Author: CWB News Department

Cio-Cio-San, a.k.a. Madame Butterfly, first won hearts in an 1898 short story by an American lawyer, then in a Broadway play two years later before becoming immortal thanks to Puccini’s 1904 Italian opera. Cinema was not far behind. By 1932 we had three films: a dreadful 1915 silent starring America’s sweetheart, Mary Pickford; Fritz Lang’s creepily effective 1919 silent, “Harakiri”; and in 1932, the faintly ridiculous early talky with a captivating Sylvia Sidney and the young, debonair-in-the-making Cary Grant. There was not, in any of these films, an Asian in sight. Indeed, by the 1930s, Hollywood’s Hays Code included among…

Recent submissions for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards are quickly piling up. Jordan has entered My Sweet Land (Sheffield DocFest), Switzerland has chosen Klaudia Reynicke’s Reinas (Sundance premiere), the United Kingdom selected Sandhya Suri’s Santosh (Un Certain Regard), and India made the expected-unexpected choice of Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies. Iran submitted Babak Lotfi Khajepasha’s In the Arms of the Tree, Argentina opted for Luis Ortega’s Kill The Jockey (Venice competition), and Mexico is backing Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez’s Sujo (a big Sundance winner). However, it’s the entries from Italy, Brazil, and France that are truly stealing the spotlight. Easily the best Italian film to play in…

Costa-Gavras’ single hyphenated trade name has been synonymous with political thrillers since Z shot from the starting gates in 1969 to win two Oscars and bring the world’s attention to the machinations of the military junta then ruling Greece. Among the numerous films he has made over the ensuing decades, based in France but working also in English, it is the on-brand political films that have been most prominent: State of Siege, Missing, Amen. Costa-Gavras has, however, other strings to his bow. Witness Last Breath (Le Dernier Souffle), a truly marvelous film, screening in competition in San Sebastian. It’s about dying. Not at the end of a gun…

The controversial and divisive “The Apprentice” dresses an origin story of Donald Trump in the clothes of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. And who’s the good doctor in this telling? None other than Roy Cohn, who gets some assistance in making his monster from the notoriously vicious Fred Trump. Director Ali Abassi’s film unfolds in two distinct chapters: an hour in the ‘70s wherein a young, relatively naïve Trump (Sebastian Stan) learns the art of the deal from the relentless manipulative Cohn (Jeremy Strong). Then an hour about a decade later, when Trump has risen to a level of corruption and amorality that…

Bryan Cranston will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Santa Fe International Film Festival. The festival runs from Oct. 16-20 at the Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe, N.M. “Bryan Cranston’s work has inspired generations of actors and captivated audiences worldwide, cementing his place as one of the most respected and accomplished figures in the industry,” said SFiFF executive director Liesette Bailey, “We are truly honored to present him with the Santa Fe International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, not only in recognition of his exceptional body of work, but also for the deep connection he shares…

Film, unlike any other art form, has the power to connect us as human beings. It allows us to empathize with others and step into their shoes, to travel across borders, and even travel through time. As the new director of the Goethe-Institut in Los Angeles, I am proud to present some of the best new German cinema to the audiences of Southern California. The 18th annual festival takes place from October 11th – 14th with screenings at the American Cinematheque and the Goethe-Institut. German Currents 2024 opens Friday, October 11th, at the Egyptian Theatre, with the exclusive red-carpet LA…

Actor Boman Irani, whose directorial debut ‘The Mehta Boys’ received standing ovation at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF) recently, has been feted with the prestigious SAFA (South Asian Film Association) award for his directorial debut. The award recognises his exceptional talent and contribution to the world of cinema. In the presence of his family and co-actors, Boman Irani accepted the prestigious award with pure joy. He took to social media to express his excitement, as he shared, “Winning at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival for ‘The Mehta Boys’ feels like a dream come true”. He further mentioned,…

Iran has selected In the Arms of the Tree as its candidate for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards. Iran’s Farabi Cinema Foundation made the announcement this morning. IRNA, the country’s English-language news service, said the pick was made after “a 10-day review process.” IRNA said a “nine-member selection committee” picked the film from a final selection process that included two other finalists. Those films Isatis, directed by Alireza Dehghan, and The Silent City, directed by Ahmad Bahrami. Directed by Babak Lotfi Khajepasha, In the Arms of the Tree screened at the Shanghai International TV Festival and the Fajr Film Festival. The film’s official…

While Nepali fiction cinema represents a vibrant industry, the documentary film scene remains small and little known in the Himalayan nation. One of the very few festivals featuring such movies is the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (Kimff) that showcases films and documentaries with a strong focus on mountainous life and adventures, but also climate change and the life of rural communities. The 2024 edition showed over 20 movies from a dozen countries. But how is the life of documentary filmmakers outside of this once-a-year event? To hear about the challenges and joys of such a rare profession in Nepal, Global Voices spoke to…

Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem appeared at the San Sebastián Film Festival on Friday night. The Vanilla Sky actress and The Good Boss actor who have been married since 2010, stole the show as they held hands and graced the red carpet at the Kursaal Theater during the opening night gala. n a sheer white gown accented with a black bow at the neckline, the Oscar-winning actress embodied the essence of a glamorous movie star while her partner, who is also an Academy Award recipient, donned a timeless black and white tuxedo. During the Spanish Gala, Bardem became visibly emotional as he praised his…