Apple TV+ Releases Official Trailer for Alfonso Cuarón’s Limited Series “Disclaimer”

Alfonso Cuarón is issuing a special disclaimer

Apple TV+ has released the official trailer for Disclaimer, the psychological thriller written and directed by the 62-year-old Mexican Oscar-winning filmmaker.

Alfonso CuarónBased on the best-selling novel of the same name by Renée Knight, the series stars

Cate Blanchett as journalist Catherine Ravenscroft, who built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets, per the synopsis.

In the trailer, Blanchett’s Catherine begins to unravel, with Kevin Kline’s Stephen warning her, “The world needs to know who Catherine Ravenscroft really is. The world needs to know the truth.”

The series also stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George, Hoyeon, and features Indira Varma as the narrator.

The limited series premieres globally on October 11 with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through November 15.

Cuarón executive produces for Esperanto Filmoj.

Emmanuel Lubezki and Academy Award nominee Bruno Delbonnel serve as directors of photography. The score is composed by Finneas O’Connell.

Cuaron’s accolades include five Academy Awards, seven BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.

Selena Gomez’s “Emilia Pérez” to Represent France in the Best International Feature Category at 97th Academy Awards

Selena Gomez’s latest film could earn an international Oscars nod…

France has selected Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez, starring the 31-year-old Mexican American actress/singer, to represent it in the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards.

Selena Gomez, Emilia PerezIn addition Gomez, the drama also stars Karla Sofía Gascón, who portrays cartel leader Emilia who enlists the help of unappreciated lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldana) to help her fake her death so she can live authentically as her true self.

It premiered at Cannes, where it earned its four actresses – Gascón, Saldaña, Gomez and Adriana Paz – a collective Best Actress award, and also clinched the jury prize.

The film was selected from a short list of four films which also included swashbuckler The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte; French-produced Indian drama All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia and Misericordia by Alain Guiraudie.

This year’s revamped selection committee featured sales agent Carole Baraton, producer Nadim Cheikhroua, Venice Golden Lion winning Happening director and writer Audrey Diwan, distributor, producer and writer Michèle Halberstadt, sales agent Grégoire Melin, actress Clémence Poésy, producer David Thion, producer and distributor Rosalie Varda, producer Wachsberger and director, writer and producer Florian Zeller.

They made the selection after auditioning the sales agents, producers and U.S. distributors of the shortlisted titles on Wednesday morning.

Netflix reportedly swooped on U.S. rights for Emilia Pérez in the wake of its buzzy Cannes world premiere, pledged generous support for the awards campaign.

Pathé released the film theatrically in France on August 21, drawing some 735,000 spectators for a gross of roughly $5.9M. It will receive a limited release on the U.S. ahead of a November 13 launch on Netflix.

France last won the international film Oscar with Régis Wargnier’s Indochine in 1993. Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables was the last French film to make it through to the final nomination stage in 2020.

Tony Revolori Signs with Verve for Representation

Tony Revolori has new representation…

The 28-year-old Guatemalan American actor has signed with Verve for representation.

Tony Revolori

Revolori made his breakthrough in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest HotelHe has since reunited with Anderson in The French Dispatch and Asteroid City.

He starred as Flash Thompson in Sony’s box office hit Spider-Man trilogy, directed by Jon Watts, and in the most recent installment of the Scream franchise opposite Jenna Ortega.

He voiced the ‘Parakeet’ in the English version of Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning film The Boy and the Heron.

Next he’ll be seen opposite Matthew McConaughey in The Rivals of Amziah King directed by Andrew Patterson.

Adriana Barraza to Star in Prime Video’s Comic Book Series “El Gato”

Adriana Barraza has found a purr-fect role…

The 68-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated actress has landed a series regular role in Prime Video’s comic book series with the working title El Gato.

Adriana BarrazaBarraza joins new cast addition Sarah Jones and previously announced leads Diego Boneta and Lorenza Izzo. 

Based on the comic series El Gato Negro by Richard DominguezEl Gato follows Frank Guerrero (Boneta), who returns home to Mexico after the death of his father and finds himself neck-deep in a nest of vipers – his estranged family – who are vying for control of his father’s business empire. But Frank’s grief is interrupted when he learns his only inheritance, a seemingly worthless parcel of land on the border, sits atop the lair of a famous costumed vigilante — his father, “El Gato.” Now, Frank is in the crosshairs. To survive, he’ll have to solve mysteries decades in the making and unravel the truth about his father’s connections to a modern-day terror plot.

Barraza will play Alma, who, in the 1970s, discovered her husband was living a double life: moonlighting as a costumed vigilante: El Gato Negro. Alma worked side by side with him for years, providing operational support for his missions. She is careful with her words, and vault-like in the keeping of secrets. Alma thought her old life was behind her, but now widowed, she finds herself pulled back into a world of masks. In the series, she will form an unlikely partnership with our hero, Frank – her husband’s bastard son. It will test the openness of her heart. This is Alma, back in the saddle for one last ride.

Jones will play Ashley, a CIA field agent working as our hero Frank’s handler. Ash is good at reading people. She’s a fast-talking cynic with something to prove. Ash believes the family agricultural business at the center of our series is a front for a criminal enterprise. As she develops Frank as a CIA asset, she will find herself dangerously drawn to him. She is well-trained, physically capable, and seemingly born for this. But it’s a deadly game she’s playing, and if she wants to survive this, she’ll need to watch her back.

Eric Carrasco created the series and will co-showrun with Turi Meyer and Alfredo Septién.

El Gato is being produced by MGM Television, a division of Amazon MGM Studios.

Barraza recently celebrated 50 years in the entertainment industry. She is best known for her collaborations with director Alejandro González Iñárritu in Amores Perros (1999) and Babel (2006), on which she made history as one of only six Mexican actresses to ever receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Most recently, she was a supporting lead in the DC Comics/Warner Bros feature film Blue Beetle opposite Xolo Mariduena and directed by Angel Manuel Soto.

In August, Barraza will star in the indie feature My Penguin Friend opposite Jean Reno.

Becky G Performs Oscar-Nominated “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot” During Oscars

Becky G brings the fire to the 2024 Oscars

The 27-year-old Mexican American rapper/singer performed “The Fire Inside,” the Academy Award nominated track from the Eva Longoria-directed film Flamin’ Hot, at Sunday’s Oscars.

Becky GDiane Warren penned the inspirational track for the film about Richard Montañez, the Frito-Lay janitor who became an executive after inventing Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Ahead of the ceremony at the Dolby Theater, Longoria talked about the excitement her directorial debut getting some recognition at the Academy Awards.

“I have goosebumps. I can’t believe it. I can because Diane Warren wrote the song, so she’s a genius and Becky G is a genius,” Longoria told Laverne Cox on Live from E! red carpet coverage. “Their performance tonight… You will never be more proud to be a Latino and a Chicano, but Becky’s thought and love that she put into this performance tonight is going to blow everybody away. She has some special guest from Inglewood.”

She continued, “We don’t ever get this platform. We, people of color, we don’t really get this stage. We wanted to bring our whole community with us tonight. We wanted to thank everybody for watching the movie [and] making it a success.”

Flamin’ Hot starred Jesse García as Richard Montañez and the cast included Annie González, Emilio Rivera, Vanessa Martínez, Hunter Jones, Dennis Haysbert, Tony Shalhoub, Pepe Serna, Bobby Soto, Jimmy Gonzales, Matt Walsh and Brice Gonzalez.

America Ferrera to Serve as Presenter at This Year’s Oscars

Win or lose, America Ferrera will be taking the Oscars stage…

The 39-year-old Honduran American actress, who earned her first-ever Academy Awards nod this year for her performance in Barbie, will serve as a presenter at Sunday’s Oscars.

She’s part of a roster of new presenters that includes Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Sally Field, Ryan Gosling, Ariana Grande, Ben Kingsley, Melissa McCarthy, Issa Rae, Tim Robbins, Steven Spielberg, Mary Steenburgen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlize Theron, Christoph Waltz and Forest Whitaker.

They join previous announced presenters Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, Rita Moreno, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer and Ramy Youssef, Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell, Michelle Yeoh and Zendaya.

The Oscars will be broadcast live on March 10 ceremony from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Jimmy Kimmel is returning to host the ceremony for a fourth time.

ABC, which has aired the Oscars since 1976, is televising the show live starting at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT — an hour earlier that usual. The network, which has begun to use the Oscars as a lead-out to showcase its top programming, will follow its coverage of the live ceremony with an original episode of Abbott Elementary.

ABC’s time tweak also means that its annual pre-show will now run for 30 minutes — instead of the usual 90 — beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. As per usual, the main Oscar telecast will be rebroadcast in the Pacific Time zone in primetime after the live presentation.

Raj Kapoor will serve as showrunner and executive producer of the 96th Oscars, with Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is directing.

Lila Avilés Among Storytellers Immortalized with Barbie Doll in Their Likeness for International Women’s Day

Lila Avilés is getting all dolled up…

The 42-year-old Mexican film director, screenwriter, actress and producer, whose meteoric rise on the international stage after just two feature films that have both represented Mexico at the Oscars, is among eight women storytellers selected by Mattel to be immortalized with Barbie dolls in their likeness.

Lila Avilés, BarbieAvilés joins Academy Award-winning actors Helen Mirren and Viola Davis along with country-pop artist Shania Twain, Australia’s Kylie Minogue, German comedian Enissa Amani, Japanese model Nicole Fujita and Brazilian Indigenous influencer Maira Gomez who have been selected as Barbie role models in honor of International Women’s Day.

Their dolls will be one of a kind and not for sale.

Said Mattel in a statement: “Since the brand’s inception, Barbie has helped girls explore their limitless potential through different roles and narratives – from encouraging self-expression through dress-up to playing out any of her 250+ careers. With Barbie by their sides, countless children have been able to imagine their own stories through play that help shape their real-life futures.”

“The brand is sharing countless stories of empowerment and bringing her legendary legacy to life through the eyes and words of fans everywhere, starting with some of the most renowned storytellers out there,” it continued.

Given the phenomenal box office and critical success of Greta Gerwig’s multi-Oscar nominated movie, Barbie, the company chose the storytelling theme for this year.

Last year’s theme was STEM, which covered women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. That year, Engineer Katya Echazarreta, the first Mexican-born woman in space, was among the few to be chosen for a Barbie doll to be made in her likeness.

Lila Avilés, BarbieDescribing her selection as an “incredible, beautiful and surreal surprise,” Avilés expressed her delight at the recognition. “It’s not only me but my career that is being honored,” she told Variety.

The figurine portrays her with a camera on her shoulder, a script in one hand and her beloved cat by her feet.

Her latest film, Totem, which landed on the long list for the Oscar’s Best International Feature category, has played in more than 100 film festivals and will be rolling out theatrically across 40+ countries, including the U.S. where it’s still out. It’s slated to play on the Criterion Channel and just became available on Netflix Latin America.

“People ask me if my movies are feminist. In as much as my protagonists are women, they are, in an organic way,” she said.  The Chambermaid, my feature debut, gave voice to a woman who’s ostensibly invisible to many,” she noted. “Totem delves into childhood and the idea that childhood is destiny,” she added, recalling the times when she and her brother played with each other’s toys, including her Barbie dolls.

This doll is hers to keep. Fortunately, her daughter is already in her teens so may not be clamoring to play with it.

Bad Bunny to Serve as Presenter at This Year’s Academy Awards

Bad Bunny has a date with Oscar…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar has been added to the list of presenters for this year’s Academy Awards show.

Bad BunnyBut the “Monaco” singer is not the only Puerto Rican artist set to take the stage.

West Side Story star Rita Moreno, an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award) winner, will also serve as a presenter.

Bad Bunny and Moreno are among the list of recently added presenters for the March 10th Oscars telecast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer and Ramy Youssef.

Moreno won an Oscar in 1962 for West Side Story. In 1977, she became the first Latina (and just the third person overall) to complete the EGOT.

In 2022, Bad Bunny made history when Un Verano Sin Ti became the first Spanish-language album to top Billboard’s year-end chart and to receive a Grammy nod for album of the year. His acting credits include Bullet Train, Narcos: Mexico and Cassandro,

Earlier this week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced that another popular Latin star, Becky G, would perform the nominated “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot on the telecast.

Previously announced Oscars presenters are Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell, Michelle Yeoh and Zendaya.

The 96th Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast to outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 10, at the new, earlier time of 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT.

Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the show for the fourth time. It will be held at its usual home, the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Raj Kapoor is executive producer and showrunner for the 2024 Oscars. Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan are also executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is directing. Rickey Minor is music director.

Becky G to Perform Oscar-Nominated “The Fire Inside” at This Year’s Academy Awards

Becky G has a date with Oscar…

The 26-year-old Mexican American singer, rapper and actress will perform at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.

Becky GBecky G will perform “The Fire Inside,” a single with music and lyrics by Diane Warren for the film Flamin’ Hot.

The track is one of this year’s Best Song nominees.

Becky G is among a roster of Oscar performers that includes Jon Batiste, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, Scott George and the Osage Singers, and Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson.

They’ll take the stage to perform the trophy hopefuls during the 96th Oscars hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on March 10.

The announcement was made by Oscars executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor and EPs Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan.

ABC will air the show live coast-to-coast starting at the new time of 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Here’s the list of the Best Song nominees, songwriters and Oscarcast performers:

“The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot” – Performed by Becky G
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

“I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie” – Performed by Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson
Music and Lyric by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt

“It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony” – Performed by Jon Batiste
Music and Lyric by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson

“Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon” – Performed by Scott George and the Osage Singers
Music and Lyric by Scott George

“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie” – Performed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell
Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

Front Row to Release Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund’s “City of Gold” in Middle East for First Time

Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund acclaimed Brazilian film is heading to Middle East theaters more than 20 years after its release.

Middle East distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment will release the iconic Oscar-nominated Rio de Janeiro gangland drama City of God across the Gulf countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for the first time.

City of GoldCo-directed by Meirelles and Lund, film made waves back in 2002 for its realistic depiction of the rise of gang violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro with a young unprofessional cast.

Front Row originally released the film straight to DVD in the Gulf due to a variety of local restrictions but some two decades later is pushing on with a theatrical release in a sign of how the region is opening up.

Front Row’s planned February 22 release coincides with the 21st anniversary of the movie’s 2003 theatrical release following its Out of Competition world premiere at Cannes in 2002, and also ties in with a global re-release on February 23.

The initiative also coincides with Front Row’s 20th Anniversary.

“The film holds a special place in our hearts; it was our first acquisition, and at the time we couldn’t release it theatrically due to language restrictions imposed by cinemas, and also because we couldn’t afford the budget it needed to stand out, so it went straight to DVD,” says Front Row CEO Gianluca Chakra.

“We’ve come a long way since, and City of God remains an unforgettable masterpiece that deserves to be seen on the silver screen. What better way of celebrating our 20th?”

Front Row is co-distributing City of God with The Festival Agency, led by Leslie Vuchot, who acquired the rights from Wild Bunch.

The partnership is part of drive by Front Row to release a number of classics in the Gulf region that were not presented on the big screen first time round.

City of God was nominated in four categories at the 76th Academy Award but went home empty handed. However, it regularly features on critics lists as one of the top films of all time and is ranked #25 on IMDB with an audience score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.