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☆ Soggy Cannes premiere for Turkish director Ceylan's 'About Dry Grasses'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CANNES, May 19 (Reuters) - Turkish auteur filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan returned to the Cannes Film Festival's red carpet on a particularly rainy Friday with his latest competition entry, "About Dry Grasses." Ceylan and his film team gathered in front of the Palais des Festivals as rain lashed the French Riviera city and puddles formed on the red carpet and the plastic sheets covering it. Including "About Dry Grasses," Ceylan's films have been in the running for the Palme d'Or seven times, with only "Winter Sleep" taking the top prize in 2014. Ceylan said in a statement that he wanted the film to impart the gradual decline in the personal convictions of civil servants and teachers sent to remote areas at an early age. Reporting by Hanna Rantala and Miranda Murray; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Auschwitz drama 'Zone of Interest' marks director Glazer's first Cannes foray
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Screening of the film "The Zone of Interest" in competition - Red Carpet Arrivals - Cannes, France, May 19, 2023. Director Jonathan Glazer, cast members Sandra... Read moreCANNES, May 19 (Reuters) - British director Jonathan Glazer will compete for the Cannes Film Festival's top prize for the first time this year with his Auschwitz drama "The Zone of Interest," whose premiere on Friday evening drew celebrities including Cate Blanchett and Carla Bruni. Sandra Hueller, star of Germany's 2017 Oscar nominee for best foreign-language feature "Toni Erdmann," plays Hoess' wife, Hedwig. "The Zone of Interest," which will be distributed by A24, is Glazer's first feature since 2013's "Under the Skin" starring Scarlett Johansson and was shot entirely in Auschwitz. Reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Premieres at Cannes: First Reaction
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Manohla Dargis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Thursday, Harrison Ford stood before a rapturous crowd at the Cannes Film Festival and reminded us that Tom Cruise isn’t the last movie star. That history was on display in a snappy, coherently edited homage that got the evening started. In the late 1960s, Demy had wanted to cast the then-unknown Ford in “Model Shop” but couldn’t convince the studio to hire him. Demy settled for another actor, but he and Varda remained friends with Ford. Rather anticlimactically, Frémaux also presented Ford an honorary Palme d’Or.

☆ Japan's Kore-eda: sexual identity not the focus in film 'Monster'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Alicia Powell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Press conference for the film "Kaibutsu" (Monster) in competition - Cannes, France, May 18, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah MeyssonnierCANNES, May 18 (Reuters) - Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda said he did not want to focus on sexual identity in portraying the relationship between the two schoolboys at the centre of his latest film, "Monster." "The age that these children are at is an age where their sexual identity is maybe not fully... they're not fully aware of it at this stage," Kore-eda told Reuters on Thursday, the day after the movie's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Earlier Thursday, Kore-eda told journalists he did not think the story should be viewed as portraying two boys who have growing feelings for each other, as suggested in some reviews. For "Monster" Kore-eda once again teamed up with Sakura Ando, who starred in his 2018 Palmes d' Or winner "Shoplifters," and who portrays Saori in the new film.

☆ The bullwhip is back: Harrison Ford in Cannes for 'Indiana Jones' premiere
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Miranda Murray | Thomson Reuters | Speed Editor On The Berlin Hub Who Provides General Coverage On Everything Politics To Energy In Germany | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Screening of the film "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" (Indiana Jones et le cadran de la destinee) Out of Competition - Red Carpet Arrivals - Cannes, France,... Read moreCANNES, May 18 (Reuters) - Harrison Ford was in Cannes for the much-anticipated premiere of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" on Thursday evening, 15 years since the actor last picked up the adventurous archaeologist's iconic bullwhip and hat on the big screen. The newest movie's release date had been postponed several times after it had been announced in 2016 and follows 2008's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," which received mixed reviews. The "Indiana Jones" franchise, created by George Lucas of "Star Wars" fame, has grossed nearly $2 billion at the global box office with four films and amassed a global fan base. It also inspired a TV series, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles." "Dial of Destiny" is the first "Indiana Jones" movie the Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) has made after buying the distribution rights for the franchise from Paramount Pictures in 2013.

☆ Japan's Kore-eda angles for second Cannes win with 'Monster'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CANNES, May 17 (Reuters) - Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda hopes to repeat his success at the Cannes Film Festival, five years after winning the top prize, with "Monster," which breaks down the misunderstandings between a single mother and a teacher started by two schoolboys. "Monster" sees Kore-eda once again team up with actor Sakura Ando, who starred in his 2018 Palme d'Or winner "Shoplifters." The film is Kore-eda's second in competition since winning the top prize at Cannes, after his Korean-language entry "Broker" lost out last year to "Triangle of Sadness" by Swedish director and this year's Cannes jury president Ruben Ostlund. Kore-eda also brought Oscar winner Ryuichi Sakamoto on board to compose a soundtrack critics praised as particularly moving. Kore-eda and his cast took to the red carpet at Cannes on Wednesday night for the premiere of their film, which critics praised for its clever structure and atmospheric setting.

☆ Controversial 'Homecoming' film director attends Cannes premiere with cast
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Screening of the film "Le retour" (Homecoming) in competition - Red Carpet Arrivals – Cannes, France, May 17, 2023. Director Catherine Corsini, producer Elisabeth... Read moreCANNES, May 17 (Reuters) - French director Catherine Corsini appeared on the Cannes Film Festival's red carpet flanked by a cluster of cast members on Wednesday for the premiere of her drama "Homecoming," which has been the subject of some controversy in recent months. The director walked between producer Elisabeth Perez and actor Aissatou Diallo Sagna, who won France's Cesar award for best supporting actress in Corsini's 2021 film "The Divide." The movie had faced controversy after concerns were raised about an intimate scene involving minors. Wednesday's red carpet appearance was briefly interrupted by a protester at the barricades in a red dress, who flashed her pregnant stomach with the word "Surrogacy" and a barcode on it.

☆ At Cannes, independent film firms optimistic as streamers stumble
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Miranda Murray | Thomson Reuters | Speed Editor On The Berlin Hub Who Provides General Coverage On Everything Politics To Energy In Germany | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

CANNES, May 17 (Reuters) - Independent film companies facing a market upended by the entry of streaming services are showing some optimism heading into this year's Cannes Film Festival as the Netflix era has begun flattening out and audiences start trickling back into cinemas post-pandemic. Cannes may make headlines for its glitz and glamour, but as the world's largest event for buying and selling movie rights, its importance to the industry is unparalleled. "It's a transitional time on the business side as the traditional business model that independent buyers use sees lessened value," said O'Shea. The similarity among much of the content offered on streaming platforms leaves theatre audiences wanting something different, an unmet appetite that independent companies could fulfil, he said. "Something good is happening, and I'm sure other streaming services will follow suit," Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Fremaux said in an interview with Le Film francais magazine in April.

☆ A suspect has been arrested for leaking the 'House of the Dragon' finale episode — and the alleged hacker made a rookie mistake
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Two days before the "House of the Dragon" finale aired last fall, the episode was leaked online. The mysterious case of the leaked "House of the Dragon" finale is one step closer to being solved — and the alleged hacker's cat helped tipped off authorities. Last October, two days before the "Game of Thrones" spin-off's series finale was set to air, the episode was leaked to pirating sites. Despite the leak, "House of the Dragon" was quite succesfull with 9.3 million viewers tuning into the series finale legally. That made it HBO's most-watched finale since the "Game of Thrones" finale in 2019, per Variety.

☆ Johnny Depp marks celebrity comeback with Cannes opening film
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Opening ceremony and screening of the film "Jeanne du Barry" Out of competition - Red Carpet arrivals - Cannes, France, May 16, 2023. Johnny Depp poses. REUTERS/Yara... Read moreCANNES, May 16 (Reuters) - Johnny Depp seemed back in full celebrity mode on Tuesday, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans before the premiere of the Cannes Film Festival's opening film "Jeanne du Barry," which marks the actor's first major role since his high-profile defamation trial. "There are hundreds of film festivals all around the world, but there's only one Cannes," Douglas told the crowd. "Even the casting - some would say stunt casting - of Johnny Depp as the king offers a few early thrills and then mostly yawns," wrote The Hollywood Reporter.

☆ Pedro Almodóvar’s Answer to ‘Brokeback Mountain’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Kyle Buchanan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Follow our live updates from the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival. “How do you want me to look at you?” replies the gunslinger, flirting. It wouldn’t be a western without a fraught standoff, but when Pedro Almodóvar is behind the camera, the glances are even more loaded than the pistols. In “Strange Way of Life,” a new short film that will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal star as a lawman and a cowboy who reunite 25 years after having a passionate affair. But will their old magic be rekindled, or are both men concealing ulterior motives for the meeting?

☆ Cannes Film Festival 2023 kicks off with 'all killer, no filler' line-up
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We have 'Indiana Jones,' we've got Martin Scorsese's new film with Leonardo DiCaprio. Festival director Thierry Fremaux pushed back against criticism that Depp was a controversial choice for an opening-night film, telling Variety magazine the actor had not been banned from working. Other jury members include Brie Larson of "Captain Marvel" and Julia Ducournau, one of two women to win the Palme d'Or. Out of competition, Harrison Ford will return as adventurous archaeologist Indiana Jones, 15 years since the last film in the franchise, in the world premiere of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" on Thursday. Festival organizers are concerned the unrest seen during the pension reform protests could also make its way to the festival, said Roxborough.

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery's ad sales chief reveals how he'll tout flexible offerings and 6 new measurement deals to grab brand dollars from TV rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Discovery ad sales chief Jon Steinlauf has a strategy to grab market share at the TV upfronts. WBD left money on the table at the 2022 upfront, Steinlauf said, and faces a soft 2023 ad market. Discovery's pitch to advertisers was all about the breadth of its newly merged portfolio of news, sports, and lifestyle entertainment. When it comes to WBD's Premiere package of top ad inventory, for example, ad sales chief Jon Steinlauf emphasized how advertisers could customize the mix of programming to meet their wants. Discovery debuted at an inopportune time, just a few weeks ahead of the biggest TV sales event of the year.

☆ Seth Rogan is 'distressed' that streaming companies are 'digging in on' using AI to write for TV, sharing support for the strike: 'Thank god for labor unions'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Seth Rogan threw his support behind striking writers and echoed concerns over the use of AI in writing television shows. Rogan said you'd have to "shove a lot of weed" into an AI model to get it to write good-quality TV. Members of the guild previously told Insider they are worried about the threat of AI models like ChatGPT usurping writers as a cheaper substitute. Studios will never act fairly or equitably without being forced to," Rogan told IndieWire. "I'm personally very disturbed and distressed by the lack of information that I personally get from these streaming services that we have films and television shows on," Rogan told the outlet.

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery's top ad exec details his plans to grab market share from TV rivals with flexible offerings and 6 new measurement deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Discovery ad sales chief Jon Steinlauf shared plans to grab market share at the TV upfront. WBD left money on the table at the 2022 upfront and faces a soft ad market. When it comes to WBD's Premiere package of top ad inventory, for example, ad sales chief Jon Steinlauf emphasized how advertisers could customize the mix of programming to meet their wants. Discovery debuted at an inopportune time, just a few weeks ahead of the biggest TV sales event of the year. WBD dove into its 2022 TV upfront negotiations without the benefit of time to share information across its predecessor companies, causing some blowback among top advertisers.

Where to watch RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in the USViewers in the US can watch RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars easily through a Paramount Plus subscription. Where to watch RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in CanadaCanadian fans of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars can watch the new season with a Crave subscription. How to watch RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars worldwideIf your country doesn't have access to Paramount Plus or Crave, you can still watch RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars with the help of a VPN. Where to watch RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars for freeTo watch the new season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars at no cost, you can sign up for a free trial of Paramount Plus. Watch the trailer for season 8 of RuPaul's Drag Race All StarsWho is competing in RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 8?

☆ Sony's faith-based streaming service merges with Hallmark rival Great American Media
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sony Pictures Entertainment and its streaming service Pure Flix are making room on the cable TV dial. The company's streaming service, known for faith-based content, is merging with Great American Media, a recent upstart cable rival to the Hallmark Channel. It will also beef up the slate for Great American's TV networks Great American Family and Great American Living. As part of the deal, which has yet to close, content from both Pure Flix and Great American Media will cross each other's platforms. Great American Media and its two cable TV networks were launched in 2021 by Bill Abbott, former CEO of Crown Media, the parent of the Hallmark Channel.

Persons: Maria Conchita Alonso, Bill Abbott Organizations: Los Angeles, Hilton Los Angeles, Universal City, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Great American Media, Hallmark Channel, Sony, Crown Media, Hallmark Locations: Universal City , California, U.S, Canada

☆ When ‘Homicide’ Hit Its Stride
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Saul Austerlitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The Dallas Cowboys demolished the Buffalo Bills, 52-17, and the broadcast was followed by the premiere of a new NBC drama, set in Baltimore, studying the work of the city’s homicide detectives. The series was called “Homicide: Life on the Street,” and it was based on a book by David Simon, then a Baltimore Sun reporter who had spent a year tagging along with the police department’s homicide squad. Post-Super Bowl premiere notwithstanding, “Homicide” was never a ratings success, but it stayed on the air for seven seasons, winning four Emmys and three Peabody Awards. The show’s fifth episode, “Three Men and Adena,” which first aired in March, was a stark, dramatic example of what made “Homicide” different from other cop shows. Pembleton and Bayliss prod, provoke and rage, but “Homicide” refuses to grant the audience the resolution they crave.

☆ 'Avengers' director Joe Russo says everyone should be scared of AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"Avengers" director Joe Russo says everyone should be scared of artificial intelligence. The director told Variety AI must work as a "tool servicing us rather than us servicing the tool." "Avengers" director Joe Russo has weighed in on the development of artificial intelligence. "I think everyone should be scared of AI," Russo told Variety at the Los Angeles premiere of "Citadel." Russo told Variety AI must work as a "tool servicing us rather than us servicing the tool."

☆ 94.5% of creators use AI to help them make content, according to a new survey of 660 influencers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The firm surveyed 660 creators based in the US on how they use AI, among other topics. 94.5% of them said they use AI, with editing content and image generation being top ways. And for those who are in the business of creating content, AI that can help streamline creative work can be especially enticing. The top three ways chosen were editing content, generating images and videos, and creating text and captions for accessibility. "If you're a content creator, people follow you for your storytelling, your unique point of view.

☆ CNBC Daily Open: In the eye of the storm
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Indeed, the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) fell by 2%. We might just be in the eye of a storm. Subscribe here to get this report sent directly to your inbox each morning before markets open.

☆ Halle Bailey 'honored' to play Ariel in 'Little Mermaid' remake
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Rollo Ross | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Cast member Halle Bailey attends the premiere of the film "The Little Mermaid" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 8, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, May 9 (Reuters) - Black American singer Halle Bailey has said she was "honored" to play Ariel in the live action remake of "The Little Mermaid", adding she hoped to inspire children of colour with the new iteration of the beloved Disney animation. "It's so important for little girls to see themselves in things, in movies, in representation," said Awkwafina (Nora Lum), who voices the seagull Scuttle. The film's premiere took place amid a nearly week-long strike by thousands of film and television writers in Hollywood. Reporting by Rollo Ross; Writing by Rollo Ross and Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ ‘Succession’ Season 4, Episode 7 Recap: The Scorpion and the Scorpion
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Noel Murray | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Season 4, Episode 7: ‘Tailgate Party’This “Succession” season’s premiere episode ended with Tom and Shiv lying together in bed, bitterly angry but still holding hands. Their weird romantic renaissance peaks with this week’s episode, which sees them sexting each other incessantly — and sees Tom confusingly gifting Shiv with a glass-encased scorpion, in an apparent reference to “the scorpion and the frog” parable. As always with “Succession,” the Roys arrive at this party with discrete agendas. It’s only after Shiv warns him that the Roy boys are making moves that Matsson mobilizes. His strutting GoJo band barges into the triplex right when Kendall is leading a moment of silence for Logan.

☆ Mark Cuban loved this 24-year-old 'Shark Tank' CEO's company—here's why he rejected it: 'You're making a boatload of money'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sophie Nistico seemed to have all the pieces in place for a big investment deal on ABC's "Shark Tank." She spent no money on advertising, due to a large social media presence, and had more than $400,000 in the bank, she added. "You are making a boatload of money," Mark Cuban added. "I don't really know how to help you," said Kevin O'Leary. "This thing where you don't know anything about business, I don't really buy it anymore.

☆ Use the writers' strike as an opportunity to catch up on some content
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

While Hollywood deals with the first TV and movie writers’ strike in 15 years, the wealth of content that we have available to us is a good reminder of the creativity those writers have put into making the shows and movies we love. Something to sip on…Corey Mylchreest as Young King George, India Amarteifio as Young Queen Charlotte in episode 101 of "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story." Liam Daniel/NetflixOne of the reasons the strike is even happening is because streaming has changed the entertainment industry so much that writers say their wages are being adversely affected through shorter seasons and changing distribution models. Those individuals can’t work – and some of our favorite shows will be delayed – unless writers and studios reach a new agreement soon. In the meantime, catch up on some brilliant shows you’ve missed.

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