entertainment
Trailer of Shyam Benegal's 'Mujib - The Making of a Nation' premiered at Cannes
The much-anticipated trailer of the biopic on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's life titled 'Mujib - The Making of a Nation', premiered on the third day of the 75th edition of the world-famous Cannes Film Festival's Marche du Film section in the south of France.
The 99-second trailer of the biopic, a joint venture between Bangladesh and India directed by the acclaimed Indian director Shyam Benegal, was premiered at the Indian pavilion at 6pm local time.
The trailer launching ceremony was joined by Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Indian Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur, Bangladesh Ambassador to France Khondker M Talha, Bangladesh Film Development Corporation Managing Director Nuzhat Yeasmin and others, alongside lead actors of the film Arifin Shuvoo and Nusrat Imrose Tisha.
In his speech, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said, "The film 'Mujib' depicts the glorious life of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his victorious struggle for the nation and his absolute self-sacrifice."
The film also stars Nusraat Faria Mazhar as Sheikh Hasina, and Riaz Ahmed as Tajuddin Ahmed among others.
'Mujib: The making of a Nation' is slated to release in September this year.
Also read: World premiere of ‘Mujib Amar Pita’ held
Jaya Ahsan bags Anandalok Best Actress award in Kolkata
Popular Bangladeshi actress Jaya Ahsan has won the Anandalok Best Actress award for her role in the film "Binisutoy", in India’s Kolkata.
The award ceremony titled 'Anandalok Awards 2022' was held on Wednesday at the ITC Royal Bengal Auditorium in Kolkata.
Read: Anonymous Content, CAA take Nuhash Humayun onboard
The awards were given in various categories of movies, television series and web series.
Tom Cruise and 'Top Gun: Maverick' touch down in Cannes
Tom Cruise mania descended Wednesday in Cannes where the actor made a whirlwind appearance at the film festival, walking the red carpet, receiving a surprise Palme d'Or and watching a squadron of French fighter jets fly over the European premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Cannes pulled out all the stops to fete the 59-year-old star, paying tribute to Cruise with not just a rare interview on stage and a red-carpet premiere featuring a flyby of jets trailing colored smoke, but with the unexpected presentation of an honorary Palme d'Or. Festival president Pierre Lescure announced the award — about 15 honorary Palmes have been given before — on stage just before the screening was to begin. Cruise clutched Cannes' top prize while the audience gave the actor a standing ovation.
Also read:Cannes Film Festival opens with Zelenskyy video address
Cruise brought a palpable buzz to the Croisette, where throngs gathered around the Palais des Festivals shouting “Tom!” to try to get a glimpse of the 59-year-old star. “Great Balls of Fire” blared on the carpet.
Cruise hadn't been to the festival in three decades. But with plenty of media disruption challenging the theatrical experience, Cannes and Cruise exuded the vibe of long-last pals. “He is devoted to cinema,” declared artistic director Thierry Fremaux. Cruise's enthusiastic welcome smacked in some ways of an action hero's reception, here to save the day.
“I make movies for the big screen,” Cruise said to applause in an interview on stage at Cannes' Debussy Theatre.
The European premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick,” directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, brought out what's likely to be among the most star-studded red carpets of the Cannes Film Festival, which opened Tuesday and runs through May 28. Among those in attendance were Viola Davis, Dakota Fanning, Omar Sy and Eva Longoria — along with “Top Gun: Maverick" stars Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm and Glen Powell.
While Cruise arrived by helicopter at the film's San Diego premiere aboard an aircraft carrier, he came to the Cannes premiere more traditionally, with the film's cast and filmmakers in a cavalcade of cars. Cruise paused for several minutes to sign autographs and take pictures with fans lined up across the street from the red carpet.
Before that, the festival honored Cruise with a tribute that consisted of a career-spanning video montage, after which Cruise spoke about his dedication to filmmaking in an interview that stayed away from any personal questions. Instead, he responded to prodding from interviewer Didier Allouch about why, Monsieur Cruise, do you take such risks doing your own stunts?
“No one asked Gene Kelly ‘Why do you dance?’” answered Cruise.
The Cannes stopover for “Top Gun: Maverick” is part of a worldwide tour for the film ahead of its May 27th launch in theaters. It has already touched down at CinemaCon in Las Vegas and premiered in San Diego. Paramount Pictures delayed its release two years during the pandemic, a move that appears to be paying off with glowing reviews and box-office expectations that “Top Gun: Maverick” will easily mark Cruise's biggest opening weekend ever.
Asked if he was ever tempted to steer the film to a streaming service, Cruise replied emphatically.
“No, that’s not going to happen ever," responded Cruise to loud applause. “That was never going to happen.”
Also read:Rodrigo, Drake, Ye early winners at Billboard Music Awards
Cruise spent the majority of the conversation explaining his extreme dedication to the craft of moviemaking, how from an early age he dug into every element of film productions and analyzed how particular modes of acting worked best on the big screen. Shooting the 1981 film “Taps,” with George C. Scott, he returned to it again and again as a formative experience.
“Please," Cruise said he thought at the time, "if I could just do this for the rest of my life, I will never take it for granted.”
Anonymous Content, CAA take Nuhash Humayun onboard
US-based multi-platform premium content producing company Anonymous Content and CAA (Creative Artist Agency) have recently included acclaimed young Bangladeshi filmmaker Nuhash Humayun as their client.
His short film ‘Moshari’ has recently won two prestigious global awards; the Grand Jury Award at SXSW 2022 and the 2022 Atlanta Film Festival’s prize for Best Narrative Short.
Also read:‘Moshari’ wins Atlanta Film Festival Jury Award
The news of Nuhash Humayun’s inclusion as Anonymous Content and CAA’s client has been featured in Hollywood’s world-famous website Deadline, considered one of the top entertainment websites in the world.
Sharing his excitement about these accolades, Nuhash Humayun told Deadline that his goal is to portray Bangladesh/South Asia free from stereotypes and assumptions.
“The first time I heard my home mentioned in a film was a throwaway line about there being ‘enough food on this table to feed Bangladesh. I love infusing genre stories with deeply personal and cultural identity politics. We have powerful, thrilling, visceral stories to tell.”
“With my incredible team at AC and CAA, I hope to tell intimate personal stories that are also universal,” Nuhash Humayun told Deadline.
According to the acclaimed young filmmaker, “Moshari is a revisionist horror/fantasy that inverts the myth of our part of the world as ‘the third world.”
The original 22-minute horror-fantasy pic was the first film from Bangladesh to premiere in SXSW’s Midnight Shorts Program. It follows sisters Apu (Sunerah Binte Kamal) and Ayra (Nairah Onora Saif), who seek shelter inside archaic mosquito nets - the only way to survive against bloodthirsty monsters - if they can first survive each other.
In addition to SXSW, Humayun’s projects have earned support from Sundance, Film Independent and ScreenCraft. The filmmaker was a ScreenCraft 2022 Film Fund Jury Winner and the first Bangladeshi fellow accepted to the Sundance Screenwriters Intensive.
Nuhash Humayun’s next project is the feature film 'Moving Bangladesh' which is a subversive corporate drama. The film is currently in pre-production.
Also read:Chorki releases third episode of Nuhash Humayun’s “Pett Kata Shaw”
Anonymous Content is a production and management company that represents a diverse roster of writers, directors, actors and comedians. Recent releases from the media company include Benjamin Cleary's sci-fi drama "Swan Song" for Apple TV+ and Netflix's "Worth", starring prominent names from Hollywood including Michael Keaton, Amy Ryan and Stanley Tucci.
CAA is a leading agency that represents a diverse roster of clients across film, television, music, sports, digital media and marketing, and beyond. Their recent signings include the popular Netflix series "Sex Education" star Emma Mackey and filmmaker Luca Guadagnino.
Cannes 2022 to feature vibrant presence of Bangladeshi stars
The 75th edition of Cannes Film Festival commences on Tuesday, and several Bangladeshi film actors are attending the prestigious event representing different projects.
The much-awaited trailer of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's biopic ‘Mujib: The Making of a Nation’ will be premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The 90-second trailer of the Bangladesh-India co-production will be screened at the Indian Pavilion on the third day (May 19) of the festival.
Read: Arefin Shuvo to attend Cannes Film Festival Tuesday
To be present on the occasion, Arifin Shuvoo who played the title character of Bangabandhu in the film ‘Mujib: The Making of a Nation’ and Nusrat Imrose Tisha, who played the role of Bangabandhu's wife Renu (Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib), flew to France yesterday, and they will be joined by bInformation and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at the festival.
Tisha’s husband and acclaimed filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki is also scheduled to join the festival; however, to babysit their daughter Ilham and not to take part in the 2022 Cannes as a filmmaker.
On Sunday, Bangladeshi actor-producer Ananta Jalil and his wife and actress Afia Nusrat Barsha reached France to take part in this year's Cannes Film Festival. They will showcase the trailers of their upcoming films ‘Din-The Day’ and ‘Netri-The Leader’ and meet producers and journalists from different countries, the couple said in a video message posted from Ananta’s Facebook page.
Meanwhile, as every year, seven films from the top seven festivals of the world have been selected for the ‘Fantastic Seven’ event of the Marche du Film segment, highlighting the young talents representing a certain genre, and this year, young Bangladeshi filmmaker Nuhash Humayun's short film 'Moshari' has been selected for this event.
Recently, the film has won the Jury Award for Best Narrative Short at the Atlanta Film Festival (ALTFF) 2022, one of the few Academy Award-qualifying festivals in the world. Nuhash is going to join the festival online as he has been unable to attend the Cannes festival due to his pre scheduled work engagements.
Read: ‘Moshari’ wins Atlanta Film Festival Jury Award
Bidhan Rebeiro, a Bangladeshi film critic and writer, has been selected to serve on the International Federation of Film Critics' jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022.
Invited as the third-ever Bangladeshi cinema critic to be selected as a member of the Fipresci jury, Rebeiro will walk the red carpet at this year's event and will be present at the festival on May 19.
At the 74th edition of this prestigious film festival last year, Abdullah Mohammad Saad directed and Azmeri Haque Badhon starrer ‘Rehana Maryam Noor' was screened as one of the 18 selected participants of its prestigious Un Certain Regard category, receiving standing ovation from the audiences.
The 75th annual Cannes Film Festival opened on Tuesday with French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius directed ‘Final Cut’ on Tuesday, and the festival will continue till May 28.
Tom Brady featured in upcoming Netflix ‘Greatest’ roast
Tom Brady will be on the hot seat – this time during a Netflix roast.
Netflix announced Tuesday the seven-time Super Bowl champion will be featured first in a series of upcoming specials called “Greatest Roasts of All Time: GROAT.” Brady is the executive producer of the series, with his roast set to tape in 2023.
“To quote my good friend, Marshawn Lynch … ‘I’m just here so I won’t get fined,’” Brady said in a press release, which refers to him as “Gisele Bündchen’s husband” and a “sixth-round NFL draft pick.”
Also Read: Derek Jeter sells Tampa mansion Tom Brady has been renting
“We can’t wait to burn three-time Super Bowl-losing quarterback Tom Brady, who only went back to the NFL in order to delay this roast,” said Robbie Praw, Netflix vice president of stand-up and comedy formats. “In all seriousness, it’s a huge thrill to work with the greatest football player of all time on this project. No one’s better at taking hits and still coming out on top, so we know the roast will be a breeze for Brady.”
After 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl win after the 2020 season. The 44-year-old Brady announced his retirement in January, but in March reversed course, saying he’ll return as Tampa Bay’s quarterback for another season.
Cannes Film Festival opens with Zelenskyy video address
After a canceled 2020 edition and a scaled back gathering last year, the Cannes Film Festival kicked off Tuesday with an eye turned to Russia’s war in Ukraine and a live satellite video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Formally attired stars including Eva Longoria, Julianne Moore, Bérénice Bejo and “No Time to Die” star Lashana Lynch were among those who streamed down Cannes’ famous red carpet Tuesday for the opening of the 75th Cannes Film Festival and the premiere of Michel Hazanavicius’ zombie comedy “Final Cut.”
Also Read: Arefin Shuvo to attend Cannes film festival Tuesday
More star-studded premieres — “Top Gun: Maverick!” “Elvis!” — await over the next 12 days, during which 21 films will vie for the festival’s prestigious top award, the Palme d’Or. But Tuesday’s opening and the carefully choreographed red-carpet parade leading up the steps to the Grand Théâtre Lumiére again restored one of the movies’ grandest pageants after two years of pandemic that have challenged the exalted stature Cannes annually showers on cinema.
But the war in Ukraine was in Cannes’ spotlight Tuesday. During the festival’s opening ceremony, Zelenskyy spoke at length about the connection between cinema and reality, referencing films like Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” and Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” as not unlike Ukraine’s present circumstances.
Jury sees pics of Heard's swollen face after fight with Depp
Jurors in Johnny Depp’s libel trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, saw photos Monday of her with red marks and swelling on her face after their final fight before their divorce, and heard testimony about her expertise in covering up bruises with makeup.
Heard concluded her direct testimony in a Virginia courtroom with a third day that was centered on the final months of her marriage to Depp. His lawyers began their cross-examination later in the afternoon.
The trial is now in its fifth week, and jurors have seen multiple photos of Heard throughout the trial that purport to document the abuse she said she received during her relationship with Depp.
Several of the photos shown Monday, though, had not previously been seen by the jury and showed redness and swelling much more clearly than earlier photos.
Heard said the marks came when Depp threw a phone at her face.
The confrontation in May 2016 prompted Heard to file for divorce two days later. A few days after that, she obtained a temporary restraining order after a courthouse hearing, and was widely photographed leaving the courthouse with a clear red mark on her right cheek.
Also read: He said, she said: Accounts from Depp and Heard rarely match
The final fight has been a key point in the couple’s ongoing dispute. Depp is suing Heard in Fairfax County Circuit Court for libel over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.
Depp says he never struck Heard and that she’s concocting claims she was abused. Earlier in the trial, jurors heard from police officers who responded to emergency calls during that final fight who said Heard’s face looked red from crying but that they saw no visible bruises. Witnesses also testified that they didn’t see bruises on Heard’s face in the immediate days after the fight.
Heard, in her testimony Monday, said she didn’t cooperate with officers who responded to the couple’s penthouse, and said her face-to-face interactions with officers were very limited.
She also discussed her makeup routine, using a color correction wheel that she called her “bruise kit” to cover up marks on her face. She said she learned over the years to use green shades in the first day of a bruise to cover up redness, and switch more to orange shades as the bruise turned blue and purple.
“I’m not going to walk around L.A. with bruises on my face,” she said.
On cross-examination, Depp lawyer Camille Vasquez questioned Heard about multiple photos of her that appeared not to show bruises even they were taken within days of alleged abuse incidents. Heard said she used makeup to cover bruises and ice to reduce swelling.
“You should see what it looked like under the makeup,” she said.
Vasquez also questioned Heard about her $7 million divorce settlement from Depp. Heard pledged to donate the full amount to charity but has so far only donated a portion of it. She testified she’s been unable to fulfill her pledge yet because Depp sued her for $50 million. But on cross-examination she acknowledged that she had received the full $7 million from Depp months before he filed the lawsuit.
In her direct testimony, Heard testified she did not want to publicly expose Depp as an abuser in her court proceedings, but had to go to the courthouse to provide testimony to obtain the restraining order, and she was taken aback when she left the courthouse surrounded by paparazzi.
“I just wanted to change my locks,” she said about why she went to court to get the restraining order. “I just wanted to get a good night’s sleep.”
During Monday’s testimony, Heard also strongly denied an accusation from Depp that she left human fecal matter in the couple’s bed after a fight. Heard said it was the couple’s teacup Yorkshire terrier that messed the bed and that it had a history of bowel problems ever since it had accidentally ingested Depp’s marijuana.
Also read: Heard takes stand, accuses Depp of violent sexual assault
“Absolutely not,” she said about the alleged poop prank. “I don’t think that’s funny. I don’t know what grown woman does. I was not in a pranking mood.”
Heard said, though, that Depp became obsessed with the idea that someone had pooped in his bed. She said it was all he wanted to talk about during that final fight May 21, 2016, even though Depp’s mother had just died and the couple hadn’t spoken in a month.
The poop allegation is one of several that Depp’s online fans have particularly latched onto in their social media critiques of Heard.
Heard also talked about the op-ed piece itself, saying staffers with the American Civil Liberties Union — for whom she had started work as an ambassador — wrote the first draft. She said she was happy to lend her voice to the debate over domestic violence, and wasn’t intending to reference Depp.
“It’s not about Johnny,” she said. “The only one who thought it was about Johnny was Johnny. It was about me, and my life after Johnny.”
Heard concluded her testimony by saying that accusations she receives on a daily basis from Depp supporters that she’s lying about the abuse are “torture.”
“I want to move on with my life,” she said. “I want Johnny to move on. I want him to leave me alone.”
Arefin Shuvo to attend Cannes Film Festival Tuesday
Popular film star Arifin Shuvo will leave Dhaka for Cannes on Tuesday to attend the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
He will represent the trailer of the movie ‘Mujib’, based on the biography of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In his reaction to the festival, Arifin Shuvo said, “It is very pleasant to me as I am going to Cannes for the first time. It feels to me like dream. I have got the chance to attend the festival. This is a big honour for me. I am grateful to my fans as everything has become possible for them. My love to them.”
Cannes Film Festival will start on Tuesday (May 17). Actress Nusrat Imroz Tisha, who acted in the role of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, wife of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the ‘Mujib’ film, and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud might also go to the Cannes.
Besides, the Indian information minister along with some team members of the film will also present.
Mujib, film is co-produced by Bangladesh and India and directed by Shyam Benegal. It stars Arifin Shuvo leads the role of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Also read: World premiere of ‘Mujib Amar Pita’ held
Ananta Jalil, Barsha to attend 75th Cannes Film Festival
The curtain rises Tuesday on the 75th Cannes Film Festival and this year Bangladeshi film actors Ananata Jalil and Afia Nusrat Barsha will attend the prestigious event.
The Dhallywood star couple already reached France on Sunday for the event, said Ananata Jalil in a video message for his fans published on his Facebook page.
He said, “Please pray for us as we are going to attend the Cannes. We will showcase trailers of our cinema Din-The Day and Netri-The Leader. Will also meet producers and journalists from different countries.”
He said Din-The Day will be released after Eid-ul-Fitr and they will go to different districts for its promotion.
Also read: Tomorrow: Bangladeshi Animation Film on Climate Change at Cannes World Film Festival
Ananta’s wife Barsha said, “We are very hopeful about our film Din-The Day and we are looking forward to doing a lot of things for its success. Keep us in your prayers.”
The 75th session of the Cannes will continue till May 28. This year 21 film will compete for the Palme d'Or. The opening film of the festival this year has been selected director Michel HAZANVICIOUS’s ‘Final Cut’.
Also read: Azmeri Haque Badhon: Starring the Title Role of 'Rehana Maryam Noor' Film Premiered in 74th Cannes