiction).
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“Sorry Baby” Sundance Premiere

Posted on January 27, 2025 by admin

“Sorry, Baby” premieres at 2025 Sundance Film Festival with the cast and crew in attendance.

Written and directed by Eva Victor, the film premiered at 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Monday, Jan 27, 2025. “Sorry, Baby” stars Eva alongside Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, Louis Cancelmi, and Kelly McCormack. The A24 film is produced by Barry Jenkins.

“Something bad happened to Agnes. But life goes on… for everyone around her, at least,” the film’s logline says.

Photos: aipimaging.com

Jennifer Lopez Shines at Kiss of the Spider Woman World Premiere at Sundance

Posted on January 26, 2025 by admin

By Armando

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival hosted the world premiere of Kiss of the Spider Woman at the Eccles Center Theatre on Sunday night, Jan. 26, 2025. The event drew a full house, culminating in a standing ovation for the film.

Jennifer Lopez, in attendance, stars in the film’s titular role, arrived at the premiere in a sheer black lace gown embellished with glittering spiderweb detailing.

Designed by Valdrin Sahiti and styled by her longtime collaborators Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn, the look stood out in a festival known more for its winter layers than red carpet glamour. She was joined by director Bill Condon and co-stars Diego Luna and Tonatiuh Elizarraraz.

Directed by Condon, the musical adaptation is based on Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel, which had previously been turned into both a 1985 film and a Tony-winning 1993 Broadway musical. This new version reimagines the material as an indie musical, with Lopez playing Aurora, a captivating film actress who appears as a fantastical figure within the mind of one of the characters. Luna portrays Valentín, a political prisoner, while Elizarraraz plays Molina, whose love for movies provides the story’s dreamlike framework.

The film’s synopsis reads: “Lopez is an astonishing scene-stealer in a career-highlight performance as Luna/Aurora, with showstopping musical numbers that underscore the exuberant prowess of her dancing and voice. Diego Luna delivers unrelenting revolutionary conviction as Valentín, and Tonatiuh gives his Molina a tenderhearted power and theatrical flair.”

The premiere marks a notable one for Lopez, with early audience response citing her performance as a highlight of the film. Sundance continues through Feb. 2.

Photos: aipimaging.com

Romantic Thriller “Plainclothes” Premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2025

Posted on January 26, 2025 by admin

The romantic thriller drama, directed by Carmen Emmi and starring Russell Tovey and Tom Blyth, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Jan. 26, 2025.

Set in 1990s, the film’s logline says: “A promising undercover officer assigned to lure and arrest gay men defies orders when he falls in love with a target.”

See photos from the premiere below.

Photos: aipimaging.com

Plainclothes premiere

Trailer: John Leguizamo In Comedy-Drama Movie “Bob Trevino Likes It”

Posted on January 26, 2025 by admin

Bob Trevino Likes It” marks the feature debut for writer and director Tracie Laymon, and is inspired by Laymon’s life.

The comedy drama follows a woman looking for her long-lost father and stars Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo. The synopsis reads: A people-pleasing young woman is involuntarily estranged from her narcissistic father and unexpectedly befriends a childless man with the same name as her father on the internet.

The film also star French Stewart, Lauren Spencer, Rachel Bay Jones.

Roadside Attractions has this slated for March 21. Check out the Bob Trevino Likes It trailer below”.

2025 Sundance: Trailer And Poster Premiere For Thriller “The Things You Kill”

Posted on January 25, 2025 by admin

Directed and written by Alireza Khatami, “The Things You Kill” stars Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, and Hazar Ergüçlü.

Khatami’s third feature is premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Dramatic competition, and is considered one of the year’s best entries.

The film follows Ali, a university professor who, haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance. As long-buried family secrets resurface, the police tighten their noose, and doubts begin eroding his conscience. Ali has no choice but to look into the abyss of his own soul.

Watch the intense trailer for “The Things You Kill” below:

Animated Socumentary “Endless Cookie” Premiere at Sundance

Posted on January 25, 2025 by admin

Directed by Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver, the Canadian animated documentary film premiered at 2025 Sundance Film Festival at the Egyptian Theatre, Saturday Jan 25, 2025

The film’s logline says: Through a series of vignettes – some tragic, some funny, all a little bizarre – this animated documentary explores the complex bond between two half brothers, one indigenous, one white, spanning bustling 1980s Toronto to the present day isolated First Nations community of Shamattawa.

Endless Cookie will screen on Jan. 26, Jan. 31 and Feb. 2 in Park City and on Jan. 28 in Salt Lake City, and will be available online from Jan. 30-Feb. 2.

Photos: aipimaging.com

Fairy Tale Gets Grotesque: “The Ugly Stepsister” Premieres at Sundance 2025

Posted on January 24, 2025 by admin

By Armando

Director Emilie Blichfeldt

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival kicked off with the premiere of The Ugly Stepsister, a darkly comedic horror film that puts a twisted spin on the classic Cinderella tale.

The film screened Thursday evening, Jan 23, 2025, Day One of the festival, to a packed audience at the Prospector Square Theatre.

Making her feature directorial debut, Emilie Blichfeldt co-wrote and directed the film, which reimagines the fairy-tale kingdom as a world where beauty is both currency and curse. Lea Myren stars as Elvira, the less-favored stepsister who will go to extreme—and often grotesque—lengths to catch the prince’s eye.

The red carpet reflected the film’s provocative tone, with the cast including Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ane Dahl Torp, and Malte Gårdinger stepping out for photos and interviews, and Blichfeldt’s tailored fashion choice made for a fittingly offbeat and stylish start to the festival’s opening night. The film’s cast which includes Lea Myren, Flo Fagerli, Isac Calmroth, and Malte Gårdinger, were also in attendance.

Described ahead of its premiere as “tongue-in-cheek body horror,” The Ugly Stepsister has been one of the festival’s early buzz titles. Already grabbing attention for its scenes of DIY cosmetic procedures and one particularly shocking tapeworm moment, said to lean into twisted aesthetics.

It’s one of several genre-bending titles making waves at this year’s Sundance—proof that horror, when done with bite and style, continues to be a crowd magnet.

The film’s synopsis says: “In a fairy-tale kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira battles to compete with her incredibly beautiful stepsister, and she will go to any length to catch the prince’s eye.”

Photos: aipimaging.com