Yahoo Movies Sam Abbas Releases Trailer For LGBTQ Feature ‘Alia’s Birth’ — Film News in Brief
Sam Abbas Releases Trailer For LGBTQ Feature ‘Alia’s Birth’
Sam Abbas has released the trailer for the LGBTQ feature “Alia’s Birth,” which will release exclusively in theaters this December.
The film will feature a live home-birth with a resuscitation as well as a live set by queer superstar Nicole Moudaber in a New York warehouse hosted by Teksupport.
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The cast includes Poorna Jagannathan (“Never Have I Ever”), Nikohl Boosheri (“The Bold Type”), Samuel H. Levine (“Minyan”) and Maya Kazan (“Boardwalk Empire”).
Abbas is an Egyptian-American director who recently worked on “Erēmīta,” an anthology of short documentaries produced during the COVID-19 pandemic. He produced the film with Tatiana Bears, Nicole Townsend and Neal Kumar.
In an official statement, Abbas discussed why he chose to not promote his film at a festival.
“I’m really excited to start working with a theatre booker and bring the film to cinemas in December,” Abbas said. “I think it’s very important to note and promote that this film has not had a film festival life. While the major ones showed interest, it simply didn’t work out. Filmmakers and Festivals have very different agendas and when the two don’t meet, there’s nothing wrong with splitting paths. Many filmmakers think film festivals are the ultimate token of success, this is not true. No matter how it’s spun nowadays, and regardless of their prestige; film festivals are and always will be a way for filmmakers to present their films to audiences. Having a film attend a festival can be great for many reasons but a film’s true success is having a large audience.”
Watch the trailer below:
Marco Bellocchio’s ‘Marx Can Wait’ To Be Presented At Cannes Film Festival
Italian filmmaker Marco Bellocchio will present “Marx Can Wait” in the official selection at the Festival de Cannes.
The director will attempt to understand the death of his twin brother, who committed suicide at the age of 29. Blending excerpts from his films and conversations with people close to him, Bellocchio investigates this fraternal figure that never ceases to haunt his filmography.
“Marco has always questioned institutions, traditions, personal and collective history,” Pierre Lescure, president of the Festival de Cannes, said. “In each of his works, almost involuntarily, or at least as naturally as possible, he revolutionizes the established order.” Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate, adds: “We are proud to distinguish Marco Bellocchio, one of the great masters of Italian cinema after 56 years of fascinating work, in succession to his director friends Bernardo Bertolucci, Manoel de Oliveira and Agnès Varda. He is a filmmaker, an auteur and a poet. Honoring him with the Honorary Palme d’or is self-evident for everyone that admires his work.”
ARRAY Crew Hosts First Below-the-Line FYC Conversation
ARRAY Crew hosted their first Below-the-Line FYC conversation over the weekend.
Variety senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay moderated the conversation featuring Lawrence Davis, Hair Department Head (“Underground Railroad”); Robert Ulrich, Casting Director (“The Boys”); Jennifer Moeller, Costume Designer (“Dickinson”); Jennifer Bryan, Costume Designer (“Genius: Aretha”); Carlos Rafael Rivera, Composer (“The Queen’s Gambit”) and Gersha Phillips, Costume Designer (“Star Trek: Discovery”).
Producer and director Ava DuVernay launched the database in February with the goal of elevating women, people of color and other underrepresented film and television professionals. The database features thousands of qualified crew members across more than 450 below-the-line positions. ARRAY Crew partners include Amazon, Apple, Disney, FOX, Lionsgate, NBC Universal, Netflix, Sony, ViacomCBS and founding partner WarnerMedia.
Watch the full conversation below:
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