On the Imperfections of Motherhood: Daughter’s Daughter by Xi Huang
"Daughter’s Daughter," directed by Xi Huang, follows Ai as she confronts the tangled legacies of motherhood with her two daughters—adopted Emma and estranged Zuer—after a sudden tragedy. The film delves into Zuer’s IVF journey, her partner’s subtle presence, and the painful decision surrounding a fertilised embryo, mirroring Ai’s own history of giving up a child. Through intimate vignettes—voice notes, airport ash‑laden trips, and mundane laundry scenes—the narrative portrays motherhood as a negotiated, imperfect bond rather than a heroic ideal. The ending offers no neat resolution, only a tentative step toward healing.
The Next Best Picture Podcast – Interview With “I Swear” Star Robert Aramayo
"I Swear" is a 2025 British biographical drama directed by Kirk Jones that chronicles the life of John Davidson, a Scottish man with severe Tourette syndrome featured in the 1989 documentary “John’s Not Mad.” The film debuted at the Toronto...
We FINALLY Got Someone in Prada
Simone Ashley, playing Miranda Priestley’s new assistant Emily in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” becomes the first cast member to wear Prada on screen. The sequel’s premiere featured a star‑studded lineup including Lady Gaga, Ciara, Kenneth Branagh, Justin Theroux and Broadway talent Helen J. Shen....
TriCoast's Nick Risher On Why Owning The Content Changes The Math
TriCoast Media, a film distributor with a 5,000‑title library and four FAST channels, has evolved into a supply‑side platform (SSP). By offering its content to publishers at a reduced revenue‑share rate, it can secure cheaper CPMs for backfill inventory. This...
Stray Cats by Jennie Kermode
Spanish indie thriller Luger marks director Bruno Martín’s first feature in 16 years and writer Santiago Taboada’s debut as a feature‑film screenwriter. The story follows two petty criminals, Rafa and Toni, whose uneasy friendship drives a gritty, low‑budget action narrative centered on a...
![‘Leviticus’ Review: Adrian Chiarella Conjures a Timely and Biblically Scary Gay Horror Story [A-]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/a24a98b5801063d86fc5abb925f0a67a.webp)
‘Leviticus’ Review: Adrian Chiarella Conjures a Timely and Biblically Scary Gay Horror Story [A-]
Adrian Chiarella’s debut horror film Leviticus premiered at Sundance’s Midnight section, earning strong critical buzz and a heated seven‑figure acquisition by NEON. The Australian‑set thriller uses biblical motifs to critique homophobic interpretations of Leviticus and the trauma of conversion therapy. Starring Joe Bird...
Translating the Script to Budget FREE WEBINAR
Dear Producer is hosting a free two‑hour webinar on May 9, 2024, titled “How the Scope of the Script Defines the Budget.” Line Producer and DGA Production Manager Jennifer A. Haire will walk creative teams through script breakdowns, location scouting, scheduling, and...
2026 Cannes: Short Film and La Cinef Titles Announced
The 79th Cannes Film Festival will feature ten short films in competition, selected from 3,184 submissions representing 136 countries. The Short Film Palme d’or will be presented on May 23, concluding the festival’s May 12‑22 run. Parallel to the main event, La Cinef’s 29th...
The Short Films Lineup For The 2026 Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival’s 2026 short film competition will feature ten titles chosen from a pool of 3,184 entries, representing 136 countries. The lineup spans a range of genres and includes works by emerging directors such as Hadrien Bels, Mathilde...
How Filmhouse Is Positioning Nollywood, and Its Own Business, Within the Global Cinema Landscape
Filmhouse Group is reshaping Nollywood by integrating exhibition, distribution and production under a vertically‑aligned model. The company has introduced world‑class cinema technology, including IMAX, and leverages Hollywood partnerships to sustain footfall while elevating local blockbusters that have crossed the $800,000...
The Involuntary Bankers: 3 Survival Strategies for French Producers Facing the 2026 TV Crisis
At the New French Fiction conference in Paris, consultant Jérôme Dutoit warned that French film and television producers will face a severe financing crunch by 2026 as traditional broadcasters shrink and streaming platforms dominate. He outlined three survival strategies: expanding...
Trench Warfare Meets Steampunk: BBC Snaps Up Canal+ WWI Drama "The Sentinels"
The BBC has bought the UK broadcast rights to Canal+’s ambitious World War I drama "The Sentinels," a series that fuses trench warfare with steampunk aesthetics. The eight‑part production, backed by a €70 million (≈$75 million) budget, follows a squad of super‑soldiers navigating...
Beyond the Blockbuster: How Belgian Cinemas Are Rewriting the Playbook in 2026
Belgian cinema operators are overhauling the exhibition model in 2026 as dwindling box‑office receipts and rising operating costs force consolidation and innovation. Two major chains merged, cutting the number of independent operators by nearly half, while the government introduced a...
Symphony at the Cinema: The Multi-Million Euro Business of French Film Concerts
The French film‑concert sector has evolved into a multi‑million‑euro industry, pulling in roughly €30 million (about $32.5 million) in 2023. Live orchestras and choirs synchronize their performances with blockbuster screenings, commanding average ticket prices of €45 ($49). Market leader CineConcerts alone staged...
Beyond the Feed: Why French Creators Are Trading Social Media for Cinema Seats
French creators are increasingly abandoning short‑form social platforms for the cinema screen, a trend accelerated by the Union of Influence Trades and Content Creators (UMICC) since its launch in early 2023. The guild now counts roughly 12,000 members, many of...
Belle Époque Noir: "Paris Police 1910" Battles Global Giants with French Funding
Belle Époque Noir’s third instalment, Paris Police 1910, debuts on April 27, wrapping Fabien Nury’s acclaimed trilogy set in gritty Belle Époque Paris. The series is financed primarily through French public‑media grants, roughly €5 million (about $5.4 million). Its producers position the high‑budget historical drama as...
Fortress Europe? Industry Giants Demand Safeguards for New EU Media Budget
On April 20, a coalition of 17 leading European audiovisual groups, including the European Producers Club, urged the European Commission to embed safeguards in the EU's new €2.5 billion (≈$2.7 billion) media budget. The alliance seeks rules that protect European content, ensure...
Anne Hathaway Is MOTHER MARY - Final Trailer
David Lowery returns with the musical thriller "Mother Mary," starring Anne Hathaway as an iconic pop star on the brink of a comeback. The film, set for UK and ROI release on April 24, pairs Hathaway with Michaela Coel, who...
TOP GUN and MAVERICK Return to Cinemas - New Trailer and Posters
Disney is re‑launching the 1986 classic Top Gun and its 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick in UK and ROI cinemas for a limited one‑week run starting May 13, marking the original film’s 40th anniversary. New trailers and posters have been released to promote the...
Karlovy Vary Celebrates Its 80th Anniversary with Tributes, Retrospectives
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival celebrates its 80th edition from July 3‑11, reuniting its founding twin towns for a one‑day preview in Mariánské Lázně. The program features two exhibitions, a redesign of the Hotel Thermal Grand Hall, and The No Barriers charity...
Richard Gadd’s “Half Man” Is A Ferocious Dissection Of Brotherly Trauma
HBO’s six‑part limited series “Half Man,” created and written by Richard Gadd, follows the volatile bond between Niall (Jamie Bell) and Ruben (Gadd) from 1980s Scotland to a present‑day wedding. The show uses brutal visual language and a haunting score...
“MICHAEL”
The upcoming film "Michael" is the first authorized Michael Jackson biopic, produced with the blessing of the singer’s estate and directed by Antoine Fuqua. Starring Jaafar Jackson as the adult Michael, the 127‑minute drama follows the early years of the...
‘Super Troopers 3’ Trailer: Broken Lizard Returns with Wedding Chaos and Crime-Fighting Comedy
Searchlight Pictures released the first trailer for “Super Troopers 3,” marking the long‑awaited return of Broken Lizard’s cult comedy franchise after more than a decade. The sequel follows the misfit troopers as they juggle a chaotic wedding and a new drug‑ring...
Nine Lessons From Almost 100 Film Distribution Case Studies
The HopeForFilm Thursday Takeover distilled nearly 100 self‑distribution case studies into nine recurring lessons. The data span four decades—from Spike Lee’s 1986 debut to the 2024 documentary Union—and budgets ranging from $2,000 to $2.5 million. Filmmakers detailed every step of their...
New to Prime Video - CLICKBAIT
Prime Video UK adds the thriller *Clickbait* (titled *American Sweatshop* in the U.S.), directed by Uta Briesewitz and led by Lili Reinhart. The film follows Daisy, a content‑moderator who discovers a disturbing, seemingly real murder video on a You‑Tube‑style platform and battles...
Surviving Earth | Movie Review
Thea Gajic’s debut feature *Surviving Earth* follows Vlad, a Serbian immigrant and recovering addict who works as a 12‑step mentor in Bristol while playing harmonica in a Balkan pub band. The film blends a dreamlike visual palette with a realist...
Rebuilding – Review
Rebuilding, Max Walker‑Silverman’s sophomore feature, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival to a mostly positive consensus on its authentic Southern Colorado setting. The drama follows Dusty, a rancher displaced by wildfire, as he navigates life in a FEMA‑run mobile‑home...
Disney+ Signs New Development Deal With Japan’s The Seven
Disney+ has entered a multi‑year co‑development agreement with Japanese production house The Seven to produce original live‑action series for the streaming platform. The partnership will create Japanese‑language content aimed at global Disney+ audiences, leveraging The Seven’s track record with hits...
BINI Docuseries (2025) by Jet Leyco Series Review
The BINI Docuseries, directed by Jet Leyco and produced by iWantTFC and ABS‑CBN, offers a three‑part, somber portrait of the Philippines’ first female idol group as it navigates formation during pandemic lockdowns, a debut concert at the New Frontier Theater,...
The Sheep Detectives Drew Out Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster
A preview of "The Sheep Detectives," starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, debuted at its premiere. The comedy‑mystery follows a shepherd who reads detective stories to his flock before they’re murdered, prompting the sheep to investigate. The film adapts the...
The Next Best Picture Podcast – Interview With “Amrum” Filmmaker Fatih Akin
German director Fatih Akin’s new historical drama “Amrum” debuted in the Cannes Premiere section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, drawing praise for its direction, screenplay and Jasper Billerbeck’s lead performance. Co‑written with Hark Bohm, the film recounts Bohm’s childhood on...
CinemaCon: Universal Flexes
Universal used its CinemaCon showcase to reinforce a robust 2026‑27 slate, debuting an extended Oppenheimer trailer, a teaser for the animated crossover Minions & Monsters, and a live Q&A with Steven Spielberg about his upcoming Disclosure Day project. The studio...
“Super Troopers 3” Trailer Released
Disney’s Searchlight Pictures unveiled the first trailer for “Super Troopers 3,” confirming a summer theatrical launch on August 7, 2026. The sequel reunites the Broken Lizard troupe, with Jay Chandrasekhar directing and a cast that now includes Brian Cox, Chace Crawford, and Hannah Simone. The comedy...
The Mid-Career Reset: Two Top Execs Ditch Hollywood’s Playbook — and Find the Fun Again
Former Showtime president Jana Winograde and ex‑Warner Bros. Television chief Susan Rovner have left legacy studios to launch aTwist, a micro‑drama vertical‑series app slated for a late‑2024 debut. Backed by former WME chair Lloyd Braun, the platform blends subscription, ad‑supported...
The MPA's Wins Against ByteDance Are Real. They May Not Last.
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) secured a de‑facto ban on ByteDance’s AI video generator, Seedance 2.0, preventing its rollout in the United States. The agreement obliges the Chinese firm to filter copyrighted material, embed attribution watermarks, and cooperate with industry‑led monitoring....
China’s Top Streaming Site Under Fire Over AI Actor ‘Database’
China's leading streaming platform iQIYI unveiled Nadou Pro, a tool that connects AI creators with actors willing to license their digital likenesses. More than 100 Chinese celebrities have signed up for the new "artist database," sparking a social media firestorm...
Where To Watch Last Year’s Oscar Contenders On TV This Year
The 2025 Oscar season’s top nominees—including Elle Fanning, Jacob Elordi, Kate Hudson, Chase Infiniti and Oscar Isaac—have swiftly resurfaced on streaming television. Their new series and season returns arrive just weeks after the Oscars, positioning them for potential Emmy consideration....
Stray Dog (2024) by Lai Cheuk Nam (2024) Short Film Review
Lai Cheuk Nam’s 21‑minute experimental short “Stray Dog” captured the Golden Capybara Award for Best Experimental Short at the Tiete International Film Awards. The black‑and‑white film eschews dialogue, using stark visuals, handheld camerawork, and a ritualistic soundscape to probe necropolitics...
Nextgen Oscarwatcher: Best Supporting Actor Contenders
The piece forecasts the Oscar Best Supporting Actor race, spotlighting ensemble‑driven films such as Alejandro González Iñárritu’s *Digger*—which pairs Tom Cruise with John Goodman, Jesse Plemons and Riz Ahmed—and Martin McDonagh’s *Wild Horse Nine*, featuring Steve Buscemi and Sam Rockwell....
Normal (2026)
British filmmaker Ben Wheatley debuts his first major American picture, "Normal," premiering in UK and Irish cinemas on May 15, 2026 before becoming a Sky Cinema Original. The thriller follows Sheriff Ulysses, played by Bob Odenkirk, as he confronts corporate...
AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 342: Reviewing ‘Mother Mary’
AwardsWatch released Podcast Episode 342, where Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello discuss CinemaCon highlights and review David Lowery’s new drama Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel. The episode runs 1 hour 52 minutes and is available across major streaming platforms and the AwardsWatch YouTube...
On the Shelf: ‘Send Help,’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,’ ‘Die My Love,’ “Sleepers,’ and ‘Point Blank’ Highlight the...
The week of April 20, 2026 sees a wave of 4K physical‑media releases, featuring horror hit Send Help, the sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, a psychological drama Die My Love, the 1996 crime classic Sleepers, and the Criterion‑backed gangster film Point Blank. Each title arrives on 4K Blu‑ray with restored picture and sound,...
Rodrigo Santoro on The Blue Trail, the Current State of Brazilian Cinema & His Endless Passion for Acting
Legendary Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro discusses Gabriel Mascaro’s new film The Blue Trail, which opens in the UK and Ireland on April 17. He reflects on the unique challenges of shooting in the Amazon, the limited‑screen role, and his enduring passion for acting. Santoro also comments...
The Sharp Point of Time (2025) by Andrew Acedo Short Film Review
Andrew Acedo’s short dramedy "The Sharp Point of Time" will debut on the West Coast at the Oscar‑qualifying Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on May 2, after a prior run at Short.Sweet.Film Fest. The film has already collected several festival...
New to VOD - RABBIT TRAP
British folk‑horror feature Rabbit Trap, writer‑director Bryn Chainey’s debut, is now streaming on UK and ROI VOD services. The film follows experimental musicians Daphne (Rosy McEwen) and Darcy (Dev Patel) who encounter a mysterious, otherworldly child after recording strange sounds in a Welsh forest....
Netflix’s AI Deal Puts the Global VFX Workforce at Risk
Netflix acquired AI firm InterPositive, founded by Ben Affleck, to automate color grading, relighting and continuity fixes traditionally done by VFX artists. The technology will be kept in‑house, giving Netflix a proprietary edge while threatening thousands of entry‑level jobs across...
Rose of Nevada | Movie Review
Mark Jenkin’s third feature, *Rose of Nevada*, follows a mysteriously re‑appearing fishing trawler that drags two young men back to 1993, forcing them to confront a vanished Cornish community. Shot on grainy 16mm film with analogue sound, the movie blends...
The Plague: Review
The Plague is a psychological‑thriller film set at a boys’ water‑polo camp where 12‑year‑olds bully a quirky outsider, Eli, whose skin condition they dub “The Plague.” Newcomer Ben wrestles with the desire to belong while grappling with his conscience about...
Walud - Amber Wilkinson - 20304
Walud, a short film co‑written and co‑directed by Daood Alabdulaa and Louise Zenker, portrays a Syrian woman’s quiet rebellion against her ISIS husband in a remote village. Filmed in Tunisia, the narrative uses intimate cinematography and sound design to depict...
Did Disney Drop The Ball At CinemaCon? | What’s On Disney Plus Q&A
Disney’s recent CinemaCon panel sparked mixed reactions, with executives unveiling the new "Infinity Vision" streaming format and outlining content strategies for Disney+. While the company highlighted upcoming blockbuster franchises and cross‑platform integration, critics noted the absence of original preschool programming...