Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Rights to Penelope Cruz-Starrer “Madres Paralelas” from Pedro Almodovar

Penelope Cruz’s latest film is going global…

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all rights in North America, Australia and New Zealand to Parallel Mothers (Madres Paralelas), starring the 46-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actress.

Penelope Cruz

It’s the 13th collaboration between the distributor and director/producer Pedro Almodóvar’s production company El Deseo.

Production began in Madrid last month on the film, which reunites the Spanish filmmaker with longtime collaborators Cruz, Julieta Serrano and Rossy de Palma.

Parallel Mothers is a drama that centers on three mothers, portrayed by Cruz, Aitana Sánchez Gijón and Milena Smit.

The film expands Almodóvar’s previous depictions of womanhood by turning his focus on imperfect mothers, in a departure from his prior work exploring mothers and motherhood.

Written by Almodóvar, the film also stars Israel Elejalde.

The film is produced by Agustín Almodóvar and Esther García through El Deseo.

Sony Pictures Classics recently released Almodóvar’s short film The Human Voice, starring Tilda Swinton, in theaters alongside a digitally restored re-issue of Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It will be available to stream on HBO Max starting on April 30.

Almodóvar won two Oscars for best foreign language film for All About My Mother and original screenplay for his 2002 title Talk to Her (Hable con Ella).

Cruz has starred in several of Almodovar’s films, including All About My Mother, I’m So Excited!, Volver, Broken Embraces, and Pain and Glory.

Sony Pictures Classics Releases New Trailer for Pedro Almodovar’s First English-Language Film “The Human Voice”

Pedro Almodóvar’s voice is being amplified…

Sony Pictures Classics has a released a new trailer for the 71-year-old Spanish filmmaker’s first English-language film The Human Voice.

Pedro Almodovar

Clocking in at an attention-span-friendly 30 minutes and starring Tilda Swinton, the film screened at last year’s Venice, New York and London fests and made the Oscar shortlist for Live Active Short announced last month.

Here’s the film’s synopsis and commentary written by the Oscar-winning filmmaker himself:

A woman watches time passing next to the suitcases of her ex-lover (who is supposed to come pick them up, but never arrives) and a restless dog who doesn’t understand that his master has abandoned him. Two living beings facing abandonment. During the three days of waiting, the woman only goes out to the street once, to buy an ax and a can of gasoline.

The Human Voice by Pedro Almodovar

The woman goes through all sorts of moods, from helplessness to despair and loss of control. She makes herself up, she dresses up as if going to a party, she considers throwing herself off of the balcony, until her ex-lover calls on the phone, but she’s unconscious because she’s taken a combination of thirteen pills and cannot answer the call. The dog licks her face until she wakes up. After a cold shower, revived by a coffee as black as her state of mind, the telephone rings again and this time she can answer.

The human voice is hers, we never hear the voice of her lover. At first she pretends to act normal and calm, but she is always on the verge of exploding in the face of the man’s hypocrisy and meanness. “The Human Voice” is a moral lesson about desire, even though its protagonist is on the verge of the very same abyss. Risk is an essential part of the adventure of living and loving. Pain is very present in the monologue. As I said at first, it is about the disorientation and distress of two living beings who grieve their master.

Sony Pictures Classics will open The Human Voice March 12 in theaters in New York, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, accompanied by a digitally restored version of Almodóvar’s 1988 feature Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.  

Focus Features to Release Rosie Perez’s Zombie Movie “The Dead Don’t Die” in June

Rosie Perez is preparing for the Dead days of summer…

Focus Features will release Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die, starring the 54-year-old Puerto Rican actress,wide on June 14 this year.

Rosie Perez

Billed as “the greatest zombie cast ever disassembled”, The Dead Don’t Die boasts an all-star cast of Perez, Bill Murray, Adam DriverTilda SwintonChloë Sevigny, Steve BuscemiDanny GloverCaleb Landry JonesIggy PopSara DriverRZASelena GomezCarol Kane and Tom Waits

Jarmusch writes and directs the film his third with Focus Features. The studio previously released the filmmaker’s highest-grossing pic in his canon, 2005’s Broken Flowers starring Bill Murray which made $13.7M.

Focus Features and Universal Pictures Internationalwill distribute the film worldwide.

Pedro Almodóvar to be a Guest Speaker at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s 50th Anniversary Gala

Pedro Almodóvaris headed to the Big Apple for a special occasion…

The Film Society of Lincoln Center has invited the 69-year-old legendary Spanish director to be a guest speaker at its 50th Anniversary Gala on Monday, April 29, 2019 in Alice Tully Hall.

Pedro Almodovar

Reflecting and building upon the organization’s half-century introducing New York audiences to many of the industry’s most acclaimed and important filmmakers, the Gala will honor the Film Society’s legendary past and vibrant present, and look ahead as we extend our commitment to the film community.

Almodóvar will be joined by Darren AronofskyJake GyllenhaalDee Rees, and Martin ScorseseMarielle HellerTilda Swinton, and John Waters, who will also be feted.

Almodóvar has a specialconnection with the New York Film Festivaland FSLC

His film What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1984) screened in New Directors/New Films, and since then he has premiered 10 films in the New York Film Festival; 

The 50th Anniversary Gala will tell the story of the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s semi-centennial, reflecting and building upon the organization’s half-century introducing New York audiences to many of the industry’s most acclaimed and important filmmakers. The special guest speakers will present this history alongside a collection of interviews and archival footage, photographs, and film clips that will reflect upon the organization and its role in New York City film culture. In honoring the past, the evening will celebrate a film community that is helping to shape the future of our art form.

Segarra Lands Role in Judd Apatow’s Comedy “Trainwreck”

 

Josh Segarra is a trainwreck

 

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican actor has landed a role in Judd Apatow’s latest comedy Trainwreck.

Josh Segarra

 

Segarra, who was recently upped to series regular for the second season of USA Network’s comedy series Sirens, will portray the role of Oli, a Staten Island smooth talking guy.

 

The ensemble cast includes Amy Schumer, Daniel Radcliffe, Tilda Swinton, Marisa Tomei, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Barkhad Abdi, Mike Birbiglia, Jon Glaser, Vanessa Bayer, John Cena, Ezra Miller, LeBron James and Method Man.

 

Trainwreck is scheduled to hit theaters on July 24, 2015.

 

 

Bruno Bichir to Appear on FX’s “The Bridge,” Opposite His Brother Demián

Bruno Bichir’s next role will have him working closely with his older brother.

The 46-year-old Mexican actor has landed a recurring role on FX’s critically acclaimed drama The Bridge, which stars his Oscar-winning brother Demián Bichir.

Bruno Bichir

Bruno will portray a wealthy Mexican business leader to winds up involved with Marco (Demian). But the businessman may not be what he seems.

The characters are unrelated in the show, but in real life the brothers are both members of a prolific Mexican acting family.

The siblings previously worked together on projects including the movie Don’t Tempt Me and the Spanish-language feature Sin noticias de Dios (Bendito infierno).

The family is such an institution in their native country that Mexico’s MTV Movie Awards has even given out awards in the category “Best Bichir in a Movie.”

“I couldn’t be happier to work again with my brother Demian,” Bruno says. “I’m a huge fan of the show so it’s an enormous honor for me to become a part of it”.

The Bridge executive producer Elwood Reid first met Bruno last year at the show’s launch party in Los Angeles. The actor, who was there to cheer on his brother Demian, made an impression. Reid began to pursue him for a role he had contemplated for Season 2.

“We knew Bruno was a big star in Mexico,” says executive producer Carolyn Bernstein. “There is something about him that’s very charismatic and sympathetic. He’s a compelling presence.”

Bernstein says Reid had been thinking about the Bruno role for month. “It felt like a juicy role, so we approached him about it,” she says.

Bruno will appear in multiple episodes next season, but the count isn’t certified yet. “The character will unfold over time,” Bernstein says. “I don’t know how long he will be with us. That has a high impact.”

Bruno’s other credits include starring opposite Tilda Swinton in Julia.

“I’m always excited about new members on our cast and of course I’m specially thrilled to have my brother Bruno on board,” Demian says. “He is one of the finest actors I know. We’ve worked together on films and theater, but never before on a TV show. This is going to be fun.”