The European Film Market, which is part of the Berlin Film Festival, has revealed that spaces for exhibitors at the EFM’s various venues are fully booked. The EFM, which runs Feb. 13-19, also announced this week it has introduced an award for distributors and created what it calls an Innovation Hub as part of an […]

Sky Documentaries UK, Optomen and All3Media Intl. have revealed the trailer (above and below) for original feature documentary “Becoming Madonna,” which premieres on Dec. 30 on pay TV platform Sky in the U.K. “Becoming Madonna” is an immersive and archive built film around recently uncovered audio tapes in which a young Madonna reflects on her […]

Global powerhouse Fremantle, international streaming service Izzy, production house Abot Hameiri and Israeli broadcaster Yes have partnered on the distribution of drama series “Kugel,” the prequel to the hit series “Shtisel.” “Kugel” will launch on Izzy early next year, appealing to fans of the central characters of “Shtisel,” Nuchem (Sasson Gabai) and his daughter Libi […]

Berlin-based M-Appeal will handle world sales for erotic thriller “Night Stage,” which will world premiere in Berlinale’s Panorama sidebar. “Night Stage,” the latest film by Brazil’s Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon, follows an ambitious actor and a successful politician who start a secret affair, and together discover their fetish for having sex in public places. […]

Films Boutique has picked up international rights to Amel Guellaty’s “Where the Wind Comes From” (formerly known as “Tunis-Djerba”), ahead of its world premiere in Sundance’s World Dramatic Competition. The International Film Festival Rotterdam will host the European premiere of the coproduction between Tunisia, France and Qatar, which is Guellaty’s first feature. In the film, […]

The Czech Republic, the location for Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu,” starring Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe and Lily-Rose Depp, has given a major boost to its production incentives. An amendment to the country’s Audiovisual Act has upped the incentive for live-action projects from 20% to 25%. Added to that an incentive of 35% for digital production and […]

The International Film Festival Rotterdam revealed the lineups of its Tiger, Big Screen and Tiger Short competition sections Tuesday, and the first tranche of speakers for the Talks program, who include Cate Blanchett and Guy Maddin. IFFR’s 54th edition will take place from Jan. 30 – Feb. 9. with Variety publishing digital daily newsletters during […]

Nocturnal Pictures has greenlit horror feature film “As Night Falls,” with production slated to begin this month in Kent, England. The film is “A Quiet Place” meets “It Follows,” according to the producers. The film is written and directed by Leroy Kincaide, whose credits include “The Last Rite,” and stars Jack Parr (“Take Cover,” “The […]

Viola Davis said that probably her proudest achievement was the creation of her game-changing character Annalise Keating in legal drama thriller “How to Get Away With Murder,” during an onstage interview Thursday at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where many in the ecstatic audience had greeted her by declaring, “I love […]

Berlin-based sales agent M-Appeal has acquired world sales rights for “In Ashes,” the debut feature film by Denmark’s Ludvig Christian Næsted Poulsen, set to premiere next year. The film follows Christian, a young twenty-something gay man, who is trying to get over the heartbreak of his first love. Looking for meaningful connections through online dating […]

Tunisia’s “Red Path,” directed by Lotfi Achour, was awarded the Golden Yusr for best feature film Thursday at the Red Sea Film Festival awards ceremony, where honorary awards were bestowed on Viola Davis and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Sarah Jessica Parker, Dev Patel, John Boyega and Nick Jonas were among the star guests. Johnny Depp’s “Modi, […]

Viola Davis, who plays U.S. President Danielle Sutton in upcoming action thriller feature “G20,” says she didn’t model the role after anyone in particular. “There was no one that I could model her after,” she told Variety Thursday before the awards ceremony for the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, where she will be […]

In an on-stage talk Wednesday at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, Sarah Jessica Parker teased Season 3 of “And Just Like That” and her recent appointment to the judging panel of the prestigious U.K. literary award, the Booker Prize. In a wide-ranging discussion, Parker talked about her extensive acting career that began […]

Marisa Tomei, who is attending the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia this week, is looking for film and stage roles that address the themes confronting women in the post #MeToo era, she tells Variety. Tomei, who won the 1993 Oscar for best actress in a supporting role for “My Cousin Vinny” and received […]

The jury for European Shooting Stars, the program that promotes rising actors from Europe, has revealed its 2025 lineup. Shooting Stars from previous editions have included Riz Ahmed,  Leonie Benesch, George MacKay, Carey Mulligan, Alba Rohrwacher, Bill Skarsgård, Alicia Vikander and Maisie Williams. The actors will be presented to the international press, film industry and […]

Jeremy Renner, who suffered a near-fatal snow plow accident in January 2023, spoke Tuesday about his recovery at an on-stage talk at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival. Asked if there were any “limitations” imposed by his injuries he said, “I don’t think of it as limitations – even though I’m 25% titanium, so fuck […]

Spike Lee spoke about his upcoming film “Highest 2 Lowest” – which will see the director reunite with lead actor Denzel Washington – during an on-stage talk Tuesday at the Red Sea Film Festival, where he is the president of the competition jury. The film is inspired by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller […]

Speaking at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia this week, Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Frémaux spoke with passion about his love of cinema. “If you love cinema, cinema will love you,” he said with emphasis. He also sought to explain what made a “good film” for the world’s leading film festival. Frémaux, […]

At the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia Sunday, Brendan Fraser paid tribute to the emotional support provided by his horse Pecas – which means “freckles” in Spanish – during the years when his career looked to be finished. Speaking about how he spent those fallow years, he said: “I had a horse for […]