Category Archives: Movies

SFFILM Names 2025 Awards Night Honorees

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L to R: Scott Cooper, 20th Century Studios. Benicio Del Toro, Warner Bros. Discovery, Wunmi Mosaku, Warner Bros. Discovery, Kristen Stewart, Emily Soto.

SFFILM has announced the recipients of its 2025 Awards Night honors, recognizing four artists whose work has had a major impact on contemporary cinema. This year’s event will celebrate filmmaker Scott Cooper, actors Benicio Del Toro and Wunmi Mosaku, and actor-filmmaker Kristen Stewart. The ceremony will take place December 8 at San Francisco’s Gateway Pavilion.

Cooper will receive the Irving M. Levin Award for Film Direction, joining past honorees including Denis Villeneuve, Greta Gerwig, and Ryan Coogler. Del Toro will receive the Maria Manetti Shrem Award for Acting, presented by Regina Hall, acknowledging a career that includes an Academy Award, a Cannes Best Actor win, and collaborations with many major directors.

The George Gund III Award for Virtuosity will be presented to Mosaku, whose recent work includes Sinners, Lovecraft Country, and the MCU. Actor Delroy Lindo will present the honor. Stewart will receive the Nion McEvoy & Leslie Berriman Award for Storytelling, recognizing her evolving work as both performer and filmmaker, including her feature directorial debut The Chronology of Water.

Proceeds from Awards Night support SFFILM’s year-round programming and artist development initiatives.

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Time-Loop Horror Manor of Darkness Sets December Digital Release

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manor-of-darknessThe indie horror film Manor of Darkness will arrive on U.S. digital platforms on December 9. Directed by Blake Ridder and produced by Ridder Films in association with Lucas A. Ferrara, the feature blends supernatural mystery with a repeating-day structure.

The film follows Laura, who reconnects with her estranged brother for a last-ditch plan to steal a rumored artifact from a secluded English manor. Posing as a documentary crew, the group gains access to the estate and meets the reclusive owner, whose stories hint at a troubled past. After breaking open a sealed chest in the basement, the crew becomes trapped in a time loop as an unseen force begins to tighten its grip.

Only Laura remembers each reset, pushing her toward the truth behind the manor’s curse as the group relives escalating variations of the same day.

Ridder, who also appears in the film, describes the project as an exploration of psychological repetition and dread rather than straightforward scares. Producer Lucas A. Ferrara calls the film a tension-driven “meta-horror” that plays with the anxieties inherent in filmmaking and ambition.

Manor of Darkness stars Sarah Alexandra Marks, Kim Lysette Spearman, Louis James, Blake Ridder, and Stuart Wolfe Murray. The film will be available through Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube Movies.

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Short Documentary The Hemingway Offers an Unfiltered Look at Life With ALS

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hemingwayA new short documentary titled The Hemingway is drawing attention on the festival circuit for its candid, darkly humorous portrayal of life with ALS. The nine-minute film centers on Patrick Sean O’Brien, who lives with near-total paralysis but maintains an active, sharply observant internal monologue.

The film uses Patrick’s private thoughts as a narrative device, contrasting the difficult physical realities of ALS with his blunt, often funny inner commentary on daily routines, relationships, and moments of vulnerability. The result is a portrait that blends honesty and irreverence, avoiding sentimentality while highlighting the emotional complexities of the disease.

The Hemingway features O’Brien alongside J.R. Reed, Scott Murphy, Rose Julien, and Paula Mackael. It was written by O’Brien, directed by O’Brien and Evan Mathis, and edited by Doug Pray.

O’Brien, known for the autobiographical documentary TransFatty Lives, continues to create work despite living with advanced ALS, while Mathis brings a background in Emmy-winning creative direction.

The Hemingway is currently screening at festivals worldwide.

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Sharknado Origins Announced as Seventh Film in the Franchise

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sharknado-originsThe Asylum has confirmed a new entry in the Sharknado franchise titled Sharknado Origins, with production set to begin later this year and a summer 2026 release planned.

Director Anthony Ferrante will return, with casting to be announced.

The film is a prequel set before the 2013 original, following teenage versions of Fin and April as the first-ever shark-filled storm hits during a summer at the beach.

The franchise previously ran for six films between 2013 and 2018 and became a cult hit for its over-the-top disaster-comedy premise.

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Atlas Entertainment, Ghost Machine Developing ‘Redcoat’ Feature Film

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RedcoatAtlas Entertainment and creator-owned label Ghost Machine are moving forward with a feature adaptation of Redcoat, the Image Comics series from Geoff Johns and Bryan Hitch.

The film will be written by Johns, based on a story by Johns and Hitch, with Charles Roven and Alex Gartner producing for Atlas. The project marks a continued expansion of Ghost Machine’s original universes beyond comics.

Launched in April 2024, Redcoat became an immediate top seller for Image Comics/Ghost Machine. The series follows British deserter Simon Pure, who accidentally gains immortality during the American Revolution and finds himself drawn into a conspiracy threatening America. The tone blends historical action and supernatural adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Roven, who has previously worked with Johns on multiple DC projects, called Redcoat “innovative comic material” with franchise potential. Ghost Machine, founded in 2023, has quickly built a slate of creator-owned titles, including Geiger, Rook: Exodus, and Hyde Street, and has sold millions of comics since its launch.

Collected editions of Redcoat Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 are currently available, with a deluxe hardcover edition set for release in April 2026.

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Film Forum to Host Weeklong Hitchcock and Herrmann Festival

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vertigoFilm Forum is set to launch Hitchcock and Herrmann, a one-week festival celebrating one of cinema’s most influential director-composer partnerships. Running December 12 to 18, the series highlights the collaboration between Alfred Hitchcock and legendary composer Bernard Herrmann, whose work together shaped some of the most iconic suspense films ever made.

The program showcases newly restored 4K presentations of classics including North by Northwest, Psycho, Vertigo, The Birds, The Trouble With Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, as well as a 35mm screening of The Wrong Man. The festival coincides with the release of Steven C. Smith’s new book Hitchcock & Herrmann: The Friendship & Film Scores That Changed Cinema. Smith will appear throughout the week to introduce select screenings, participate in conversations, and deliver an illustrated talk titled “Hitchcock & Herrmann: The Sound of Murder.”

Additional events include a discussion on The Wrong Man with author Jason Isralowitz and Film Forum Repertory Artistic Director Bruce Goldstein, exploring the real wrongful-conviction case that inspired Hitchcock’s film.

The full schedule, including introductions and special events, is available through Film Forum.

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Tiffany Hsiung Joins Documentary Feature Spring After Spring as Executive Producer

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Spring-After-SpringAcclaimed filmmaker Tiffany Hsiung has joined Jon Chiang’s debut feature documentary Spring After Spring as Executive Producer. The film will have its world premiere at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival on November 7, followed by a theatrical run timed to Lunar New Year 2026 and a later broadcast on Knowledge Network.

Produced by Chifa Studios, Spring After Spring follows three Chinese Canadian sisters who defy their late mother’s wishes to become dancers. After her death, they reunite to lead Vancouver’s Chinatown Parade and must decide how to honor their heritage while forging their own paths.

“Spring After Spring captures something profoundly human in how grief and love intertwine,” said Hsiung, whose credits include The Apology, Sing Me a Lullaby, and Apple TV’s JANE. “It speaks to the courage of redefining legacy while carrying the weight of expectation.”

Director Jon Chiang, a Chinese-Peruvian filmmaker based in Vancouver, said the story grew from his own reflections on culture and identity. “In Chinese-Canadian culture, emotions are often private, yet Lunar New Year becomes the most public expression of them,” he explained. “Working with Tiffany is a privilege. Her perspective and experience mirror the heart of this film.”

The film is written, directed, and produced by Jon Chiang, with Joanna Wong producing and Lynn Booth and Tiffany Hsiung serving as Executive Producers. The cast features Anabel Ho, Val Ho (Ms. Vee), Lisa Ho, and Maria Mimie Ho.

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Mexico’s Oscar Entry “We Shall Not Be Moved” Explores Legacy of the 1968 Student Movement

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We-Shall-Not-Be-MovedWe Shall Not Be Moved (No nos moverán), Mexico’s official submission for the 98th Academy Awards, will begin its U.S. theatrical run on November 28 at Cinema Village in New York City, presented by Cinema Tropical. The film will then expand to additional cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Tucson, and Houston.

The debut feature by Pierre Saint-Martin Castellanos, the film is a dark dramedy about memory, loss, and the legacy of Mexico’s 1968 student movement, one of the nation’s most significant and tragic historical events. Shot in striking black and white, it stars Luisa Huertas as Socorro, a 67-year-old retired lawyer haunted by her brother’s death during the Tlatelolco massacre. Decades later, she sets out on a dangerous mission to confront the man responsible, forcing her family and herself to reckon with the past.

We Shall Not Be Moved premiered at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, where it won Best Mexican Film and the Audience Award. It went on to receive four Ariel Awards for Best First Feature, Screenplay, Actress, and Breakthrough Actor, and has screened at over 40 international film festivals. The film has also achieved a remarkable 14-week theatrical run in Mexico, the longest of any Mexican film this year, and will represent Mexico at the Goya Awards.

Director Pierre Saint-Martin Castellanos and lead actress Luisa Huertas are available for interviews.

We Shall Not Be Moved is both a personal and political exploration of how the wounds of violence and resistance continue to shape families and national identity in modern Mexico.

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Nicholas Hytner’s “The Choral” Sets New York Advance Screenings Ahead of December 25 Theatrical Release

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the-choralFalco Ink has announced two advance New York screenings for The Choral, the new period drama from BAFTA, Olivier, and Tony Award winner Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys, The Lady in the Van). The film, written by Alan Bennett, will open in theaters nationwide on December 25.

The screenings will be held at the Sony Screening Room (25 Madison Avenue, New York City) on Thursday, November 6 at 5 PM ET and Wednesday, November 12 at 2 PM ET. RSVP is required via AlexPelchar@FalcoInk.com.

Set in Yorkshire during World War I, The Choral follows a small-town choir struggling to survive as war empties its ranks. When the committee hires a mysterious new chorus master, Dr. Henry Guthrie (played by Ralph Fiennes), the community discovers that music can become an act of resistance and hope amid the chaos of war.

The film also stars Roger Allam, Amara Okereke, Simon Russell Beale, and Thomas Howes, and is produced by Kevin Loader, Nicholas Hytner, and Damian Jones.

The Choral made its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to screen at multiple international festivals, including Hamptons, AFI Fest, BFI London, Mill Valley, Russell Hobbs British, Coronado Island, and Virginia Film Festival.

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Rising Sun Media Brings Yakutian Cinema to Amazon Prime Video with Four Landmark Films

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Rising-Sun-MediaFour acclaimed films by Yakutian filmmaker Stepan Burnashev (Black Snow, Our Winter, Cursed Land-Fate, and Aita) are now streaming globally on Amazon Prime Video through Rising Sun Media, marking a milestone for Sakhawood, the independent film movement from Russia’s Sakha Republic in Siberia.

Known for their emotional depth, poetic realism, and Indigenous storytelling, Burnashev’s works are often created on small budgets with local non-professional actors. His films explore survival, identity, and spiritual resilience set against the stark Siberian landscape.

Among the four titles, Aita stands out for its political resonance. It was banned in Russia in 2023 for being “contrary to the principles of the unity of the peoples of Russia,” which Burnashev described as proof of the film’s power to “disturb systems of silence.”

“This is what independent filmmaking is about,” said Nadav Streett of Rising Sun Media. “Creating despite the odds and finding new audiences who are ready to listen to voices from the periphery.”

Founded in 2007 in Los Angeles, Rising Sun Media is known for bringing bold international and independent films to major digital platforms.

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