Denis Villeneuve charmed his 2000-strong audience at the London Film Festival with a personal review of his long career, including his number one rule for creating a happy film set.

The Dune director was asked how he deals with A-list egoes on his huge film sets, and replied directly: “First rule: you avoid the assholes.”

Asked if he would name anyone in particular, he tactfully demurred, saying instead he considered it “a game” to get the best out of any actor he recruited to appear in a film.

Villeneuve also intimated his desire to make a dialogue-free film at some point. He said:

“I love dialogue, but not [always] in cinema,” explaining that it was sometimes better suited to theatre or television. “I hope one day I will be able to make a film that will not use spoken language. I try as much as possible to use the power of images.

Canadian writer/director Denis Villeneuve initially made his mark on international audiences with a series of compelling character studies that were couched in audience-friendly film genres, whether crime dramas (“Prisoners”) or action thrillers (“Sicario”). In recent years, however, the acclaimed filmmaker has largely focused on telling his complex stories using science-fiction/fantasy, as with “Dune,” “Dune: Part Two,” and “Arrival.” This platform allows him to add an extra layer of visual wizardry to his work and has brought his craft to a whole new audience.

In the past dozen years or so, Villeneuve’s work has been acclaimed by critics and audiences around the world, as well as recognized by a wide array of guilds and critics groups. He has been nominated for the Best Director Oscar (“Arrival”), and was Golden Globe-nominated for his direction of “Dune.” In addition, he has been honored with two Directors Guild Award nominations as...

The Gotham Awards are giving filmmaker Denis Villeneuve‘s Oscar campaign a shot in the arm. They have announced that he will receive their Director Tribute for his “remarkable worldbuilding and storytelling prowess” in crafting the blockbuster film “Dune: Part Two.” All Gotham winners will be presented on Monday, December 2, 2024 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

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Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film and Media Institute, said in a statement, “Denis Villeneuve has masterfully adapted Frank Herbert‘s classic, first with 2021’s ‘Dune’ and now with ‘Dune: Part Two,’ creating a visually stunning and narratively complex conclusion to this tale in a manner that has captivated everyone from critics to audiences to devoted fans. The Gotham is honored to present Villeneuve — a visionary who has redefined the genre for modern audiences — with The Director Tribute. This recognition...

Denis Villeneuve will receive The Gotham Director Tribute on December 2 for Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures’ Dune: Part Two.

Villeneuve’s adaptation of the Frank Herbert sci-fi messiah story starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya premiered in London in February and opened in March, going on to gross more than $711m worldwide.

Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute, said, “This recognition celebrates not only [Villeneuve’s] recent accomplishments but also his remarkable journey as a filmmaker, which began nearly 30 years ago and has included such early classics as Incendies, a project we were proud to support through our...

Denis Villeneuve will receive the Director Tribute at the 34th Gotham Awards, in recognition of “Dune: Part Two.” The ceremony will take place live and in person on December 2, 2024 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The prize celebrates visionary filmmakers “responsible for bringing some of audiences’ most beloved films to life,” according to the statement released by the Gotham Awards.

“Denis Villeneuve has masterfully adapted Frank Herbert’s classic, first with 2021’s ‘Dune’ and now with ‘Dune: Part Two,’ creating a visually stunning and narratively complex conclusion to this tale in a manner that has captivated everyone from critics to audiences to devoted fans,” Executive Director of the Gotham Film & Media Institute Jeffrey Sharp said in a statement. “The Gotham is honored to present Villeneuve — a visionary who has redefined the genre for modern audiences — with The Director Tribute. This recognition celebrates not only his recent accomplishments...

The Gotham Awards have named the first filmmaker to be honored at the 2024 ceremony: Denis Villeneuve.

This year’s ceremony, which will take place on Monday, December 2, will toast the “Dune: Part Two” auteur with the Gotham Director Tribute.

Villeneuve’s sci-fi sequel film starred Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya and was released in March 2024. The feature was the sequel to Villeneuve’s 2021 Oscar-winning “Dune,” which was adapted from the first half of Frank Herbert’s beloved novel of the same name.

In addition to the expanding “Dune” franchise, French-Canadian filmmaker Villeneuve has previously directed “Blade Runner 2049” (2017), “Arrival” (2016), and “Sicario” (2015), among other features. The Gotham also has a tie to one of Villeneuve’s early films, “Incendies” (2010), which the organization supported through the IFP Week Program.

“Denis Villeneuve has masterfully adapted Frank Herbert’s classic, first with 2021’s ‘Dune’ and now with ‘Dune: Part Two,’ creating a visually stunning and...

Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language will fly the flag for Canada as the country’s international feature film submission for the 97th Academy Awards in March 2025.

‘Universal Language’: Cannes Review

A pan-Canadian selection committee organised by non-voting chair Telefilm Canada met on Tuesday to select its top choice from 26 submissions.

Produced by Metafilms, the absurdist Winnipeg-set caper premiered in Cannes and will receive its North American premiere at Toronto International Film Festival, before screening in New York Film Festival and Fantastic Fest.

Universal Language transposes Iran to Winnipeg and weaves together several episodes: children discover money frozen in ice...

Denis Villeneuve, the French-Canadian filmmaker behind Warner Bros/Legendary’s Dune films, is set for a career retrospective presented by the Santa Barbara Film Festival, to take place at the Sbiff Riviera Theatre from October 18-24.

Films set to screen include Incendies, Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, Dune and Dune: Part Two, with Villeneuve to be in attendance for a Q&a on Sunday, October 20.

“Denis has become an unquestionable modern master of cinema, and all of his films demand to be seen on the big screen because they’re visceral spectacles,” said Sbiff’s Executive Director, Roger Durling. “We are so enthusiastic about being able to show the films again together at the state of the art Riviera and to host Denis as well.”

Most recently, Villeneuve has garnered international recognition with a pair o Dune films, based on the seminal sci-fi novel from Frank Herbert, which together grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide.

Actor Jon Bernthal has been gaining praise for his role as Michael Berzatto in the FX series The Bear. The comedy-drama has been garnering acclaim in its third season and Bernthal’s performance seems to be looming over every pivotal scene in the popular show.

Bernthal has proved his acting chops in multiple shows such as The Walking Dead and The Punisher. He has also worked with acclaimed directors in films such as Sicario, a crime drama written by Taylor Sheridan, in which he only had a few minutes of screen time.

Jon Bernthal Jumped At The Opportunity To Work In Taylor Sheridan’s Sicario Jon Bernthal in The Bear | Credits: FX

Jon Bernthal had his breakout role in the AMC series The Walking Dead, in which he played the role of Shane Walsh. The zombie drama saw him play an anti-hero survivor to perfection and his performance was universally acclaimed.

Michael Mann has followed in the footsteps of Martin Scorsese and joined Letterboxd, the social media site that allows cinephiles to log and rate the movies they’ve seen. The “Miami Vice” director quietly made an account and posted his first list, which is titled “14 Favorite Films in no particular order (except Potemkin).” After singling out Sergei Eisenstein’s landmark silent epic “Battleship Potemkin” as his favorite film of all time, he highlighted 13 other films ranging from classic film noir and New Hollywood masterpieces to recent hits like “The Hurt Locker” and “Poor Things.” Mann’s 14 favorite films can be found below.

“Battleship Potemkin” (dir. Sergei Eisenstein)

“Dr. Strangelove” (dir. Stanley Kubrick)

“Biutiful” (dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu)

“Raging Bull” (dir. Martin Scorsese)

“Incendies” (dir. Denis Villeneuve)

“Pale Flower” (dir. Masahiro Shinoda)

“L’Atalante” (dir. Jean Vigo)

“The Asphalt Jungle” (dir. John Huston)

“Poor Things” (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)

“Apocalypse Now” (dir. Francis Ford Coppola...

Sicario was, in many ways, the first film that introduced the mainstream audience to the brilliance of Taylor Sheridan as a scriptwriter. Denis Villeneuve, although present in the movie scene since the late 90s, was the only director who could have brought Sheridan’s twisted vision of complex human behavior to the screens without ruining the original story.

Emily Blunt and Daniel Kaluuya in Sicario [Credit: Lionsgate Films]Those among the fans who hadn’t been aware of Villeneuve’s existence in the form of Polytechnique (2009) or Incendies (2010) surely sat up and took notice. Soon after, Taylor Sheridan and Denis Villeneuve became part of those rare handful of writer-directors whose names increased ticket sales just as much as any A-lister would. Ultimately, Sicario launched them both into the Hollywood stratosphere.

Taylor Sheridan Speaks to the Politics in Sicario (2015)

Taylor Sheridan enjoys a degree of artistic expression and respect in the industry one could only dream of.

Oi there, listen up! Amazon Prime Video’s list of new releases for June 2024 includes another season of its biggest, bloodiest hit.

The Boys season 4 premieres its first three episodes on Thursday, June 13. Based on the trailers, The Boys is really leaning into the political side of its social satire with a presidential election underway and Homelander on trial for the small matter of killing a guy last season. The season will continue to air on Thursdays, culminating with the finale on July 18.

Amazon is really leaning into its sports offerings this month as well. Fans will get to watch the New York Yankees, the WNBA, and the Nwsl several times throughout June. That’s in addition to a couple of sports docs: Power of the Dream on June 18 and Federer: Twelve Final Days on June 20.

But if you’re looking for something even more explosive than Homelander and Roger Federer,...

Nearly a decade ago, Oscar-winning cinematographer Greig Fraser was hanging out at one of Roger and James Deakins’ famous barbecues when he was introduced to a French-Canadian man he didn’t immediately recognize. But as soon as he put a face to the name “Denis Villeneuve,” he instantly called to mind two of the filmmaker’s critically acclaimed Canadian films, Polytechnique (2009) and Incendies (2010), as well as his American debut, Prisoners (2013), that he shot with the co-host of that day’s festivities, Roger Deakins. So Fraser and Villeneuve got to know each other that day, before going their separate ways for a few years.

During the intervening time period, Fraser photographed a handful of projects including the first Star Wars spinoff film, Rogue One (2016), as well as the first live-action Star Wars series in The Mandalorian. And then, in 2018, Villeneuve reached out regarding the Dp position on his forthcoming adaptation of...

Denis Villeneuve is inevitably one of the biggest jewels in Hollywood’s crown of filmmakers. The magnificent brain behind a ton of absolute gems that have ever been created in the entertainment industry, he has given his fans everything they could ever ask for, including his Dune live-action adaptations too. But there is one movie that is somehow better than all the other masterpieces.

Denis Villeneuve. | Credit: Film at Lincoln Center.

This movie is none other than his 2013 worldwide acclaimed crime-thriller, Prisoners. However, as profoundly great as this piece of work of his was, Villeneuve was actually terrified of making it at first, and it was all because of his personal fear. But then, the Dune 2 filmmaker decided to follow his “inspiration,” and eventually gave a film that is now considered one of his best works of all time.

Denis Villeneuve was “Deeply Scared” of Making Prisoners

Released in...

Denis Villeneuve's 2017 sci-fi film "Blade Runner 2049" is a worthy follow-up to Ridley Scott's 1982 flick "Blade Runner." Both presented unique and beautifully photographed sci-fi landscapes that were unique to the genre, and gorgeous to behold. They were the kinds of sci-fi landscapes that college-aged cineastes love to use as their laptop wallpapers. Additionally, both "Blade Runners" contained a few notably punchy action setpieces nestled in between steamroller-paced scenes of sorrowful contemplation. Also, both were infused with the same flavor of navel-gazing angst that feels incredibly profound when you're 16. Villeneuve's film outstripped Scott's in that it was a full 46 minutes longer.

"Blade Runner 2049" was Villenueve's ninth feature film as a director, having established his aesthetic in Canada with films like "Polytechnique" and "Incendies," and who became an international superstar with the success of films like "Prisoners" and "Sicario." Villeneuve's films tend to feature a very particular type of hazy,...

For those who may not be aware, Denis Villeneuve started his career in Quebec long before he became a big Hollywood director. One of the biggest directors ever to emerge from this Canadian province (where some of us working for JoBlo – including yours truly – live), Villeneuve started to break through internationally with his films Polytechnique and Incendies. These movies led to his American debut with Prisoners, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In a full-circle moment, Villeneuve brought Dune: Part Two back to his Montreal home for a gala premiere, and JoBlo was invited to speak to the legendary director on the red (or rather spice-coloured) carpet, where we had a few minutes to chat with him about what’s coming up next for him. As you can see in the interview embedded above, Villeneuve is currently developing two scripts, one of which is Dune Messiah, and he...

You’d be hard-pressed to find a filmmaker who has put together a finer body of work than Denis Villeneuve has since making his U.S. debut in 2013. From the mold-breaking thrillers of Prisoners, Enemy and Sicario to a murderers’ row of sci-fi films including Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 and Dune, the French Canadian director’s films have amassed over $1.1 billion in worldwide box office and landed him three Oscar nominations. His winning streak is all the more impressive when you consider that he put his camera down for much of the 2000s in order to refine his cinematic identity. That nine-year gap was still flanked by a handful of lauded Canadian films, but it wasn’t until 2010’s Oscar-nominated Incendies that Villeneuve felt like he’d finally discovered his signature. Now, Dune: Part Two (March 1) is poised to be his new top grosser after effusive early reactions and reviews.

Superbly acted and beautiful to look at, Dune: Part Two is 2024’s first truly great multiplex film from director Denis Villeneuve. Here’s our review:

There’s the old saying that by trying to please everybody, you end up pleasing no one. To his credit, director Denis Villeneuve has somehow managed to forge a path through mainstream filmmaking without sacrificing the understated, arthouse sensibility that has marked out his work since the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Dune: Part Two, like its 2021 opening chapter, may be a space fantasy shot on an IMAX scale, but it’s also every bit as personal, human and intimate as Villeneuve’s earlier, more raw films like Polytechnique (2009) or Incendies (2010). It also might be the most darkly enthralling $190m-plus sci-fi film ever made.

Ahead of Dune: Part Two’s release, there have been some suggestions that it’s possible to watch this film without having seen the first.

Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan are two auteurs in the greater realm of cinema that have had a transcending impact on the audience and the whole cinematic landscape. While Nolan is better known for his mind-blogging, intriguing cinematic pieces, Villeneuve is an equally brilliant filmmaker known for his exploration of complex themes from identity to morality or even the nature of existence.

Denis Villeneuve (Source: The Tonight Show)

While both filmmakers are not that different, seeing how they tend to push the idea of conventional filmmaking, they are still miles apart with talent that cannot really be compared. Yet, Villeneuve cannot genuinely compete with Nolan despite him being a living legend already.

Why Denis Villeneuve Cannot Compete With Christopher Nolan Denis Villeneuve (Credit: Gage Skidmore/cc-by-sa-2.0)

Denis Villeneuve‘s astounding filmography includes the Dune movies as well as movies like Arrival, Incendies, and Sicario. With a profound understanding of human...

Denis Villeneuve At Worldwide Box Office (Photo Credit – Facebook/IMDb)

Denis Villeneauve’s Dune: Part Two is about to hit the screens in just a few days, and this month, the first part was re-released in the theatres. The film has done well again, adding a few more million to its global collections. But besides the Dune franchise, Villeneuve has done other films as well, and today, we have brought to you a least to the best-ranked list of his movies, per their global collections.

The French-Canadian filmmaker is known for his sci-fi movies like Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and more. He received an Oscar nomination as a director for his film Arrival. In 2021, his movie Dune came out with Timothee Chalamet in the lead role, winning six Academy Awards, including Best Sound and Visual Effects. The sequel’s early reviews have been positive, and the critics only praise it.

Two years ago, Souheila Yacoub took a call from an unknown number – and on the other end of line was Denis Villeneuve.

“I was so blacked out thinking how unreal it all was that I didn’t really understand everything that happened,” the actor tells Variety. “All I know is he asked me to read for ‘Dune: Part Two’ and shortly thereafter he offered me the part – and I was trying to stay professional, but on the inside I was crying, ‘This is so surreal!’”

One question the Swiss-born, Paris-based gymnast-turned-actor thought best not to ask was how she found her way onto Villeneuve’s radar to begin with.

“I was so nervous that he’d made mistake – that he was actually thinking of someone else – that I never dared to ask,” she laughs. “So I just signed the contract and showed up on set.”

With a pedigree that includes...

Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan,” a drama revolving around the love between a closeted man and his wife, has sold more than 500,000 tickets around the world.

The Arabic-language movie, which world premiered at Cannes in 2022 and won the Fipresci prize, has sold the most admissions overseas than any other Moroccan film in recent history, according to French promotion org Unifrance. “The Blue Caftan” was particularly successful in France, where it sold 214,000 admissions, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Japan.

Produced by leading Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, “The Blue Caftan” stars Lubna Azabal (“Incendies”) and Saleh Bakri.

Touzani’s follow-up to Un Certain Regard title “Adam,” “The Blue Caftan” tells the story of Halim and Mina, a married couple running a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the commands of the demanding customers, they hire Youssef. The talented apprentice...

Juliette Binoche, Marion Cotillard and Jacques Audiard are among 500 French cinema professionals to have signed an open letter in support of a silent march for peace in Paris this Sunday.

The initiative – created in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict and its ongoing reverberations around the world – is being spearheaded by the newly launched Une Autre Voix (Another Voice) collective.

“This fratricidal war affects us all, and regardless of our reasons or affinities on each side of the wall, we want it to cease and that both peoples finally live in peace,” reads the letter.

“This is why we are organizing a silent, united, humanist and peaceful march that will open with a single long white banner. No political claims nor slogans. White flags, white handkerchiefs are welcome.”

Belgian-Moroccan actress Lubna Azabal presides over the Une Autre Voix collective which also features French...

Bendita Films Sales has taken worldwide rights outside Benelux to Jawad Rhalib’s social drama “Amal,” toplining award-winning Belgian actress Lubna Azabal, who appeared in Oscar-nominated films “Paradise Now” and “Incendies.”

Télescope has acquired the film’s distribution rights for the Benelux region.

“Amal” world premieres Nov. 17, competing in main competition at Tallinn’s 27th Black Nights Film Festival edition.

Set up at prolific, successful Belgian outfit Scope Pictures, “Amal” is produced by Geneviéve Lemal and co-produced by Ellen de Waele.

Azabal plays an idealistic and passionate French literature teacher in a suburban Brussels school, who becomes the target of intense hostility from students and colleagues tied to Islamic extremism when she chooses to help a teenage Muslim girl accused of homosexuality.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife-based Bendita Films Sales will make “Amal’s” market premiere at Berlin’s European Film Market in February.

“We were completely dazzled by the film’s narrative strength,...

The Marsh King’s Daughter is a psychological thriller directed by Neil Burger, from a screenplay by Elle Smith and Mark L. Smith. Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Karen Dionne, the film revolves around Helena, who has to confront her dark and tormenting past as her estranged father is being released from prison. Helena’s father kidnapped her mother two years before she was born and kept both of them in the jungle. Now, she is convinced that he will try to take her daughter and that’s why she must confront him. The Marsh King’s Daughter stars Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn in the lead roles with Brooklyn Prince, Garrett Hedlund, Caren Pistorius, and Joey Carson starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved The Marsh King’s Daughter here are some similar movies you could watch next.

The Girl on the Train (Rent on...

Reptile is a mystery thriller film directed by Grant Singer, who also co-wrote the film with Benicio Del Toro and Benjamin Brewer. The Netflix film follows a hardened detective who tries to uncover the mystery behind the murder of a young real estate agent. Reptile stars Benicio Del Toro, Alicia Silverstone, Justin Timberlake, and Michael Pitt. So, if you love the Netflix film here are some similar shows you could watch next.

The Little Things (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Warner Bros.

Synopsis: Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon (Washington) is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence‐gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city. Leading the hunt, L.A. Sheriff Department Sergeant JimBaxter (Malik), impressed with Deke’s cop instincts, unofficially engages his help. But as they track the killer, Baxter is...

Two-day event runs September 10-11 in association with TIFF.

New Zealand producers Emma Slade and Victoria Dabbs of Firefly Films and Canadian partner Michelle Morris of Lily Pictures are among 40 producer teams set to participate in Ontario Creates’ 2023 International Financing Forum (Iff) running September 10-11 in Toronto.

The two-day feature film co-financing and co-production market, in association with TIFF and now in its 18th year, is a hybrid event. There will be in-person one-on-one producer and executive meetings, an industry panel discussion with Ontario and international producers, networking opportunities, and online international meetings.

Selected producers will get the chance to...

Arthouse genre distribution company Yellow Veil Pictures has acquired North American rights “Rebel,” a music-filled thriller by the Belgian directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. The pair broke into Hollywood with “Bad Boys for Life” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence and are set to direct the sequel for Sony Pictures.

“Rebel” was produced by Caviar, the banner behind the Oscar-winning film “Sound of Metal” as well as “War Pony.” It world premiered at Cannes last year in the Midnight section and be theatrically released later this year.

“Rebel” follows Kamal, a young man seeking meaning for his life, who leaves Belgium to help war victims in Syria. Once there, he is forced to join Isis and discovers the propaganda, manipulation, and atrocity the militia is responsible for. Back home, Kamal’s brother Nassim is slowly indoctrinated by radical recruiters and persuaded to join Kamal in Syria, while...

Premiering in Series Mania’s International Panorama section, the Quebecois limited series “Disobey” tackles the docudrama as urgent thriller, finding notes of tension in the lead up to a 1980s ruling the guaranteed abortion rights to women across Canada.

With the visual polish that has become signature for Montreal-based Also Productions, the six-part premium drama follows the real case of Chantale Daigle (Éléonore Loiselle), a 21-year-old woman who pushed against an abusive ex-partner and two court injunctions, eventually leading to a Supreme Court ruling that secured body autonomy for Canadian women. And all that in just a matter of weeks.

“For us, it was important [to hit that urgency], because that’s what really happened,” says Also founder Sophie Lorain. “Chantale went through three steps of jurisdiction and all the way to the Supreme Court in less than two months. While a child grew inside, these gentlemen were chatting along, not making up their...

[Editor’s note: The following was first published in February 2021 and has been updated multiple times since.]

Denis Villeneuve has emerged as one of the most visionary directors working in the Hollywood studio system thanks to a string of critically acclaimed films such as “Prisoners,” “Sicario,” “Arrival,” and “Blade Runner 2049.” That’s saying nothing of Villeneuve’s challenging indie fare, from “Enemy” to “Incendies” and more. IndieWire counts “Arrival and “Blade Runner 2049” as two of the greatest science-fiction movies of the 21st century, with the former title landing Villeneuve his first (and so far only) Oscar nomination for Best Director. Next up for Villeneuve is “Dune”, but as fans wait for the delayed tentpole they can start catching up on several of the director’s favorite films.

From “Under the Skin” to “Dogville” (two titles Villeneuve considers benchmarks of 21st century cinema), many of Villeneuve’s favorite films are as narratively daring as his own feature directorial work. In some cases, a favorite film played...

Documentary world premieres in Berlin.

Les Films du Losange has sold Nicolas Philibert’s Berlinale competition title On The Adamant to key territories including Adok Films in Switzerland and to I Wonder Pictures in Italy.

The documentary market premiered at Unifrance’s Rendez-Vous in Paris and Les Films du Losange will continue sales at February’s EFM.

On The Adamant follows patients and caregivers at a psychiatric centre with a unique floating structure located in the middle of the Seine river in central Paris.

Philibert’s Être Et Avoir (To Be And To Have) premiered in Cannes in 2002, La Maison...

It is fair to assume Criterion could plunder the world of licensed film to build an ultimate noir playlist; credit, then, for focusing sharp and nabbing deep cuts. The Criterion Channel’s November / Noirvember program will be headlined by “Fox Noir,” an eight-title program with Otto Preminger deep cut Fallen Angel, three by Henry Hathaway, Siodmak, Dassin, Kazan, and Robert Wise, and while retrospectives of Veronica Lake and John Garfield will bring some canon into the fold, I’m mostly thinking about that potential for discovery.

Following “Free Jazz,” Bob Hoskins, and Joyce Chopra programs, the other big series is a 30-year survey of Sony Pictures Classics: Sally Potter, Satoshi Kon, Panahi, Errol Morris, Almodóvar, Haneke, Mike Leigh, just a murderer’s row. Streaming premieres include 499 and A Night of Knowing Nothing, two recent epitomes of I Wish I Had Seen That; Criterion Editions comprise Cure, Brazil, Sullivan’s Travels,...

Paul Dano has played a “Batman” villain and a Beach Boy, but the Emmy nominee had no desire to play a presumed child kidnapper in “Prisoners.”

The Denis Villeneuve-directed film stars Hugh Jackman, Viola Davis, and Terence Howard as parents whose children are taken. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the detective on the case, as the local community fingers Dano’s character and his suspicious mother (Melissa Leo) as being involved. The 2013 film was nominated for Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins’ work.

“People love ‘Prisoners,'” Dano said while reflecting on his best roles for a GQ video. “This is one of those that you don’t really want to do, but you do, if you know what I mean.”

He continued, “I’d seen Denis’ film ‘Incendies,’ and he told me Roger Deakins was shooting it, who I had a massive crush on. Did I want to play that part?...

Not many international filmmakers have broken into Hollywood on the level that Denis Villeneuve has over the last decade. A French-Canadian, Villeneuve began as a director in Québécois cinema but won international attention for 2009's "Polytechnique" (about the real life École Polytechnique massacre in 1989) and 2010's "Incendies" (a dark drama about twins who discover their family's disturbing history in Lebanon).

But 2013 was when his career changed forever with the release of two films. "Enemy" was shot in Toronto but was Villenueve's first feature headlined by a movie star: Jake Gyllenhaal. "Prisoners" was his first straight-up American movie. As Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) investigates the disappearance of two young girls, the father of one of them, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), takes efforts into his own hands. "Prisoners" earned deserved comparisons to the work of David Fincher. Like "Seven," "Prisoners" is a mystery overlaid with Christian symbolism, and it's genuinely disturbing. The rainy cinematography evokes "Seven" as well,...

Co-financing, co-production forum takes place September 11-12.

New projects involving the producer of The Babadook, Game Of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin and Lemon Tree filmmaker Eran Riklis will be front and centre when the first in-person Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (Iff) in three years kicks off at TIFF next month.

Now in its 17th year, the two-day co-financing and co-production market takes place from September 11-12 in association with TIFF and features 42 feature film producer teams – 20 from Canada and 22 from as far afield as Australia, India, Norway, Scotland and the US.

The producers will participate in one-on-one producer...

Co-financing, co-production forum takes place September 11-12.

New projects involving the producer of The Babadook, Game Of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin and Lemon Tree filmmaker Eran Riklis will be front and centre when the first in-person Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (Iff) in three years kicks off at TIFF next month.

Now in its 17th year, the two-day co-financing and co-production market takes place from September 11-12 in association with TIFF and features 42 feature film producer teams – 20 from Canada and 22 from as far afield as Australia, India, Norway, Scotland and the US.

The producers will participate in one-on-one producer...

Hybrid doc to open in Canada on September 23.

Jason Loftus’s hybrid documentary Eternal Spring has been selected from a pool of 16 films to represent Canada at the 2023 Oscars.

Lofty Sky Entertainment produced and Sideways Film handles international sales on the film, which marks the 20th anniversary of a hack of Chinese state TV in March 2002 by outlawed Chinese religious group Falun Gong’s

Comic book illustrator Daxiong was a member of Falun Gong and fled the country after the hack triggered police raids. Arriving in North America, his views on the incident changed when he met the sole lone...

The pan-Canadian Selection Committee has chosen director Jason Loftus’ Eternal Spring as its entry for the Best International Feature Film Oscar.

The animated documentary highlights the work of internationally renowned comic book illustrator Daxiong who, as a member of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group, was forced to flee China after police raids in the city of Changchun.

Combining present-day footage with 3D animation inspired by Daxiong’s art, Eternal Spring retraces the events that precipitated the crackdown on their 20th anniversary, with eyewitness accounts of persecution and details of the fight for political and religious freedoms.

Eight Canadian films have been official nominees in the Best Foreign Language Film category: in 2013, Rebelle by Kim Nguyen; in 2012, Monsieur Lazhar by Philippe Falardeau and In Darkness by Agnieszka Holland (a minority co-production with Poland and Germany); in 2011, Incendies by Denis Villeneuve; and in 2007, Water by Deepa Mehta.

Strand Releasing has acquired all North American rights to Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan,” which world premiered at Cannes and won the Fipresci prize. The film, which is represented in international markets by Films Boutique, will have its North American premiere at Toronto in the Special Screenings section.

Touzani’s follow-up to Un Certain Regard title “Adam,” “The Blue Caftan” tells the story of Halim and Mina, a married couple running a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the commands of the demanding customers, they hire Youssef. The talented apprentice shows an utmost dedication in learning the art of embroidery and tailoring from Halim. Slowly Mina realizes how much her husband is moved by the presence of the young man.

Produced by Nabil Ayouch, “The Blue Caftan” stars Lubna Azabal (“Incendies”) and Saleh Bakri.

Touzani said “The Blue Caftan...

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Skies of Lebanon, the directorial debut of Chloé Mazlo, has been acquired for the U.S. by Dekanalog. The distributor is aiming to release the film theatrically on July 22.

A poetic blending of the personal and political, Skies of Lebanon combines live action with animation to create a vivid picture of Lebanon, inspired by the family history of filmmaker Mazlo. Using stories told to her by her grandmother about life during the Lebanese Civil War, Mazlo crafts what the producers describe as a “touching and heart-breaking story of love during wartime.”

The film sees Alba Rohrwacher (Happy as Lazzaro) play Alice, a Swiss woman who moves to Beirut in the 1950s and falls in love with a Lebanese man. Wajdi Mouawad (author of the play Incendies, which was the source material for Denis Villeneuve’s 2010 film with that same title) plays Joseph, an...

It’s no secret that Morocco is one of the most homophobic places on Earth, punishing certain acts with prison sentences of up to three years. The secret, as far as Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan” is concerned, is that its main character is homosexual. The man, Halim (Salem Bakri), is devoted to both his religion and his wife, Mina (“Incendies” star Lubna Azabal). Together they own an old-fashioned garment shop in the town’s medina, where such stories almost certainly exist. Still, it takes equal measures of audacity and sensitivity to portray them on-screen, especially from a woman’s point of view.

Halim works as a maalem, or master tailor, struggling to keep the trade alive. These days, machines accomplish the work that artisans like Halim once did by hand, and apprentices are hard to find. Much of the film is dedicated to this disappearing craft: Touzani (“Adam...

"Prisoners" marked the English-language crossover of Denis Villeneuve, the director of "Sicario" and sci-fi heir apparent to Ridley Scott. Though Villeneuve actually shot another warm-up film with Jake Gyllenhaal — the spidery doppelgänger thriller "Enemy" — before "Prisoners," its release would come after, meaning that "Prisoners" would be the first introduction to many stateside audiences for Villeneuve's work -- unless they were already versed in his earlier French-language movies like "Incendies."

Whereas "Enemy" and "Sicario" are the length of standard movies, clocking in at 90 and 121 minutes, respectively, "Prisoners" is a longer film with a 153-minute runtime. Though...

The post Prisoners Ending Explained: Captive to a Vicious Circle of Victimization appeared first on /Film.

Films Boutique has acquired four films set to world premiere at Cannes, including Albert Serra (“The Death of Louis Xiv”)’s “Pacifiction” which will compete in the 75th edition’s Official Selection.

The Berlin-based international sales banner has also acquired rising Morrocan helmer Maryam Touzani (“Adam”)’s “The Blue Caftan” and Costa Rican director Ariel Escalante Meza’s “Domingo and the Mist” which will both play in Un Certain Regard; as well as Portuguese filmmaker João Pedro Rodrigues (“The Ornithologist”)’s “Will-o’-The-Wisp,” set for Directors’ Fortnight.

“Pacifiction” stars Cesar-winning French actor Benoit Magimel (“Peaceful”) as a calculating French government official working in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. While investigating on a mysterious submarine, he navigates the high end ’establishment,’ and mingles with locals in underground venues.

Serra was last in Cannes with his 2019 feature film “Liberté” which won the jury prize at Un Certain Regard.”‘Pacifiction’ is a...

Canadian writer/director Denis Villeneuve initially made his mark on international audiences with a series of compelling character studies that were couched in audience-friendly film genres, whether crime dramas (“Prisoners”) or action thrillers (“Sicario”). In recent years, however, the acclaimed filmmaker has largely focused on telling his complex stories using science-fiction/fantasy, as with “Dune” and “Arrival.” This platform allows him to add an extra layer of visual wizardry to his work and has brought his craft to a whole new audience.

In the past dozen years or so, Villeneuve’s work has been acclaimed by critics and audiences around the world, as well as recognized by a wide array of guilds and critics groups. He has been nominated for the Best Director Oscar (“Arrival”), and was Golden Globe-nominated for his direction of “Dune.” In addition, he has been honored with two Directors Guild Award nominations as well as three...

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will be presented with the Advanced Imaging Society’s 2022 Harold Lloyd Award for filmmaking at the 12th annual Lumiere Awards at Warner Bros. Studios on Feb. 1.

With his directorial work in “Dune,” based on Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel, the film has garnered critical acclaim as well as having major success at the worldwide box office. The film was recently re-released in IMAX and is a major contender this awards season.

Other works directed by Villeneuve include “Arrival,” for which he was nominated for an Oscar for best director, “Incendies,” “Prisoners,” “Sicario” and “Blade Runner 2049.”

“In his more than 200 films, Harold Lloyd was passionate about using his creative teams and the latest technology to empower his storytelling in the service of entertaining his millions of fans,” said Suzanne Lloyd, Chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment. “He was a cheerleader for the groundbreaking directors and creatives who followed him.

Denis Villeneuve will be the recipient of the William Cameron Menzies Award from the Art Directors Guild at the 26th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards.

The award recognizes his unique visuals and innovative storytelling which have established Villeneuve as one of the premier filmmakers working today.

“We are beyond thrilled to recognize the scale and scope of the cinematic vision of director Denis Villeneuve with the 2022 William Cameron Menzies Award,” said Nelson Coates, president of the Adg. “The seamless integration of design into all aspects of Villeneuve’s storytelling process, and the promotion of narrative design and designers in his work and in the industry, make him the perfect honoree. Fostering strong collaborations and working relationships between directors and designers is vital to the creation of strong and unique films. Villeneuve has proven extremely adept at this foundational collaboration.”

Villeneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for his directorial...

When Denis Villeneuve got the thumbs up from Warner Bros. and Legendary to shoot “Dune,” he knew he was headed back to the Middle East.

Specifically, to the deserts of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, which are inextricably tied to the Canadian director’s passionate vision of the planet Arrakis. These countries have also played key roles in several of the “Star Wars” installments, giving all these films a soul they never could have attained using green screens and the CGI visuals of most sci-fi movies.

Villeneuve in several interviews has said he started scouting for “Dune” a decade ago in Jordan when he first came to the region to make his 2010 Oscar-nominated breakout film “Incendies.” Even then, he was dreaming of bringing Frank Herbert’s book to life. As heard in promotional materials for the film, Villeneuve vowed to himself that if he ever got to make “Dune,...

"We're so bounded by time, by its order. But now I am not so sure I believe in beginnings and endings." There's a lovely new video on YouTube to watch titled "The Beauty of Denis Villeneuve." It's made by a French movie lover who runs a Yt channel called "The Beauty Of" making short videos about the beautiful cinematography found in various films & TV & games. This one is all about Villeneuve and his movies, from Incendies to Dune and everything else (he has made 10 features in total so far). All set to the music "On the Nature of Daylight" also heard in Arrival. Villeneuve has worked with these great cinematographers: Greig Fraser, Roger Deakins, Bradford Young, André Turpin, Nicolas Bolduc, and Pierre Gill. There's many other memorable shots not seen in this video, but this just makes me want to rewatch every last one of his movies. Thanks to Kottke for the tip on this.

Event ran September 12-13 concurrent Toronto International Film Festival.

The virtual 2021 Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) that took place this month brought together feature producers on projects at various stages of development with industry executives and hosted more than 550 meetings.

Iff, which took place from September 12-13 concurrent with Toronto International Film Festival, invited 42 industry executives from the likes of Netflix, Neon, Voltage Pictures, The Match Factory and Protagonist Pictures. Charlotte Mickie, vice-president of Celluloid Dreams, said: “Iff is awesome. The offering is diverse and rich, and the conversations with the producers are so stimulating and provocative, in a good way.

With a full year of creative pauses and improvisational workflow behind them, Canadian producers hit the 2021 Toronto festival bullish that in-person screenings and heightened fall fest excitement will focus critics and sales buzz to connect their films with audiences beyond their home turf.

Luc Dery and Kim McCraw of Montreal’s micro_scope, who introduced Denis Villeneuve’s “Incendies” and Philippe Falardeau’s “Monsieur Lazhar” to North American audiences at TIFF, return with Ivan Grbovic’s “Drunken Birds” (pictured), one of eight titles screening in Platform, the festival’s juried competition program.

Jorge Antonio Guerrero (“Roma”) stars as a Mexican drug-cartel worker who falls in love with his boss’s wife and whose pursuit of her lands him in rural Quebec, where he gets mixed up in his host family’s troubles. The film is exec produced by Nicolas Celis (“Roma”), with Wazabi Films selling.

“The marketplace is quite brutal right now,...