Film festivals

Pope Francis, center, makes the sign of the cross during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. Pope Francis endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope while being interviewed for the feature-length documentary “Francesco,” which premiered Wednesday at the Rome Film Festival. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Associated Press
October 21, 2020 - 1:21 pm

Pope endorses same-sex civil unions in new documentary

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis became the first pontiff to endorse same-sex civil unions in comments for a documentary that premiered Wednesday, sparking cheers from gay Catholics and demands for clarification from conservatives, given the Vatican’s official teaching on the issue. The papal thumbs-up...
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September 30, 2020 - 5:41 am

Study: 1St Berlin Fest Chief Had Significant Nazi-Era Role

BERLIN (AP) — A study has concluded that the founding director of the Berlin International Film Festival made a “not insignificant” contribution to the German film system under Nazi rule and later covered up his role, festival organizers said Wednesday. Alfred Bauer led the “Berlinale” from 1951 to...
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US actor and film director Viggo Mortensen, smiles after receiving the Donostia Award for his contribution to the cinema during the 68th San Sebastian Film Festival, in San Sebastian, northern Spain, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)
September 27, 2020 - 2:47 am

‘Beginning” Triumphs At San Sebastian Film Festival In Spain

SAN SEBASTIÁN, Spain (AP) — Georgian writer-director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s first feature film “Beginning” triumphed at Spain’s San Sebastian International Film Festival, scooping up four of its top prizes including best film and best director. The story about a community of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a...
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Chloe Zhao attends the Telluride from Los Angeles drive-in screening of "Nomadland" on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
September 16, 2020 - 6:03 pm

With Quiet Humanity, Chloe Zhao's 'nomadland' Makes Noise

NEW YORK (AP) — What’s it like to be an international film festival sensation without hardly leaving your home? Like most things during the pandemic, it’s surreal. Except for trips to the editing room, director Chloe Zhao has mostly stayed at the Ojai, California, home she shares with three...
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Disney's Marketing Director for Italy, Davide Romani, center, holds the Golden Lion Best Film award for "Nomadland", at the closing ceremony of 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, Saturday Sept. 12, 2020. Director Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a recession-era road trip drama starring Frances McDormand, has won the Golden Lion for best film at the Venice Film Festival, held against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)
September 12, 2020 - 1:33 pm

Chloe Zhao's "nomadland" Wins Top Prize At Venice Film Fest

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a recession-era road trip drama starring Frances McDormand, won the Golden Lion for best film Saturday at a slimmed-down Venice Film Festival, which was held against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. Zhao and McDormand appeared by video from...
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Director Ann Hui holds her Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement during the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020.(Piergiorgio Pirrone /LaPresse via AP)
September 09, 2020 - 7:04 am

Ann Hui Wins Lifetime Achievement Award At Venice Festival

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Hong Kong director Ann Hui paid tribute to her home city as she received a lifetime achievement award from the Venice International Film Festival. The acclaimed director said she wanted to “revert this honor back to Hong Kong,” the city where she grew up. “It has given me an...
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FILE - Jury President Cate Blanchett, center, is seated at the start of the opening ceremony of the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival at the Venice Lido, Italy, on Sept. 2, 2020. This year, three of the four major fall film festivals, including Venice, are going forward despite the pandemic. Those in Venice acknowledge it hasn’t been anywhere near the same. Masked moviegoers in set-apart seats. A barrier walls off the red carpet to discourage crowds of onlookers. Greetings are kiss-less. A little bit of the romance of movies has gone out. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, File)
September 08, 2020 - 3:22 pm

Digital And Drive-In, Film Festivals Try To Salvage A Season

NEW YORK (AP) — This is normally the time of year when flashy premieres march down red carpets and proclamations of Oscar buzz circle the globe. An avalanche of new films topples onto screens. The movie houses of Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York shake with applause. The movies, more than...
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Director Roderick MacKay poses for portrait photographs for the film 'The Furnace' during the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. MacKay had to get government approval to leave Australia and will spend a total of a month in quarantine because of coronavirus precautions but says it's a small price to pay to bring his first feature film to Venice. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
September 05, 2020 - 6:00 am

Quarantine A Small Price To Pay For Australian In Venice

VENICE (AP) — Roderick MacKay had to get government approval to leave Australia, spent two weeks in preventive coronavirus quarantine in Rome and will be locked up in a hotel back in Australia for another two weeks upon his return. But the 33-year-old director says it’s a small price to pay to get...
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Actress Tilda Swinton, right, holds the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, which was presented by Jury President Cate Blanchett during the opening ceremony of the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
September 03, 2020 - 6:45 am

Top Stars At Venice Film Fest Praise Gender-Neutral Prizes

VENICE (AP) — Two stars at the Venice Film Festival, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton, have praised the decision by the Berlin festival to award gender-neutral prizes, with Swinton predicting other award ceremonies will follow suit. Organizers of the Berlin International Film Festival announced...
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Jury president Cate Blanchett poses for photographers at the jury photo call during the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/Lapresse via AP)
September 02, 2020 - 7:40 am

Blanchett On Venice, Virus And Why Lessons Weren't Learned

VENICE (AP) — Australian actress Cate Blanchett said Wednesday she is baffled that other countries didn’t learn from Italy’s pain to be better prepared to fight the coronavirus outbreak when it spread. Blanchett, who is heading the jury at the virus-restricted Venice Film Festival, arrived on the...
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