film director

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Israel Frees Oscar-Winning Director Attacked by Settlers

Witnesses say Israeli settlers attacked Hamdan Ballal's West Bank village

(Newser) - The Palestinian director who earlier this month took home an Oscar has been released by Israel after being beaten by Israeli settlers and detained by the military. Hamdan Ballal and two other Palestinians were set free on Tuesday, report the AP and New York Times , with the No Other Land...

Director Faces 90 Years for Allegedly Defrauding Netflix

Carl Erik Rinsch pocketed $11M meant to fund his TV series, prosecutors say

(Newser) - A director expected to make a TV series for Netflix could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted of defrauding the streamer. Carl Erik Rinsch, director of 47 Ronin starring Keanu Reeves, had pitched a science-fiction series about artificial humans called White House, later renamed Conquest. A...

Jesse Eisenberg Wants to Cut His Link to Zuckerberg

Social Network actor played Meta CEO but doesn't want to be 'associated with somebody like that'

(Newser) - Jesse Eisenberg may have played Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg on the big screen in 2010's The Social Network, but any link beyond that isn't something Eisenberg is keen on. "I haven't been following [Zuckerberg's] life trajectory, partly because I don't want to think of...

French Director Guilty of Sexual Assault on Child

Adele Haenel said Christophe Ruggia abused her for years under guise of training

(Newser) - French film director Christophe Ruggia was convicted Monday of sexually assaulting actor Adèle Haenel when she was as young as 12. "You took advantage of the influence you had on the young actress," a judge told the director, per the New York Times . Ruggia was 36 when...

10 Songs That Define David Lynch's Musical Legacy

Late film director also left his imprint in the musical world

(Newser) - The loss of visionary filmmaker David Lynch is also felt in the world of music, where he had inextricable influence on multiple generations of artists. Lynch composed music for many of his films, collaborated with others, directed music videos, released albums, and inspired legions of creatives. Learn about his musical...

He Brought You the Line 'And Don't Call Me Shirley'

Writer-director Jim Abrahams, a parody specialist, is dead at 80

(Newser) - "And don't call me Shirley!" That iconic line from 1980's Airplane! is one of many that can be attributed to writer-director Jim Abrahams, who leaves behind a legacy of laughs following his death Tuesday at age 80, per The Hollywood Reporter . Abrahams, who died of natural...

Malia Obama Drops Last Name for Film, Her Dad Reacts

Former first daughter, 26, goes by 'Malia Ann' for her directorial film debut

(Newser) - On IMDb, a description for the short film The Heart lists the movie's director as Malia Obama, daughter of the 44th US president. But in the credits of the film itself, the 26-year-old decided to appear simply as "Malia Ann"—a nugget addressed by her famous dad...

Anna Kendrick Recalls 'Icky' Move by Director

Though actress says she got the last laugh

(Newser) - Asked about the worst note ever given to her by a director, Anna Kendrick did not hold back. "I remember a director once in a room full of 100 extras or something being like, 'Hey, on this next one just try something. Just make something up. Just improv...

Shyamalan Was Called 'the Next Spielberg.' Then, a Fall

David Sims profiles the horror/thriller filmmaker's struggles, and eventual resurrection, for the Atlantic

(Newser) - By the time M. Night Shyamalan was in his early 30s, he had a huge hit to his name thanks to 1999's The Sixth Sense , his psychological thriller starring Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment, and two follow-ups—2000's Unbreakable and 2002's Signs —that seemed to...

David Lynch: My Days of Directing Are Probably Done
David Lynch's
Days on Set
Are Done

David Lynch's Days on Set Are Done

Director has emphysema, risk of catching COVID is too great

(Newser) - "Smoking was something that I absolutely loved," says David Lynch, "but in the end, it bit me." This by way of announcing that the beloved 78-year-old director has emphysema and probably won't be doing any more directing—at least in person, reports the AV Club...

Footage Emerges After Claims of 'Unprofessional' Coppola Behavior

Clips show Godfather director embracing, kissing female extras on set of Megalopolis

(Newser) - Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is coming out at the end of September, but the current advance buzz doesn't have much to do with the movie itself. Instead, it focuses on more allegations against the famed Godfather film director involving him acting "unprofessional" on the movie set, including...

French Director Charged With Raping 2 Women

Actress says Benoit Jacquot groomed her when she was 16, he was 52

(Newser) - French film director Benoit Jacquot has been charged with rape and banned from directing minors or having any other contact with them. The 77-year-old was charged Wednesday with raping actresses Julia Roy, 34, and Isild Le Besco, 41, years ago, the New York Times reports. Jacquot was charged with raping...

Director Sentenced to Prison, Flogging Flees Iran

With a 'heavy heart,' Mohammed Rasoulof has chosen exile

(Newser) - One of Iran's leading film directors says that with a "heavy heart," he has chosen exile over imprisonment. Mohammed Rasoulof, whose latest movie, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, is due to premiere at the Cannes film festival next Friday, was sentenced last week to eight years...

When Harry Met Sally Almost Had Another, Sadder Ending

It's what would've happened if director Rob Reiner hadn't met his wife in real life, he says

(Newser) - In the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally, the title characters end up marrying more than a decade after their first meeting—a happy ending to an ordeal of a relationship. Now, director Rob Reiner says the movie was inspired by stuff going on in his own life at the...

Director Malia Obama Debuts at Sundance
Malia Obama Makes
Her Sundance Debut

Malia Obama Makes Her Sundance Debut

'The Heart' previously won best live action short at the Chicago International Film Festival

(Newser) - Malia Obama has come a long way from her time protesting on the sidelines of the Sundance Film Festival. This year, she's screening a film there. The eldest daughter of former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama was on the red carpet Wednesday for the screening of...

Filmmaker Demands Probe Into Parasite Actor's Death

Bong Joon-ho wants answers on what happened to Lee Sun-kyun, who died of an apparent suicide

(Newser) - South Korea is still reeling from the death last month of popular Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun, whose body was found in a car in a Seoul park. Lee's family says he'd left behind what appeared to be a suicide note, and now the director of his hit 2019...

Lisa Marie Slammed New Elvis Film's 'Vengeful' Script

Singer's late daughter didn't like how he was depicted in Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla,' per 'Variety'

(Newser) - Priscilla Presley has been making headlines this week for her recent sit-down with Piers Morgan, in which she broke down while talking about her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who died in January at the age of 54. Now, Lisa Marie is the one dominating the news, with a report on...

Renowned Iranian Filmmaker Is Stabbed to Death

Dariush Mehrjui and his wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, were killed in their home

(Newser) - A filmmaker hailed as "one of the pioneers of Iranian cinema" has been stabbed to death along with his wife in their home near Tehran, reports AFP . Dariush Mehrjui was killed Saturday night along with wife Vahideh Mohammadifar, a screenwriter. Authorities say Mehrjui texted his daughter about 9pm to...

Scorsese Saw Hollywood's Ills at Screening for Departed

'Studio guys' were upset because it clearly would not be a franchise

(Newser) - Martin Scorsese turns 81 in November, and he's making the rounds to plug his new film Killers of the Flower Moon with Leonardo DiCaprio. In a wide-ranging interview with GQ , Scorsese talks about feeling out of step with modern Hollywood. For instance, he rarely goes to Los Angeles anymore...

Exorcist, French Connection Director William Friedkin Dies

Oscar-winner was 87

(Newser) - William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning director who became a top filmmaker in his 30s with the gripping The French Connection and the horrifying The Exorcist but struggled in the following decades to match his early success, has died. He was 87. Friedkin, who won the best director Oscar for The French ...

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