Spain Selects J.A. Bayona’s “Society of Snow” as Its Entry for the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film Race

J.A. Bayona is in the running for a potential Academy Award

Spain has selected the 48-year-old Spanish filmmaker’s latest film, Society of the Snow as its entry for the Best International Feature Film race at the 2024 Oscars.

J.A. BayonaThe announcement marks the first time a Netflix-backed film has been selected by Spain and the second time J.A. Bayona has made the cut following his 2007 film The Orphanage.

Society of the Snow closed this year’s Venice Film Festival. Based on the book of the same name by Pablo Vierci, first published in 2008, the film charts the story of the 45 people who, on October 13, 1972, boarded Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 from Montevideo to Chile. There were five crew members on board and 40 passengers, including 19 members of the Old Christians Club rugby team. Tragedy struck when the pilot began his descent too early, crashing into the Andes and killing 12 immediately. The survivors clung to the belief that help was coming, but none did. After weeks of hunger, having exhausted everything in the plane’s hold, they were forced to do the unthinkable and eat the flesh of those who had died. The story was told by Frank Marshall in the 1993 film Alive.

J.A. Bayona, La Sociedad De La Nieve, Society of the SnowStarring in the Spanish-language film are Enzo Vogrincic, Matías Recalt, Agustín Pardella, Esteban Kukuriczka and Tomas Wolf.

The film is produced by Belén Atienza, Sandra Hermida and Bayona. The screenplay comes from Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques and Nicolás Casariego from the novel by Pablo Vierci. The director of photography is Pedro Luque.

Last year Spain selected Carla Simón’s Berlinale winner Alcarràs for the Best International Feature Film race. The film didn’t make the final shortlist.

Angelique Cabral Added to Voice Cast of Disney Animation’s Feature Film “Wish”

Angelique Cabral’s wish has come true…

The 44-year-old part-Mexican American actress will star in the Disney Animation feature Wish.

Angelique CabralShe’ll voice Queen Amaya opposite Chris Pine, who stars as King Magnifico, ruler of the magical kingdom of Rosas, where wishes really do come true.

Wish follows Asha (Oscar winner Ariana DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist who makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force: a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star set out to prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Alan Tudyk also stars as a talking goat, Valentino Hall.

The film opens in theaters on November 22.

Oscar-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn are directors, with Peter Del Vecho producing and Juan Pablo Reyes co-producing. Allison Moore is also a co-writer.

Original songs are by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer-songwriter-musician Benjamin Rice, with a score by Dave Metzger.

Cabral most recently recurred on Season 3 of ABC’s Big Sky in the role of Carla. Her other notable television credits include Fox’s Enlisted, CBS’ Life in Pieces and Prime Video’s Undone.

Her film credits include 2011’s The Perfect Family alongside Kathleen Turner and Emily DeschanelFriends with Benefits that same year opposite Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake; 2017’s Band Aid; and All About Nina in 2018. In 2021, she starred in How It Ends written, directed and produced by Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones.

Max Releases Trailer for Scott Mescudi’s Animated Series “Young Love”

Scott Mescudi is getting animated…

Max has released the official trailer for Young Love, the animated series spinoff of the Oscar-winning short Hair Love that stars the 39-year-old rapper/singer and actor also known as Kid Cudi.

Kid CudiThe 12-episode season premieres with four episodes on Thursday, September 21 on Max and continues with four episodes weekly, leading up to the season finale on October 5.

From creator Matthew A. Cherry and Sony Pictures AnimationYoung Love takes a look into the lives of African American millennial parents Stephen Love (Mescudi) and Angela Young (Issa Rae) as they experience the relatable ups and downs of modern life.

In remission following a battle with cancer, Angela struggles to balance her work as a stylist with the demands of parenthood, while Stephen attempts to carve out a career as a musician in an ultra-competitive industry. Along with their fearless daughter Zuri (Brooke Monroe Conaway), this tight-knit Chicago family juggles careers, marriage, parenthood, social issues, and multi-generational dynamics while striving to make a better life for themselves.

“Welcome to my castle,” Zuri tells one of her friends as they enter her apartment. “You can drop your bag on the floor. My mom and dad will get them.”

“Are we the help?” Stephen asks. “Worse,” Angela responds. “We’re parents.”

Voice cast also includes Loretta Devine (Gigi Young), Harry Lennix (Russell Young), Tamar Braxton (Star), Sheryl Lee Ralph (Sheree), Debra Wilson (Additional Voices) and others.

The series is produced in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation.

Brazil Selects Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “Pictures of Ghosts” as its Best International Feature Film Entry at Oscars

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s latest project is Brazil’s best bet for an international film Oscar.

The South American country has selected the 54-year-old Brazilian film director and screenwriter’s documentary Pictures of Ghosts as its entry for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

Kleber Mendonca Filho

Mixing archive and contemporary footage, the deeply personal work revisits the director’s hometown of Recife through the cinemas he once frequented.

The film world premiered as a Special Screening at Cannes Film Festival in May and had its North American premiere on September 9 in Toronto, before heading to New York.

Grasshopper Films acquired U.S. rights to the film this summer. Paris-based Urban Sales handles international sales.

The Brazilian Cinema Academy selected the film on Tuesday from a shortlist, which also included Guto Parente’s A Strange Path, Sergio de Carvalho’s Alien Nights, Eduardo Albergaria’s Nosso Sonho, Carolina Markowicz’s Toll and Claudio Borrelli’s Vultures.

The selection was made by a 23-member committee, chaired by distributor and exhibitor Ilda Santiago.

Mendonça Filho thanked the academy for selecting the film in a media post, re-enacting his taking the call on the phone as he stroked his cat.

Carlos Saldanha’s Disney Comedy Series “How to be a Carioca” to Screen at Iberseries & Platino Industria

Carlos Saldanha’s latest project will get its first screening next month.

The 58-year-old Brazilian animator, director, producer and voice actor’s Disney comedy series How to be a Carioca will screen for the first time at the Iberseries & Platino Industria event in October.

Carlos SaldanhaThe first episode of the Star Original Productions-badged comedy will play at the fest, which is held in Madrid.

Saldanha and co-creator Joana Mariani will feature on a panel for the show alongside Leonardo Aranguibel, VP of Production, Head of Production Operations and Strategy, The Walt Disney Company Latin America.

The Portuguese-language comedy series follows an American writer who has to learn the quirks of Rio de Janeiro’s people after moving to the city. It stars the likes of Seu Jorge and Douglas Silva, and marks one of the first live-action Brazilian series the Oscar-nominated Saldanha has made in some years. He’s known for directing two of the Ice Age and Rio movies and picked up an Academy Award nom for 2017’s Ferdinand.

The show is set to launch on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+’s streaming services, including Disney+ worldwide.

How to be a Carioca follows an American writer who has to learn the quirks of Rio de Janeiro’s people after moving to the Brazilian city. Saldanha is creating the show with Mariani and Diogo Dhal with scriptwriters Rodrigo Nogueira, Sabrina Rosa and Felipe Scholl. Moovie is producing.

The series will screen as part of the Chapter One strand of Iberseries.

Amazon Studios Releases First Trailer for Jacob Elordi-Starrer “Saltburn”

Jacob Elordi is feelin’ the (salt)burn

Amazon Studios has released the first teaser for Saltburn, starring the 26-year-old half-Spanish Australian actor.

Jacob Elordi, SaltburnFrom Academy Award-winning writer and director Emerald Fennell, the film also stars Barry Keoghan and Rosamund Pike.

Plot details have been kept under wraps, with the only hint being that Saltburn is a “story of obsession.”

Now, with the trailer, we learn a little bit more.

Keoghan’s character Oliver meets Felix (Elordi) at a swanky boarding school. Felix, finding out his new acquaintance might not have the greatest situation at home, says, “Why don’t you come home with me? Come to Saltburn.”

Saltburn, it turns out, is the estate of Felix’s family, complete with a butler, a snobby mom and an upper-crust ingenue who may or may not be complementing Oliver when she tells him, “You’re so…real.”

What follows is a fish-out-of-water story in which Oliver takes a journey inside the access and excess that the 1% enjoy. At one point Keoghan’s character enthuses, “I can honestly say that these these past few months have been the happiest of my life.” We get a sense that happiness, however, may not hold.

Saltburn is Fennell’s follow-up to Promising Young Womanwhich was nominated for several Oscars and won Best Original Screenplay for Fennell.

The film is produced by Fennell, MRC and LuckyChap Entertainment’s Josey McNamara, Tom Ackerley and Margot Robbie. World rights to the film were picked up by Amazon Studios in a pact with Knives Out outfit MRC.

Colman Domingo to Receive TIFF Tribute Performer Award at Toronto International Film Festival

Colman Domingo is getting a special tribute

The 53-year-old Belizean-Guatemalan American actor and social justice activist will be honored with the Toronto International Film Festival‘s TIFF Tribute Performer Award, an accolade that has gone to many eventual Academy Award winners in the recent past.

Colman DomingoThough the honor is billed as one for his overall career and for his performance in TIFF’s presentation of the new film Sing Sing, Domingo’s name has been heavily touted as one to watch in the upcoming race for the Best Actor Oscar, particularly for his work in director George C. Wolfe‘s Bayard Rustin biopic Rustin, which will also premiere at TIFF this year.

TIFF’s Tribute Awards have gone to significant contenders in past Oscar races, including Joker‘s Joaquin PhoenixThe Father star Anthony HopkinsNomadland director Chloé ZhaoThe Eyes of Tammy Faye performer Jessica Chastain, and The Whales Brendan Fraser — all of whom went on to win Oscars for their respective projects.

In Rustin, Domingo plays the titular queer activist as he plans the 1963 March on Washington, with Chris RockDa’Vine Joy Randolph, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, CCH PounderJeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald co-starring.

“Colman Domingo’s performances are a masterclass in the art of storytelling,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey in a press statement. “Domingo’s presence, on stage and on screen, is a gift to audiences, and his work continues to resonate, leaving an indelible impact. He is a true visionary in the world of performance, and we’re excited to honor him this year.”

The 2023 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7-17, with the TIFF Tribute Awards ceremony occurring on Sunday, September 10.

Rustin debuts in select theaters on November 3, 2023 and hits Netflix on November 17.

Guillermo del Toro’s “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” Wins Humanitas Prize

Guillermo del Toro is a Humanitas prize winner…

The 58-year-old Mexican filmmaker and author’s Oscar-winning project Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio has won the Family Feature Film prize from Humanitas, the organization that annually honors film and television writers whose work best explores the human condition.

Guillermo del Toro, Pinocchio,Following a win at the Golden Globes, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12 in Los Angeles.

Humanitas will not hold its usual awards show this year in solidarity with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, opting for a party to celebrate winners on November 2 at the Avalon Hollywood.

Here’s the list of year’s winners and nominees:

DRAMA TELEPLAY

Winner
Craig Mazin: The Last of Us, “Long, Long Time”

Nominees
Peter Gould: Better Call Saul, “Saul Gone”
D.J. Nash & James Roday Rodriguez: A Million Little Things, “One Big Thing”
Ben Vanstone: All Creatures Great and Small, “Surviving Siegfried”

COMEDY TELEPLAY

Winner
Amy Sherman-Palladino: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Four Minutes”

Nominees
Francesca Sloane & Karen Joseph Adcock: Atlanta, “The Goof Who Sat by the Door”
Sterlin Harjo & Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs: Reservation Dogs, “Mabel”
Garrett Werner: Abbott Elementary, “Read-A-Thon”

CHILDREN’S TELEPLAY (Live Action or Animation)

Winner
Hernán Barangan: Life By Ella, “Prison or Palace”

Nominees
Gigi D.G.: Pinecone & Pony, “A Life of Adventure”
Kwame Alexander & Damani Johnson: The Crossover, “X’s and 0’s”
Lisa Muse Bryant: Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, “Hair Today Gone Tomorrow”

DRAMA FEATURE FILM

Winner
Tyler Perry: A Jazzman’s Blues

Nominees
Rebecca Lenkiewicz: She Said
Michael Reilly & Keith Beauchamp and Chinonye Chukwu: Till

COMEDY FEATURE FILM

Winner
Cooper Raiff: Cha Cha Real Smooth

Nominees
Peter Farrelly & Brian Currie & Pete Jones: The Greatest Beer Run Ever
Mark Rizzo: Champions
Tom Huang: Dealing with Dad

FAMILY FEATURE FILM

Winner
Guillermo del Toro, Patrick McHale: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Nominees
Paul Fisher and Tommy Swerdlow: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
David Hudgins: Gigi & Nate

LIMITED SERIES, TV MOVIE OR SPECIAL

Winner
Tony Phelan & Joan Rater: A Small Light, “Pilot”

Nominees
Brian Savelson: Little America, “Paper Piano”
Lee Eisenberg & Idil Ibrahim: Little America, “Camel on a Stick”
Michael Nankin and Barbara Nance: An Amish Sin

DOCUMENTARY

Winner
Ondi Timoner: Last Flight Home

Nominees
Lisa Hepner: The Human Trial
Razelle Benally and Matthew Galkin: Murder In Big Horn, “Episode 1”
Stefan Forbes: Hold Your Fire

SHORT FILM

Winner
Sabina Vajrača: Sevap/Mitzvah

Nominees
Joseph Lee: Other Homes
Felicia Pride: Look Back At It
Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer: Ninety-five Senses

VOICE FOR CHANGE

WGA

NEW VOICES FELLOWSHIP

2023 Fellows
Jordan Guingao, Max Asayesh-Brown, Julia Weisberg Cortés, Terron Jones, and Luis Antonio Aldana & Miguel Angel Caballero

Finalists
Feyza Safoglu, Luke Hart-Moynihan, Adrien Callahan, Callie Waligora, and Lane Stanley

Semifinalists
Marina Kato, Emma Demorest, Kaelan Dickinson, Natasha Trotter, Jon Lazar, April Wright, AP Hello, Dennis Gonzalez, Nadine Pequeneza, Gina Young, Nia Ashley, Chaseedaw Giles, Ziyao Liu, Yeon Jin Lee, and Julia Bergeron

CAROL MENDELSOHN COLLEGE DRAMA AWARD

Awardee
Lara Palmqvist, “The Garden”

Finalists
Feyza Safoglu, AJ Currie, and Liz Beall

Semifinalists
Victor Adame, Carrie Finn, Anthony Poon, Aaron Lopez, Sophia Lin, Ahmed Uthman, Jacqueline Olivé, Tracy Kowalski, Marcus Crawford Guy, Alex Marsha Sylvia, Noah Arjomand, Charmaine Colina, María Cristina Marrero-Morales, Christopher Lukens, Cynda Wang, Renee Cunningham

DAVID AND LYNN ANGELL COLLEGE COMEDY AWARD

Awardee
Emma Fiske-Dobell, “Shakespeare Sister”

Finalists
Jules Crosby, Reid Pope, and Kevin Walsh

Semifinalists
Gabrielle Ruiz, Juwairiya Syed, Aadrise Johnson, Kareem El Arab, Hayley Zablotsky, Alexia Valentina Ureña, Isabela Aquino, Straton Rushing, Catherine Loerke, Ari Shapiro, Adrien Callahan, Callie Waligora, Chandler Moore, Tia Phillip, Cara-Lynn Branch, and Melina Maraki

Guillermo del Toro Set to Take Part in “Visionaries” Conversation at Toronto International Film Festival

Guillermo del Toro will be sharing his vision

The 58-year-old Mexican Oscar-winning filmmaker and author will be making a special appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Guillermo del ToroFor this year’s 48th edition of the festival, del Toro is scheduled to take part in an onstage conversation as part of the Visionaries section.

del Toro, a three-time Academy Award winner, will focus his talk on the liberating potential of fantastical worlds; the magic thatexists within the details; and his wide-spanning career crafting intricate and cinematic love letters.

del Toro’s talk is made possible with the support of the Directors Guild of Canada.

del Toro’s award-winning projects include Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

Previously, TIFF announced that Pedro Almodovar, who is already receiving a tribute at the fest, would be taking part in a sit down conversation.

All the sessions for TIFF’s Industry Conference which spans the programming of Visionaries, Dialogues, Perspectives, Connections, Microsessions and Spotlights, will take place at the Glenn Gould Studio.

“Our Industry Conference aims to be a pivotal platform for thought-provoking discussions by industry leaders,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “The sessions and speakers reflect our commitment to diverse perspectives and creative exploration towards sparking innovation within the industry.”

“This year’s event offers something for everyone, whether you are an emerging creator or experienced
producer, and its scale and curation supports our growing industry attendance,” said Geoff Macnaughton, Senior Director, Industry & Theatrical.

Here’s a look at this year’s Industry Conference participants:

VISIONARIES
Inspirational onstage conversations with individuals who are forging creative and business pathways in the industry. Speakers include:

● Spike Lee — An in-depth conversation discussing the process of forging a distinct filmic language throughout his expansive, multi-decade career.
● Ladj Ly — A discussion on his bold approach and unwavering commitment to telling stories that explore deeply personal portraits about communities revolting against broken systems.
● Guillermo del Toro — A conversation about the liberating potential of fantastical worlds; the magic that exists within the details; and his wide-spanning career crafting intricate and cinematic love letters. Made possible with the support of the Directors Guild of Canada.
● See-Saw Films — A celebratory talk on the company’s remarkable 15 years of delivering critically acclaimed stories to global audiences, including The King’s Speech, Lion, The Power of the Dog, and many more.
● Nadine Labaki — With more than a decade’s worth of accolades under her belt, director, writer, and actor Nadine Labaki will discuss her highly meticulous creative process, her devout interest in life’s peculiarities, and the capacity for cinema to bring about social change.
● Lucy Walker — A discussion on Doc Day, focusing on Walker’s incredible career, including her long friendship with Doc Society co-founder Jess Search, who died this summer. Programmed by Thom Powers.
● Anand Patwardhan — A talk on Doc Day with Patwardhan, a singular figure of independent documentary in India who has given inspiration to a flourishing of new directors today. Programmed by Thom Powers.

DIALOGUES
Conversations on the art and craft of storytelling, featuring screen-based creators (directors, producers, and series creators) and industry professionals. Dialogues sessions include:

● The Dead Don’t Hurt with Viggo Mortenson, Regina Solórzano, and Jeremy Thomas. Supported by Directors Guild of Canada Ontario.
● Feature Film Development with Sara Rastogi (Hoorae Media) and Kate Oh (Monkeypaw Productions).
● Directors Nora El Hourch (Sisterhood) and Katja Gauriloff (Je’vida). Programmed by Jason Ryle.
● Directors Cord Jefferson (American Fiction) and Lulu Wang (Expats).
● Producers Toufik Ayadi and Christophe Barral (Les Indésirables) and Farhana Bhula (How to Have Sex).
● Short Cuts to First Features with Fawzia Mirza and Andria Wilson Mirza (The Queen of My Dreams), Zarrar Kahn and Anam Abbas (In Flames). Programmed by Jason Anderson.
● What is the Documentary Marketplace Today? (Doc Day) A panel of industry figures analyze where opportunities still exist for creative documentaries. Programmed by Thom Powers.

PERSPECTIVES
Moderated and focused discussions on the current state and future of the industry. The Media Partner for Perspectives is Screen International. Perspective sessions include:

● AI and Film: Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Responsibility — Leading experts on AI discuss the technology’s long-term sustainability in the industry as it relates to data, ethics, and filmmaking. Programmed by Manal Siddiqui.
● The Current Landscape of International Series Production — Yi Qiao, Director Drama, ZDF; Navi Lamba, Head of Development, BBC Comedy; Jamie Lynn, EVP Co-Production & Distribution, Fremantle; and Joe Lewis, CEO, Amplify Pictures.
● Celebrating the Cinema of the Korean Diaspora — Guests include: outstanding filmmakers Anthony Shim (dir. Riceboy Sleeps), Albert Shin (dir. Disappearance at Clifton Hill, In Her Place), and Christina Oh (prod. Minari, Okja). Presented by The Korean Film Council.
● On African Cinemas and its Industries — Apolline Traoré (dir. Sira), Chioma Onyenwe (prod. I Do Not Come To You By Chance), Tshepiso Chikapa-Phiri (prod. Death of a Whistleblower), and Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development & Partnerships, Realness. Programmed by Nataleah Hunter-Young, International Programmer (Africa & Arab West Asia).
● Seize Control of Your Distribution (Doc Day) — Peter Broderick, who has spent decades helping independent filmmakers design and implement cutting-edge distribution strategies, returns with a new manifesto, along with case studies of documentary projects that made far-reaching impact and profits using strategies to build sustainable careers. Programmed by Thom Powers.
● DOC’s “Getting Real” Report (Doc Day) — The Documentary Organization of Canada will share their findings for the first time and explain why this latest edition of their “Getting Real” reports could be a game-changer for documentary filmmakers. Programmed by Thom Powers

HBO Orders Half-Hour Comedy “The Franchise,” Featuring Daniel Brühl, to Series

Daniel Brühl is a franchisee

HBO has ordered to series the half-hour comedy The Franchise, featuring the 45-year-old Spanish-German actor.

Daniel BruhlFrom Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci and writer Jon Brown, the series takes a wry look at superhero movie-making.

Work on the pilot was completed before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, and production on the series won’t begin until the strikes have concluded.

Himesh Patel and Aya Cash have joined as series regulars on the comedy, which revolves around the crew of an unloved franchise movie who fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe.

The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking to ask the question: How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ckup has an origin story.

Patel and Cash are featured in the pilot, but their roles never were announced.

In addition to Brühl in a recurring role, the previously announced cast includes series regulars Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, and Isaac Powell.

“With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today, said Amy Gravitt, EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy. “Jon is superb at sending up worlds we think we already know. Together, with Armando, they have delivered a truly hilarious comedy ensemble. I can’t wait to see more.”

The series comes from the mind of Mendes and marks his first U.S. TV directorial project. He won a Best Director Oscar for American Beauty and earned three Academy Award nominations for 1917, for Best Picture, Director and Original Screenplay.

Patel stars as Daniel, Cash as Anita, Hynes as Steph, Magnussen as Adam, Adefope as Dag, Goldstein as Pat and Powell as Bryson. Brühl recurs as Eric.

The pilot was directed by Mendes and written by Jon Brown, who serves as showrunner.