The Arab Film Studio honored young emerging film professionals at a recent ceremony held at Cinema City Al Qana. The award-winning films at this year’s edition were Fatema Al Mansoori’s short film Shame, and Nasser Al Hadrami’s documentary It’s Not About Ketchup.
The countdown to the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival 2025 has begun. Heading into the 22nd edition, the Big Sky Doc Fest is preparing to celebrate ten blissful days of documentary films, artist workshops and masterclasses, and special events in the beautiful mountain town of Missoula, Montana this upcoming February 14-23, 2025.
Last week, to the dismay of the worldwide archival community, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences abruptly fired 16 important members of their Academy Film Archive and the Margaret Herrick Library. These employees were the heart and decades-long leadership of their respective Archive and Library. The leaders of the organization Missing Movies have drafted a petition asking Bill Kramer and the AMPAS Board of Governors to reconsider this disastrous move and rehire them back as soon as possible. The petition has already been signed by dozens of concerned filmmakers. Here is that petition:
The 19th annual Oscar-qualifying Tasveer Film Festival concluded on a high note, with the announcement of the 2024 Audience Choice Awards, and Juried Competition Award winners. The awards ceremony followed a sold-out screening of A Nice Indian Boy, at the PAC SCI Imax theatre in Seattle Center.
Last week, in recognition of World Food Day, the Global Cinema Advertising Association (SAWA) and the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) launched a global cinema campaign to spotlight the vital role small-scale farmers play in feeding the world. A New Day, an award-winning 45-second cinema spot, highlighting the lives of rural people and farming communities in Tunisia and northern Africa—one of the world’s harshest and most fragile desert environments—will be screened across cinema theatres worldwide.
Muvi Studios, the production arm of Muvi Cinema, will produce 10 Saudi films over the next 18 months following the signing of several production agreements with local companies. The company made the announcement at the second edition of the Saudi Film Forum.
Up to the moment the cameras rolled, cinematographer Matthias Königswieser, AAC wasn’t sure White Bird: A Wonder Story would actually happen. Production of the feature film began in Prague in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, when most of Europe was on lockdown. Transporting crew, talent, and equipment required herculean effort and contingency planning, and if key personnel or talent tested positive for covid, the entire schedule could be upended, or the production could be shut down. Lay on top of those difficulties a cold, mucky winter, and you have a recipe for what could have been a disaster.
Directed by Pamela Adlon, Babes is a heartfelt, contemporary comedy set in New York City. At its core, the movie is about the deep love and strong friendship between Eden (played by co-writer and producer Ilana Glazer) and Dawn (Michelle Buteau). The feature blends humor with deep emotional resonance as the two friends navigate family life and motherhood. With its timeless visual style, the film captures the charm of classic cinema while grounding its narrative in the present day. The project's distinct look was crafted through the close collaboration of cinematographer Jeffrey Kim and Light Iron colorist Keith Jenson.
The Cherokee Nation and its businesses are celebrating the expansion of Cherokee Film Studios in Owasso, Oklahoma. The tribe recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the addition of a second soundstage and more to its Owasso campus.
The award-winning studio Laika is expanding its live action slate with an original film written by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Jon Spaihts (Dune, Passengers, Doctor Strange), who makes his directorial debut with this sci-fi thriller. The as-yet untitled film tells the tale of a woman investigating a mystery that took place during a week she cannot remember.
