“Chungking Express” sequel coming?

(photograph credit: Ocean Shores Video)

Chinese auteur Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most beloved names by cinephiles around the world. “Chungking Express” was one of his most respected and acclaimed works from the mid-90s.

Filmiere.com reports based on the stuff that has surfaced from many Chinese media outlets (via Reddit and The Film Stage) that Wong Kar-wai has scripted a sequel to his beloved 1994 romance Chungking Express.

Titled Chungking Express 2020 and set in Chongqing in 2036, the China Film Administration approved the script back in April, which means it can move ahead.

While Wong Kar-wai has already technically expanded the story of Chungking Express with Fallen Angels––which was the planned third story of Chungking but ended up spinning off into its own feature––he’s clearly taking a different route than a direct follow-up.

It certainly sounds intriguing and any new Kar-Wai movie is always welcome.

 

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Entries NOW Open for 2021 WorldFest Houston International Film Festival

The WorldFest- Houston International Film Festival has announced that it has begun accepting entries for 2021 as of August 15th, 2020.

The entry period for 2021 Worldfest-Houston continues through January 31, 2021, so if your film is not quite ready, there are a few months left to enter.

The deadlines are posted on the worldfest.org web site along with an entry form at https://worldfest.org/submit-via-our-website/.  A recap of the deadlines as posted on the 54th annual WorldFest site includes:

  • Entry Period Began August 15th, 2020
  • The EarlyBird Entry Deadline is November 15th, 2020
  • Main Entry Deadline is December 15th, 2020

The online entry deadlines as described in the entry form are: “These are ‘Postmark by Deadlines’. If you enter Online by the January 15th Late/Final Deadline and we receive the physical entry by January 31st, your entry will still be reviewed by our judges.

Due to popular demand, we have extended the Final Brick Wall Deadline to January 31st, online!”

The History of the Houston Film Festival

Producer-Director Hunter Todd founded the WorldFest-Houston Film Festival in 1968 as the International Film Society.

The festival continues to take place in April, as it has since its founding. The 2021 Worldfest is the 54th consecutive annual film festival that is billed as being “fiercely independent”.

Unlike other major film festivals, WorldFest bestows awards to 10 major categories of film. The WorldFest Awards are called the Remi.

Previous notables who have a Remi Award include Ang Lee, David Winning, John Lee Hancock, Randal Kleiser along Hollywood icon Steven Speilberg.

Worldfest awards the Remi in 10 major film and video categories as well as 200+ sub-categories, which attests to how it caters to the independent film and video maker.

The ten distinctive categories to which independent film and video makers can submit their work to at the 54th Annual WorldFest-Houston include:

  • Independent Shorts
  • Independent Experimental Films & Videos
  • Independent Theatrical Features
  • Independent Study Films & Videos
  • Television and Cable Production
  • TV Commercials / Public Service Announcements
  • Film & Video Production
  • Screenplays
  • Music Videos
  • New Media (including websites and 3D productions)

Along with offering a depth of categories for every independent film and video maker, WorldFest-Houston highlights categories that include producers, screenwriters as well as web site and 3D Productions.

Although WorldFest features one of the most extensive lists of categories and sub-categories the public attending WorldFest-Houston view less than 50 films on 3 primary screens over a 10-day period.

The founder J. Hunter Todd and the festival board want the audience to view as many entries as possible which can not happen when a festival screens hundreds of films.

WorldFest Houston typically receives approximately 500 entries which the judges whittle down to less than 10% to be entered for the various Remi Awards.

The limited number of final films in competition for the Remi Award as well as the number of them issued in each category almost guarantees that each final entrant will be recognized in some way.

This makes WorldFest-Houston one of the friendliest, attainable as well as rewarding experiences for the independent film and video maker.

The Remi Awards

Each category entrant at the WorldFest-Houston Film Festival has the chance to win a Grand Remi. The Remi Awards earned in each of the categories include The Grand Remi, which is awarded to the Top Winner in each category.

After the Grand Remi is awarded the sub-categories receive recognition with the following Remi Awards:

  • Platinum Remi
  • Gold Remi
  • Silver Remi
  • Special Jury Award

The number of awards combined with an audience able to view many of the entries over a ten-day period is a testament to the foundational principles of WorldFest-Houston.

The goal of the festival is to highlight the truly independent film, video, and media maker.

WorldFest-Houston states that its mission is, “to recognize and honor outstanding creative excellence in film, to validate brilliant abilities, to promote cultural tourism for Houston, to educate young people in the cinematic arts, to develop film production in the region and to add to the rich cultural fabric of the city of Houston. “

Adding New Media to their list of categories WorldFest is leading the way in recognizing the future of independent productions.

Along with its extended entry period and number of awards, the 54th WorldFest-Houston is a great opportunity for film, video, and media makers to receive accolades for their work.

For the independent film, video, and media to add, “Recipient of the Remi Award” to their credits will go far in furthering their opportunities within the highly competitive industry.

Depending on the time of entry, the entry fee is affordable, the entry time frame generous and the possible rewards immeasurable.

Every Independent Film Maker who has been spending the strange days of 2020 putting the finishing touches on a project should consider entering the 2021 WorldFest-Houston.

Ways to Enter WorldFest-Houston

WorldFest-Houston offers a liberal entry process coupled with an affordable fee. It is an ideal film festival for not only independent film and video makers to enter, but it also offers opportunities for scriptwriters, producers, and those engaged in new media ventures.

You can enter WorldFest-Houston directly with their online entry form at https://worldfest.org/submit-via-our-website/ or through the entry submission sites FilmFreeway.com & FestHome.com. WorldFest-Houston is dedicated to independent film and video makers.

Hunter Todd, the Chairman, and Founding Director have posted an article, “HOW TO MAKE AWARD-WINNING FILMS & VIDEOS” on the WorldFest-Houston website aimed directly at first-time entrants.

This advice from a winner of more than 115 international awards as Producer, Director, and/or Cinematographer of over 300 films is an invaluable read for independent film, video, and media producers as well as anyone involved in these productions.

The 54th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival is scheduled to be held April 16-21, 2021. Get your Entry in before the hard deadline of January 15, 2021.

Written by Daniel Dachille

BAFTA to make changes in voting

(Courtesy: British Film Academy/Steve Finn/Getty Images)

British Film Academy gives their own biggest film prize every year, as probably known to most film lovers and award season followers around the world.

BAFTA has been recently on news for making changes for the “Best British Film” category with the inclusion of diversity rules. Now they did more changes and it seems mostly positive.

Longlists are back from the old times and acting categories are now six. The main changes are:

A new longlisting round of voting in all categories, making three rounds in total and giving members a long time period to watch films. It will now also be compulsory for members to watch all longlisted films in the second round before voting.

– In the acting categories, the number of nominees is being increased from five to six.

– In the directing category, BAFTA’s directing chapter will rank the top 20, with the top eight female and top eight male directors making the longlist.

-A special jury will then select the final four directors for this long list of 20, choosing two females and two males (from the next 10 ranked respectively). The number of final nominees will also increase from five to six.

– In the outstanding British film category, the number of nominations has jumped from six to 10, to give space for independent British films over Hollywood co-produced projects.

– In an effort to prevent films with larger campaigning budgets from “dominating the conversation,” BAFTA will be discontinuing DVD screeners by 2020 and moving all films to its new BAFTA View digital platform, set to launch for the 2021 awards season.

Distributor communication will also be further limited per title, with members now having to opt-in to receive DVDs, attend screening invites or receive trade publications during awards season.

There are more of course which you can see in more detail on BAFTA’s own website. Filmiere.com will keep you informed on the award season and further updates.

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Disney and 20th made a lot of schedule changes.

(Photograph credit: 20th Century and Disney)

Seems almost impossible to think of a year without a Marvel release but for obvious reasons, there’s none this year. As “The Eternals” moved to late next year, and “Black Widow” will also get a summer release. “The King’s Man” delayed way more.

But it’s not just Marvel or comics-related movies. Kenneth Branagh’s sequel to “Murder on the Orient Express” called “Death on the Nile” will be released next December.

Ben Affleck and Anna De Armas-starring supposedly erotic thriller, and a comeback from director Adrien Lyne titled “Dark Water” moved to August of 2021.

Steven Spielberg will also not be in conversation this year for any awards since “West Side Story” will be kept for next year’s fall release.

Credit: Mensur Zeinal

Ryan Gosling is “Stunt Man”

(Photograph credit: FilmDistrict)

Filmiere.com reports based on Deadline news that Canadian star Ryan Gosling is your “Stunt Man”, in a new movie which will be directed by David Leitch of “Deadpool” and “John Wick” fame (not Lynch as some European trades keep on confusing with).

No, it’s not the Peter O’Toole movie remake, but instead, it’s a very, very personal project of Leitch. Before he ended up as a John Wick co-director, he was a stuntman and stunt coordinator. Several stuntmen tried to make movies but mostly b-movie actions that went straight to DVD.

Drew Pearce, who wrote for Universal the Leitch-directed hit Fast and Furious spinoff Hobbs & Shaw, is set to write the script.

The deal is seven-figures. It’s probably been an action picture, given the director’s filmography, and just like what recently Brad Pitt did with “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, will give an arena for unsung heroes of the movies a new part.

Ryan Gosling is not particularly a stranger to such things; in Nicolas Winding Refn’s much-acclaimed rendition of Walter Hill’s “Driver” which was called “Drive” (2011), he played an unnamed Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver. Now it seems he’ll play another stuntman.

Credit: Mensur Zeinal

Awards season films getting mostly good reviews

(Photograph credit: Parisa Taghizadeh/BBC/McQueen Limited)

Emmy awards went fine, so Oscars probably will follow. There are a lot of films to choose from anyway and the Toronto Film Festival, like others, keep giving films with good reviews. Filmiere.com wants to inform you about some recently premiered movies.

Steve McQueen’s anthology is getting great reviews which might hype film lovers but what can truly make a splash on film awards would be Aaron Sorkin’s “Trial of Chicago 7” which recently got a new full trailer. Sorkin knows for writing timely subjects and its ensemble cast would help.

Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet-starring romance film “Ammonite” didn’t get raves but got mostly good positive reception which can help both ladies getting some awards recognition.

Sofia Coppola’s latest film “On The Rocks” got beloved by critics once again but some said it’s the least Sofia Coppola-ish film she has ever done in terms of tone and style and even though it’s charming, it’s still minor and has elements to alienate several people.

However, a new screenplay nom might be here for Coppola who surprisingly couldn’t get in a very weak and non-crowded Adapted Screenplay category last time she was in contention for “The Beguiled”.

So, no worries about COVID-19. Yes, we get films later than usual and they’re not too many but they’re still here, cinema is still alive and awards season is still fun.

Credit: Mensur Zeinal

Wes Anderson to make a new film in spring 2021

(Photograph credit: Zimbio/Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images North America)

Many cinema lovers around the world were looking forward to Wes Anderson’s new feature film “French Dispatch”, a France-setting movie with an ensemble cast of American and French actors but the movie couldn’t get premiered in Cannes for obvious reasons and maybe for awards season or maybe for financial worries, the movie is kept getting delayed.

Chances are it’ll get a release in early 2021 or maybe earlier (or later) than that. It’s unpredictable these days but the good news is Wes doesn’t stay quiet. He already has one more project; He is eying a spring shoot for his next feature film.

Word first cropped up in a Production Weekly listing about two weeks ago but now seemingly several film sites kept reporting it. First, Italian journalist Gianmaria Tammaro – which should be taken with a grain of salt but he’s got good insiders – has revealed that a Rome shoot is planned for the project.

Then DiscussingFilm chimed in to confirm casting is already underway and the plot at the center of the film will be a romance. The American Empirical Pictures and Indian Paintbrush production will be live-action, with word there may be a few stop-motion animated sequences mixed in.

After France, now he’s going to make an Italy-set film with some Italian stars? Sounds exciting and FIlmiere.com will keep following the news.

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Carey Mulligan officially confirmed for Bradley Cooper’s next film.

(Photograph credit: Bernstein family; AP)

It’s been long known that Bradley Cooper wants to make a new film about the famous composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, following “A Star is Born” where he’ll not just direct, but also star.

Filmiere.com previously reported about the fact that Cooper found a home in Netflix and while Carey Mulligan was widely reported, it’s only this week she’s totally confirmed to play Bernstein’s wife Felicia. Cooper co-wrote the screenplay with Oscar-winning Spotlight scribe Josh Singer.

Cooper has been working with the Bernstein family for three years already to develop the film. He certainly enjoys making relationship dramas with a music background.

The movie has a title also, official one: “Maestro” and it will tell the complex love story of Leonard and Felicia, a story that spans over 30 years–from the time they met in 1946 at a party and continuing through two engagements, a 25-year marriage, and three children: Jamie Bernstein, Alexander Bernstein, and Nina Bernstein Simmons.

The filming is supposed to begin next spring. Until that Cooper will probably manage to finish Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s new untitled film.

His career certainly goes strong and given the success of “A Star is Born”, it’s interesting to see what he will follow with. We’ll keep you reporting the other developments and other casting news.

 

Mensur Zeinal

Eddie Redmayne Confirms ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Shooting Has Resumed

(Photograph credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Filmiere.com can report based on Eddie Redmayne that the new “Fantastic Beasts” movie is officially started to shoot. Fantastic Beasts part 3 is an upcoming film in the Wizarding World franchise which didn’t make a huge splash like the Harry Potter series did but probably pleased many fans.

Like many other projects, production on the movie was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it has officially resumed filming, confirmed lead actor Eddie Redmayne as he talked about shooting in the “new normal”. In his interview with Cinemablend, he stated: “It’s interesting because we’ve started shooting now.

We’re two weeks in, and again, it’s a whole new process. It’s a whole new normal. Testing frequently, masks. And I wondered, actually, whether the masks would affect creativity, in some ways. Maybe that was a bit ignorant, but I just thought, as humans do we need interaction to spark from each other.

What is really reassuring is that it is a different process, but it still feels like it’s fizzing and that everyone is working at the top of their game.” The second part of the film was considered to be a disappointment and hopefully, the third one will be better in comparison.

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RIP Michael Chapman

(photograph credit: Columbia Pictures)

 Michael Chapman was two –time Oscar nominee (“Raging Bull”, “The Fugitive”) who unfortunately passed away recently, Filmiere.com reports with sadness. It’s amazing to see how diverse he was when you explore his filmography.

He started as a camera operator and worked on films like “Klute”, “The Godfather” and “Jaws’ but then turned into an accomplished cinematographer whose credits include Hal Ashby’s “Last Detail”, Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” (pictured), Paul Schrader’s “Hardcore” and Philip Kaufman’s “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (78 version).

He worked with 70s auteurs and he also worked on genre films like Joel Schumacher’s cult hit “The Lost Boys” as well as comedies like “Kindergarten Cop”, “Space Jam”, Steve Martin/Carl Reiner features “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” and “The Man with Two Brains”.

Some other popular films like “Primal Fear” was also handled by him. As it’s evident, he was very versatile and he retired right after he did “Bridge to Terabithia” in 2007 which had gorgeous shots as well. His work in cinematography was lauded all over the world.

He also directed films including “All the Right Moves”  starring Tom Cruise. His iconic shots will be remembered forever.

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