MICHELLE WILLIAMS, KRISTEN STEWART, LAURA DERN WALK NYFF RED CARPET FOR 'CERTAIN WOMEN'

It was a glamorous red carpet Monday (3 OCT. 2016), as Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern arrived for the New York Film Festival premiere of "Certain Women."

The film - from writer-director Kelly Reichardt - tells a trio of stories of intersecting lives in Montana.

It's based on short stories by Maile Meloy.

Stewart, who plays a high school teacher in the film, loves how the story depicts "the normal lives of women."

"It's not very typical for people to focus on the normal lives of women. It's always movies about exceptional, hero women that overcome great adversity to do a thing. And it's like, no, these are three women sort of doing very mundane but like really engaging, tiresome, really topical, current things. And that usually is not focused on," Stewart said.

"The only way that that can be focused on is if you make it interesting and Kelly's perspective makes it interesting. And you can look at any of her previous work, every woman that's been written into her movies are, you know - she doesn't do archetype movies. There are powerful woman stories now, but they're usually pretty standardized and she's sort of the opposite of that, so I'm so proud to be a part of it."

Reichardt went "old school" when it came to shooting the film, choosing to capture it on 16MM film stock. Stewart explained how that impacted her performance.

"The time constraints are kind of something. You can't just roll and find it," Stewart said.

"But that's like a pretty typically American indie-style thing and her vibe is different. She's very composed. She's not like, 'Oh, we'll just take it off sticks and throw it on his shoulder and we're going to dance around and you can say whatever you want.' She's like, 'No, no. You're going to say the lines and I'm going to compose my shot. We're going to shoot a scene.' Yeah, so I think that's pretty special."

Dern also embraced being captured on film again.

"It's amazing. I hope to, you know, be around film more and more. I love all of it in its own unique way, but I love film very much, so... We just need labs. We need labs and hopefully many more filmmakers will continue to explore with film," Dern said.

As for Williams, she's no stranger when it comes to working with Reichardt, having starred in her previous films, "Meeks Cutoff" and "Wendy and Lucy."

"Working with my old pal Kelly Reichardt, it's our third movie together, so whatever she asks, the answer is always yes," Williams said.

"And then when I was there, I discovered these great actors that I got to work with."

"Certain Women" opens in U.S. theaters on 14 October 2016.

New York, 3 October 2016

1. Wide of Alice Tully Hall

2. New York Film Festival signage, push in

3. Various of Kristen Stewart posing for photographers

4. Wide of Kristen Stewart talking to reporter

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart, actress - on how this movie is different:

"Yeah, it's not very typical for people to focus on the normal lives of women. It's always movies about exceptional, hero women that overcome great adversity to do a thing. And it's like, no, these are three women sort of doing very mundane but like really engaging, tiresome, really topical, current things. And that usually is not focused on. The only way that that can be focused on is if you make it interesting and Kelly's perspective makes it interesting. And you can look at any of her previous work, every woman that's been written into her movies are, you know - she doesn't do archetype movies. There are powerful woman stories now, but they're usually pretty standardized and she's sort of the opposite of that, so I'm so proud to be a part of it."

6. Medium of Kristen Stewart talking to reporter

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart, actress - on shooting in 16mm:

"The time constraints are kind of something. You can't just roll and find it. But that's like a pretty typically American indie-style thing and her vibe is different. She's very composed. She's not like, 'Oh, we'll just take it off sticks and throw it on his shoulder and we're going to dance around and you can say whatever you want.' She's like, 'No, no. You're going to say the lines and I'm going to compose my shot. We're going to shoot a scene.' Yeah, so I think that's pretty special."

8. Medium of Laura Dern talking to reporter

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Laura Dern, actress - on shooting in 16mm:

"God, no. It's amazing. I hope to, you know, be around film more and more. I love all of it in its own unique way, but I love film very much, so... We just need labs. We need labs and hopefully many more filmmakers will continue to explore with film."

10. Various of Michelle Williams posing for photographers

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Michelle Williams, actress - on what was important about this film:

"Working with my old pal Kelly Reichardt, it's our third movie together, so whatever she asks, the answer is always yes. And then when I was there, I discovered these great actors that I got to work with."

12. Michelle Williams posing for photographers

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Michelle Williams, actress - on working with Kelly again:

"It's extra for me because I think that Kelly is a genius and I am so lucky that in my lifetime I have intersected with hers."

(Reporter: "Outside of that, security and Kim Kardashian do you feel less safe after what happened yesterday?")

Michelle Williams: "Do I feel less safe after what happened, yesterday? Oh, I don't know."

14. Various of cast posing for photographers

'PULP' ON 'CLOUDS'

Quentin Tarantino and the stars of "Pulp Fiction" walked the red carpet in Cannes on Friday night (23 MAY 2014) for the premiere of "Clouds of Sils Maria."

The acclaimed American director is at the festival this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his cult classic, which won the festival's top prize in 1994.

They were joined at the event by French director Olivier Assayas and his "Sils Maria" cast, which includes Kristen Stewart, Juliette Binoche, and Chloe Grace Moretz.

Assayas' latest offering is showing in competition at this year's festival which draws to a close on Sunday.

Tarantino will also be helping to close the 67th edition of the festival with a tribute to Sergio Leone.

The filmmaker will present a restored version of Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars" (1964) at the May 24 closing ceremony.

Usually, the Palme d'Or winner is screened at the Cannes closing ceremony, but this year's schedule has been tweaked because of European elections.

The Palme d'Or winner will be shown Sunday (25 MAY 2014) instead.

AP Entertainment

Cannes, France, 23 May 2014

1. Tilt down of red carpet

2. Pan of photographers

3. Joe Jackson red carpet

4. Catherine Deneuve arrival

5. Cutaway of press

6. Various of "Pulp Fiction" arrivals including Lawrence Bender, Quentin Tarantino, Uma Thurman, John Travolta and Kelly Preston

7. Tilt up Kristen Stewart

8. Cutaway of press

9. Various of "Clouds of Sils Maria" arrivals including Kristen Stewart, Juliette Binoche, Chloe Grace Moretz and Olivier Assayas

KRISTEN STEWART RE-EMERGES ON TORONTO RED CARPET

"Twilight's" newest vampire re-emerged in public Thursday night at the Toronto Film Festival.

Kristen Stewart made her first public appearance in nearly two months.

After publicly apologizing for having a tryst with the married director of her last film, "Snow White and the Huntsman," the 22-year star went into lockdown mode.

Hundreds of fans eagerly awaited her return as she walked the red carpet for her latest film, "On the Road," based on the classic Jack Kerouac novel.

Stewart posed for photographers, spoke to a few television crews (while paired with co-star Garret Hedlund, and signed lots of autographs for fans. Many of them had waited since the early morning.

Dressed in a slinky, floral Zuhair Murad dress, Stewart held her head high but showed signs of nervousness.

Several times she broke away from the press line to pose for pictures with fans behind the barricade.

At times, it seemed that the fans were providing the support Stewart needed to carry on through mobbed press event.

Stewart says she likes the idea of books being made into movies, and that "On the Road" is one of her favorite books.

"Yeah, specifically to this case there were untapped resources that we were allowed to sort of be privy too. Being somebody that has loved the book their whole life, I think to be allowed to know the information that we knew and be able to bring it to life in a way that was connected to the people and not just the book and the fiction of it. It happened. It wasn't just a novel. I think it pays homage to all of that, and it feels good," she said.

But did she ever think she would act in the big screen version back when she first read it?

"I was so young when I read the book, there wasn't a second's thought that I would ever play this part, so when it came about I drove away from my meeting with Walter absolutely vibrating, shaking, so yeah," Stewart said.

Back in July Stewart admitted to having an affair with 41-year old director Rupert Sanders. That announcement had a rippling effect, putting her romantic relationship with "Twilight" co-star Robert Pattinson on definite hold.

When asked how she was doing, Stewart responded: "I'm doing fine." Then she walked away.

AP Entertainment

Toronto, 6 September 2012

1. Wide of fans outside Ryerson Theater

2. Camera crews waiting for Kristen Stewart

3. Wide of Kristen Stewart posing for photographer

4. Medium of Kristen Stewart posing for photo with fan

5. Medium of fans waiting for autographs

6. Medium of Kristen Stewart hugging friend on red carpet

7. Wide of Kristen Stewart and Garret Hedlund talking to reporters

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart/Actress, on working from a book again:

"Yeah, specifically to this case there were untapped resources that we were allowed to sort of be privy too. Being somebody that has loved the book their whole life, I think to be allowed to know the information that we knew and be able to bring it to life in a way that was connected to the people and not just the book and the fiction of it. It happened. It wasn't just a novel. I think it pays homage to all of that, and it feels good."

9. Wide of Kristen Stewart and Garret Hedlund talking to reporters

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart/Actress, on imaging herself in the movie when reading the book:

"I was so young when I read the book, there wasn't a second's thought that I would ever play this part, so when it came about I drove away from my meeting with Walter absolutely vibrating, shaking, so yeah."

11. Wide of Kristen Stewart and Garret Hedlund talking to reporters

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Garret Hedlund/Actor:

"I read this book when I was in high school. I looked it up on lone to see who was directing and it said Francis Ford Coppola and I said I'll never get it. I have no chance at this. And then eight years later we were all on set together, me and Kristen and Sam (Riley) and Kirsten (Dunst) and Viggo (Mortensen) and it's one of the greatest experiences you could ever feel."

13. Tilt up on Kristen Stewart signing autograph

14. Kristen Stewart walking on red carpet

SHOTLIST (including transcript):-

AP Entertainment

Park City, Utah, 24 Jan. 2016

1. Wide, left to right, James Jordan, Sara Rodier, Jared Harris, James Le Gros, Kristen Stewart, Kelly Reichardt and Lily Gladstone posing

2. Medium of Kristen Stewart

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart, actress

"It's a very quiet, tiny, thoughtful, little movie. It's segmented into three little pieces and there isn't much of an obvious through line. I think if you were to pick one I think it's all about a particular person who desires something that they can't have and I was drawn to this character because of her sort of distracted nature and the missed connections that she makes with another character and the sort of tone of it. I love Kelly's (Reichardt) movies. She focuses on things that typical filmmakers just wouldn't. It's always the little things in between the cinematic moments. It's always the little, undetected and visible communications. She's really good at highlighting the unsaid and I wanted to do something like that."

4. Wide of Kristen Stewart, push in to medium of Kristen Stewart, tilt down of Stewart

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart, actress

"That production company wants to make money and here, they just like to showcase film and highlight work that they admire. It's an institution for independent film, it's like there aren't too many places to celebrate little, tiny movies that most people don't see and, you know, for two weeks out of the year we go like, 'This is the most important thing' because it's a really close-knit, little family of like esoteric film nerds. It's fun. Yeah."

6. Medium of Kristen Stewart, left, and Kelly Reichardt, right

7. Medium of Sara Rodier posing

8. Tilt dowhn and up of Lily Gladstone

9. Medium of Jared Harris

KRISTEN STEWART: SUNDANCE IS FOR 'ESOTERIC FILM NERDS'

Kristen Stewart says the Sundance Film Festival is for "esoteric film nerds" and that's why it matters.

The actress premiered her film "Certain Women" Sunday (24 JAN. 2016) at the festival.

On the red carpet, she talked about why Sundance celebrates and encourages a variety of story-telling, more so than a mainstream Hollywood production company.

"That production company wants to make money and here, they just like to showcase film and highlight work that they admire," explained Stewart. "It's an institution for independent film, it's like there aren't too many places to celebrate little, tiny movies that most people don't see and, you know, for two weeks out of the year we go like, 'This is the most important thing' because it's a really close-knit, little family."

Stewart described "Certain Women" as "a very quiet, tiny, thoughtful, little movie. It's segmented into three little pieces and there isn't much of an obvious through line. I think if you were to pick one I think it's all about a particular person who desires something that they can't have," she said.

"Certain Women" also stars Michelle Williams and Laura Dern but they weren't at the Sundance premiere. Cast members Jared Harris, Lily Gladstone and Sara Rodier and director Kelly Reichardt did attend with Stewart.

The Sundance Film Festival runs through Jan. 31.

STEWART, HOULT BRING 'EQUALS' TO VENICE

Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult were greeted by hoards of screaming fans at the Venice Film Festival premiere of their new futuristic romance, "Equals," on Saturday night.

Directed by Drake Doremus, the American filmmaker behind troubled-love stories "Like Crazy" and "Breathe In," "Equals" is a science-fiction romance that puts Stewart and Hoult into a future society where emotions _ messy, disruptive things _ have been genetically suppressed for the good of humanity.

Their characters, Nia and Silas, develop feelings which blossom into a secret love that shakes their identities and endangers their lives.

"Equals" is one of 21 films competing for the festivals top prize, the Golden Lion.

The Venice Film Festival draws to a close on September 12th.

AP Entertainment

Venice, 5 September 2015

1. Wide of Kristen Stewart arriving

2. Pan from photographers to Stewart

3. Various of Kristen Stewart posing for photographers

4. Various of Nicholas Hoult posing for photographers

5. Medium of director Drake Doremus and guest

6. Close of Doremus

7. Medium of fans

8. Medium of Doremus, Stewart and Hoult

9. Cutaway photographers

10. Medium of Stewart and Hoult posing for photos

11. Various of Hoult signing autographs

12. Medium of Stewart signing

13. Tracking shot of Stewart walking away from fans towards theater

Kristen Stewart,

Copyright 2017 Celebrity Footage. All Rights Reserved.

Kristen Stewart,

Copyright 2017 Celebrity Footage. All Rights Reserved.

SHOTLIST:

Kristen Stewart, Alicia Cargile,

SHOTLIST:

Kristen Stewart,

SHOTLIST:

Kristen Stewart,

SHOTLIST:

Woody Allen, Blake Lively, Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, Corey Stoll,

ANTI-HARASSMENT CAMPAIGN UNVEILED AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Participants at the Cannes Film Festival will be given fliers warning "Proper Behavior Required" as part of an anti-sexual harassment campaign at the May 8-19 event.

The top women's rights official for the French government announced Friday (27 APRIL 2018) that she reached a deal with Cannes organizers for the campaign. It will include written warnings urging appropriate behavior and a hotline for victims and witnesses to report abuse.

Secretary of State for Women's Affairs Marlene Schiappa noted that Cannes is one of the places where disgraced Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein allegedly raped and harassed women.

Schiappa's office says the French government is urging other upcoming festivals and events to join the effort.

Film festivals have been soul-searching since the Weinstein scandal, rewriting codes of conduct and redoubling gender equality efforts.

FILE: Cannes, France, 20 May 2017

1. Wide of Cannes sign above Palais steps

2. Tilt to wide of people posing for photos on Palais steps

3. Medium of photographers

4. Various of actres Kristen Stewart posing on Cannes red carpet

FILE: Cannes, France, 20 May 2014

5. Wide tilt of red carpet at Cannes Film Festival

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Cannes, France, 15 May 2015

6. Wide, pan right of red carpet at Cannes Film Festival

FILE: Cannes, France, 25 May 2015

7. Wide of Harvey Weinstein at closing night of Cannes Film Festival

FILE: Cannes, France, 24 May 2013

8. Wide of Harvey Weinstein climbing steps at a Cannes Film Festival premiere

SUNDANCE LINEUP INCLUDES ROBIN WILLIAMS, JANE FONDA, GLORIA ALLRED DOCS

Documentaries about Robin Williams, Gloria Allred and Ruth Bader Ginsberg and a Lizzie Borden film with Kristen Stewart are among the 110 features set to premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

The Sundance Institute announced the diverse lineup of films Wednesday (29 NOV. 2017) for the annual festival held in Park City, Utah. Festival programmers say the films this year highlight the stories of alternative voices and points of view, including films by and about women, and the experience of African-American men in the world right now.

The African-American experience is highlighted in competition films like "Blindspotting," a buddy comedy starring Daveed Diggs.

Films with complex female characters include "Lizzie," a psychological thriller about Lizzie Borden starring Kristen Stewart and Chloe Sevigny as Borden, "The Miseducation of Cameron Post," about a girl who is forced to go to therapy for her sexuality, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, and "The Tale," about a woman reevaluating her first relationship starring Laura Dern. "Star Wars" star Daisy Ridley also stars in "Ophelia," a female-focused spin on Hamlet.

Granik, whose last feature "Winter's Bone" earned Jennifer Lawrence her first Oscar nomination, is back with her first narrative feature in over seven years — an untitled film about a father and daughter living in a secluded nature reserve in Oregon starring Ben Foster.

The domestic documentary competition includes a timely film called "Seeing Allred," which focuses on the women's rights attorney's life and taking on both Bill Cosby and Donald Trump.

Documentary premieres, a section that has in the past unveiled "An Independent Sequel" and "Going Clear," has a film about the life of Robin Williams told mostly through his own voice, "Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind," a look at Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, "RBG," and a Fred Rogers documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor."

Actor Idris Elba also makes his feature directorial debut with "Yardie," a thriller about a boy who sees his brother's assassination in 1973 Jamaica. Ethan Hawke has also directed a film that will premiere at the festival.

The Sundance Film Festival runs from Jan. 18-28. Additional selections will be announced in the coming weeks.

++4x3 VIDEO++

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Los Angeles - 4 October 2006

1. Various of actor Robin Williams and his family posing for photographers on a red carpet

2. Medium of Robin Williams and actor Jeff Goldblum posing for photographers

3. Cutaway of Williams speaking to reporter

++4x3 VIDEO++

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Los Angeles - 15 November 1996

4. Robin Williams and wife walking down red carpet for 'The Mirror Has Two Faces' premiere

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Pittsburgh, Penn., 28 June 1989

5. Still image- Fred Rogers rehearses for the opening of his PBS show 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Pittsburgh, Penn., 1996

6. Still image- Fred Rogers poses on the set of his television show 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 26 Oct. 2017

7. Medium of Gloria Allred listening to a reporter ask her a question

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 25 Oct. 2017

8. Medium of Gloria Allred speaking at a press conference

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Washington, D.C., 1 June 2017

9. Still image- Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joins other justices of the U.S. Supreme Court for an official group portrait at the Supreme Court Building

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Washington, D.C., 20 Sept. 2017

10. Still image- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg waves to the audience on stage at Georgetown University's Law Center campus

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Beverly Hills, Calif., 1 Nov. 2015

11. Various of Jane Fonda arriving at the Hollywood Film Awards

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 14 Nov. 2017

12. Various of Kristen Stewart posing for photos

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 29 Oct. 2015

13. Various of Chloe Sevigny arriving at an amfAR Gala

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Beverly Hills, Calif., 6 Aug. 2017

14. Cutaway of Daveed Diggs giving an interview

15. Medium of Daveed Diggs talking to a reporter

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Los Angeles, 22 Feb. 2015

16. Various of Chloe Grace Moretz arriving at the Oscars

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Beverly Hills, Calif., 6 Feb. 2017

17. Fashion pan of Laura Dern posing for photographers at the Oscar nominees luncheon

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Los Angeles, 16 Oct. 2017

18. Various of Laura Dern arriving at an event

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 1 May 2017

19. Various of Daisy Ridley arriving at the Met Gala

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Park City, Utah, 23 Jan. 2015

20. Various of Ethan Hawke arriving at a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 18 July 2016

21. Medium of Idris Elba posing for photos

The catwalk continued in Cannes over the weekend, with models and movie stars jetting into the French Riviera.

Causing the Croisette to come to a standstill was Rihanna, who owned the red carpet in a billowing white Dior gown with Andy Wolf eyewear. She attended the premiere of controversial Netflix movie "Okja," which is screening in competition at the festival, and joined cast members Jake Gyllenhaal, Lily Collins, Paul Dano and Tilda Swinton.

Following Rihanna's lead and wearing white to the premiere of movie "120 Beats Per Minute" was Kendall Jenner, who floated down the red carpet in a Giambattista Valli gown with a massive train, clinched waist and one-shoulder detailing. Also in attendance was Kristen Stewart, wearing a Chanel skirt with suspenders and a peach bandeau top. Stewart is in town screening her directorial debut, "Come Swim."

Also showcasing their movie in Cannes: Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, Kidman in a long-sleeved sequined Rodarte gown and Fanning in floor-length mint green Gucci with floral applique. They were joined by their castmates of sci-fi romantic comedy "How To Talk To Girls At Parties," who all wore their zany outfits from the movie, including a turquoise latex suit, a caped purple turtleneck, and an orange-and-black bodysuit.

Cannes, France, 19 May 2017

1. Various of Rihanna posing for photographs

2. Close-up Jake Gyllenhaal and Lily Collins, pan to Paul Dano

3. Close-up Tilda Swinton

Cannes, France, 20 May 2017

4. Various, Kendall Jenner arrives on carpet, walks up and poses for cameras

5. Various, Kristen Stewart poses for photographers

6. Medium of Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman

7. Tilt up, Elle Fanning dress

8. Pan across of cast and crew with (r-l) Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, John Cameron Mitchell, author Neil Gaiman and Alex Sharp

9. Wide of cast walking down red carpet

10. Medium of cast entering Palais de Festivals

ELLE FANNING, YORGOS LANTHIMOS, PAWEL PAWLIKOWSKI JOIN INARRITU'S CANNES JURY

Actress Elle Fanning, "The Favourite" director Yorgos Lanthimos and "Cold War" filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski are joining the Cannes Film Festival jury that will decide the Palme d'Or.

The Cannes Film Festival on Monday (29 APRIL 2019) announced the members of the jury to be led by Alejandro Inarritu, the "Birdman" director. Also on the jury are American director Kelly Reichardt, Italian filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher, Burkina Faso actress Maimouna N'Diaye, French author Enki Bilal and French director Robin Campillo.

Campillo scripted the 2008 Palme d'Or winner "The Class."

The Cannes Film Festival will open May 14 with the premiere of Jim Jarmusch's "The Dead Don't Die." The festival runs through May 25.

ARCHIVE: Los Angeles, 30 November 2017  

1. Various of Elle Fanning posing on the Billboard Women in Music carpet

ARCHIVE: Park City, Utah, 24 January 2016

2. Medium of Kristen Stewart, left, and Kelly Reichardt, right, at the Sundance Film Festival

3. Wide, left to right, James Jordan, Sara Rodier, Jared Harris, James Le Gros, Kristen Stewart, Kelly Reichardt and Lily Gladstone posing

ARCHIVE: Cannes, France, 20 May 2017

4. Pan of Robin Campillo and the cast of '120 Beats Per Minute' arriving at the Cannes Film Festival

ARCHIVE: Cannes, France, 22 May 2017

6. Cutaway of Robin Campillo in an interview

ARCHIVE: Venice, Italy, 8 September 2018

7. Various of Yorgos Lanthimos and Olivia Colman arriving at the Venice Film Festival premiere of 'The Favourite'

ARCHIVE: Cannes, France, 15 May 2018

8. Cutaway of Alice Rohrwacher giving an interview

ARCHIVE: Cannes, France, 10 May 2018

9. Various of cast of 'Cold War' entering red carpet, left to right, Tanya Seghatchian, actors Borys Szyc, Joanna Kulig, director Pawel Pawlikowski, producer Ewa Puszczynska and actor Tomasz Kot

ARCHIVE: Los Angeles, 2 June 2015

10. Zoom in on Alejandro Inarritu on a red carpet

PREPARATIONS ON THE LIDO IN FULL SWING FOR VENICE FILM FESTIVAL, WHICH KICKS OFF THIS WEEK

Preparations for the 77th Venice Film Festival are underway.

An Italian film will open the festival for the first time in over a decade: the marital drama "The Ties," from director Daniele Luchetti and starring Alba Rohrwacher. The festival runs Sept. 2. through Sept. 12.

The American frontier drama "The World to Come," the Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren comedy-drama "The Duke," Gia Coppola's "Mainstream," and the Shia LaBeouf and Vanessa Kirby drama "Pieces of a Woman" are among the films set to premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in September, the first major event of its kind since the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of large gatherings worldwide.

Films premiering in competition include Chloe Zhao's "Nomadland;" Nicole Garcia's "Lovers," with Stacy Martin; Susanna Nicchiarelli's "Miss Marx," with Romola Garai as Karl Marx's daughter Eleanor; and Mona Fastvold's "The World to Come," about two women who forge a connection in isolation in the mid-19th century. Based on Jim Shepard's short story, it also stars Kirby, best known for playing Princess Margaret in "The Crown," Katherine Waterston and Casey Affleck.

Competition films hail from Japan (Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Wife of a Spy"), Russia (Andrei Konchalovsky's "Dear Comrades") Iran (Majid Majidi's "Sun Child"), Poland (Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert's "Never Gonna Snow Again") and Israel (Amos Gitai's "Laila in Haifa").

Cate Blanchett will be presiding over the main competition jury alongside filmmakers Joanna Hogg, Veronika Franz, Christian Petzold and Cristi Puiu, actor Ludivine Sagnier and writer Nicola Lagioia. They will together decide on the coveted Golden Lion award, which last went to Todd Phillips' "Joker."

Out-of-competition selections include Luca Guadagnino's Salvatore Ferragamo documentary "The Shoemaker of Dreams," Nathan Grossman's "Greta," about climate activist Greta Thunberg and Alex Gibney's "Crazy, Not Insane," about a psychiatrist who works with serial killers like Ted Bundy.

Gia Coppola's "Mainstream," with Andrew Garfield and Maya Hawke, will debut in the Horizons section, which spotlights newcomers.

The festival will implement various modifications due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19, including a slightly slimmed-down official competition, a reduced number of sections and the addition of two outdoor screening venues, in addition to its traditional venues. Organizers said they will also be adhering to safety measures established by local authorities.

And it will be a decidedly different festival than in the past couple of years, where A-List stars from Brad Pitt to Lady Gaga have put on their finest for red carpet premieres. Netflix, which had a major presence last year with "Marriage Story," "The Laundromat" and "The King," is also absent this year.

Attendees are also likely to be mostly European this year due to continuing travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. Italy was an early epicenter of the virus outbreak.

COVID-19 has massively disrupted the film festival circuit, a major launching pad not only for awards contenders but also for films looking for buzz and distribution. Cannes and Telluride were cancelled and others like Venice and the Toronto International Film Festival have had to get creative and scale back where possible in order to proceed. Some have even formed alliances to benefit all instead of fighting for exclusive, high-profile premieres. Case in point, Chloe Zhao's "Nomadland," starring Frances McDormand, will premiere across the major fall film festivals - Venice, Toronto, Telluride and New York.

Venice, 30 September 2020

1. Various Venice beauty shots taken from ferry

Archive: Venice, 28 August 2019

2. Wide shot opening night carpet, arrival of "The Truth" cast members

3. Medium of Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche

4. Pan of festival jury: (L-R) Shinya Tsukamoto, Paolo Virzì, Stacy Martin, Jury President Lucrecia Martel, Mary Harron, Rodrigo Prieto and Piers Handling

Archive: Venice, 31 August 2019

5. Various Cate Blanchett on red carpet for premiere of "Joker"

6. Wide shot Joaquin Phoenix signs autographs

Archive: Venice, 29 August 2019

7. Wide shot Brad Pitt, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler and James Gray arrive in boat for in competition film "Ad Astra"

Archive: Venice, 2 September 2019

8. Various Timothee Chalamet poses for cameras at premiere of out of competition film "The King"

Archive: Venice, 30 August 2019

9. Wide shot Kristen Stewart steps off boat as she arrives for press conference for out of competition film "Seberg"

Archive: Venice, 7 September 2019

10. Wide of Orizzonti Jury Members Alvaro Brechner, Eva Sangiorgi, Rachid Bouchareb, Jury President Susanna Nicchiarelli and jury member Mark Adam

11. Pan press to "Joker" director Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix on red carpet ahead of award ceremony

Archive: Venice, 27 August 2019

12. Wide of festival site

13. Wide of festival sign

14. Wide of people on bicycles

15. Wide of street

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS SELECTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER FETE

The American frontier drama “The World to Come,” the Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren comedy-drama “The Duke,” Gia Coppola’s “Mainstream,” and the Shia LaBeouf and Vanessa Kirby drama “Pieces of a Woman” are among the films set to premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in September, the first major event of its kind since the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of large gatherings worldwide, organizers said Tuesday (28 JULY 2020).

The selections for the 77th edition, which launches Sept. 2 on the Venice Lido, are more global and less packed with star-studded Hollywood features than in years past as a result of the ongoing virus outbreak, festival director Alberto Barbera acknowledged.

“This year, to borrow Bob Dylan’s words, the program contains multitudes: of movies, of genres, of points of view,” Barbera said at a Tuesday morning news conference. “There will be auteur films, comedies, documentaries, horror flicks, gangster movies, and so on."

Films premiering in competition include Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland;” Nicole Garcia’s “Lovers,” with Stacy Martin; Susanna Nicchiarelli's “Miss Marx,” with Romola Garai as Karl Marx's daughter Eleanor; and Mona Fastvold’s “The World to Come,” about two women who forge a connection in isolation in the mid-19th century. Based on Jim Shepard’s short story, it also stars Kirby, best known for playing Princess Margaret in “The Crown,” Katherine Waterston and Casey Affleck.

Barbera noted that almost half of the competition film selections this year are directed by women. The festival has had notoriously poor gender parity in the past.

The films this year, Barbera said, “were selected exclusively on the basis of their quality and not as a result of gender protocols. This is an unprecedented percentile which we hope augurs well for a future cinema that is free of any sort of prejudice and discrimination.”

Competition films hail from Japan (Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Wife of a Spy”), Russia (Andrei Konchalovsky’s “Dear Comrades”) Iran (Majid Majidi’s “Sun Child”), Poland (Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert’s “Never Gonna Snow Again”) and Israel (Amos Gitai’s “Laila in Haifa”).

Cate Blanchett will be presiding over the main competition jury alongside filmmakers Joanna Hogg, Veronika Franz, Christian Petzold and Cristi Puiu, actor Ludivine Sagnier and writer Nicola Lagioia. They will together decide on the coveted Golden Lion award, which last went to Todd Phillips’ “Joker.”

Out-of-competition selections include Luca Guadagnino's Salvatore Ferragamo documentary “The Shoemaker of Dreams," Nathan Grossman's “Greta,” about climate activist Greta Thunberg and Alex Gibney's “Crazy, Not Insane,” about a psychiatrist who works with serial killers like Ted Bundy.

Gia Coppola's “Mainstream,” with Andrew Garfield and Maya Hawke, will debut in the Horizons section, which spotlights newcomers.

The festival will implement various modifications due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19, including a slightly slimmed-down official competition, a reduced number of sections and the addition of two outdoor screening venues, in addition to its traditional venues. Organizers said they will also be adhering to safety measures established by local authorities.

“Until a short while ago, even the certainty of maintaining the late-summer appointment with Venice’s Festival was anything but a given,” Barbera said.

And it will be a decidedly different festival than in the past couple of years, where A-List stars from Brad Pitt to Lady Gaga have put on their finest for red carpet premieres. Netflix, which had a major presence last year with “Marriage Story,” “The Laundromat” and “The King," is also absent this year.

“A few spectacular movies will be missing, blocked by the lockdown which still affects the programming of the most-awaited Hollywood releases. A few cast members of the invited movies won’t be able to attend because of the ongoing limitations on intercontinental travel,” Barbera said.

Attendees are also likely to be mostly European this year due to continuing travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. Italy was an early epicenter of the virus outbreak.

But the show will go on.

“The decision to hold the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival is experienced like a sign of confidence in - dnd concrete support of - the world of film and the audiovisual industry,” Barbera said.

The festival will open with an Italian film for the first time in over a decade: the marital drama “The Ties,” from director Daniele Luchetti and starring Alba Rohrwacher will premiere on the Lido on Sept. 2. It runs through Sept. 12.

COVID-19 has massively disrupted the film festival circuit, a major launching pad not only for awards contenders but also for films looking for buzz and distribution. Cannes and Telluride were cancelled and others like Venice and the Toronto International Film Festival have had to get creative and scale back where possible in order to proceed. Some have even formed alliances to benefit all instead of fighting for exclusive, high-profile premieres. Case in point, Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” starring Frances McDormand, will premiere across the major fall film festivals - Venice, Toronto, Telluride and New York.

Venice, Italy, 28 August 2019

1. Wide shot opening night carpet, arrival of "The Truth" cast members

2 . Medium of Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche

3. Pan of festival jury: (L-R) Shinya Tsukamoto, Paolo Virzì, Stacy Martin, Jury President Lucrecia Martel, Mary Harron, Rodrigo Prieto and Piers Handling

Venice, Italy, 31 August 2019

4. Various Cate Blanchett on red carpet for premiere of "Joker"

5. Wide shot Joaquin Phoenix signs autographs

Venice, Italy, 29 August 2019

6. Wide shot Brad Pitt, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler and James Gray arrive in boat for in competition film "Ad Astra"

Venice, Italy, 2 September 2019

7. Various Timothee Chalamet poses for cameras at premiere of out of competition film "The King"

Venice, Italy, 30 August 2019

8. Wide shot Kristen Stewart steps off boat as she arrives for press conference for out of competition film "Seberg"

Venice, Italy, 7 September 2019

9. Wide of Orizzonti Jury Members Alvaro Brechner, Eva Sangiorgi, Rachid Bouchareb, Jury President Susanna Nicchiarelli and jury member Mark Adam

10. Pan press to "Joker" director Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix on red carpet ahead of award ceremony

Venice, Italy, 27 August 2019

11. Wide of festival site

12. Wide of festival sign

13. Wide of people on bicycles

14. Wide of street

15. Wide of posters for "Ad Astra"

16. Medium of poster for "Ad Astra"

17. Wide of posters

18. Wide of worker putting up signage

19. Wide of Hotel Des Bains

20. Medium of lion statue

22. Wide pan of carpet

23. Wide of cinema

24. Close of marquee with 76 edition

25. Wide of canal

26. Wide of boat

JAPANESE DRAMA 'SHOPLIFTERS' WINS CANNES' PALME D'OR

Japanese director Hizokazu Kore-eda's tender portrait of a poor, improvised family "Shoplifters" has won the Palme d'Or, the top award at the Cannes Film Festival.

In the Cannes closing ceremony Saturday (19 MAY 2018), the Cate Blanchett-led jury selected one of the festival's most acclaimed entries, one hailed as a modest masterpiece from a veteran filmmaker renowned for his delicate touch. "Shoplifters" is about a small-time thief who takes a young girl home to his family; after seeing scars from abuse, they decide to keep her and raise her as their own.

While many speculated that the Cate Blanchett-led jury might award only the second Palme d'Or to a film directed by a woman, the most likely contender — Lebanese director Nadine Labaki's "Capernaum" — was instead given Cannes' jury prize. The film drew a rousing standing ovation but less enthusiastic critic reviews for its tale of a 12-year-old boy living in poverty who sues his parents for neglect.

Spike Lee's "BlacKkKlansman," the highest profile American film in competition at Cannes, was awarded the grand prize. The film ignited the French Riviera festival with its true tale of a black police detective who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan. Lee connected the film to modern day with real footage from last year's violent white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The 12-day festival, the first since the downfall of film mogul Harvey Weinstein (for decades an annual fixture in Cannes), was shaken by debate over gender equality in the film industry and at Cannes. In a striking rally, 82 women — the same number of female filmmakers to ever be selected to Cannes competition lineup — stood on the Palais red-carpet steps, as Cate Blanchett said, "a symbol of our determination to change and progress."

Some changes were swift. Just days later, with Blanchett's jury looking on, Cannes' Artistic Director Thierry Fremaux signed a pledge to make the festival's selection process more transparent and promised other measures to improve the festival's record of including female filmmakers. Three of this year's 21 films in competition were directed by women.

It was also a part of Saturday's closing ceremony. With a fist raised high on the red carpet, Italian filmmaker and actress Asia Argento attended the ceremony. Argento has said Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997. (Weinstein has denied all accusations of non-consensual sex.)

"In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes. I was 21 years old. This festival was his hunting ground," said Argento at the ceremony. "I want to make a prediction: Harvey Weinstein will never be welcomed here ever again."

Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski took best director for his follow-up to the Oscar-winning "Ida," ?Cold War." Like "Ida," ?Cold War" is a black-and-white period film that delves into Polish history. It's about an up-and-down romance in post-war Poland and Paris, behind and outside the Soviet Iron Curtain.

Best actress went to Samal Yeslyamova for Kazakh writer-director Sergey Dvortsevoy's "Ayka." Taking best actor was Marcello Fonte for Matteo Garrone's "Dogman," an award that was presented by fellow Italian actor Roberto Benigni.

The prize for best screenplay was split between Italian writer-director Alice Rohrwacher's time-warped fable about a poor farm boy in rural Italy "Happy as Lazzaro" and Nader Saeivar and Jafar Panahi's script for "Three Faces."

Panahi has been banned from traveling outside Iran since he was arrested for participating in "propaganda against the regime" in 2010 after supporting mass protests over the country's disputed 2009 election. Both Panahi and Russia's Kirill Serebrennikov were unable to attend their Cannes premieres because both are barred from traveling out of their home countries. Seats were left empty for both, who received standing ovations in absentia.

A "Palme d'Or Speciale," a special award not previously awarded, was given to Jean-Luc Godard for "continually striving to define and refine what cinema can be," said Blanchett. Godard's "Image Book" is a film essay collage that contemplates the West's relationship to the Arab world. The 87-year-old French filmmaking legend called into his Cannes press conference via FaceTime.

The closing ceremony was held ahead of the premiere of Terry Gilliam's "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote." Famously victim to countless delays and debacles, the film took nearly 30 years for Gilliam to complete. And its Cannes premiere was still almost canceled because of an injunction sought by producer Paolo Branco, who insisted the festival needed his permission. French courts last week denied Branco's request, allowing the screening to move forward.

Last year's Palme d'Or winner was Ruben Ostlund's "The Square," which went on to be nominated for best foreign language film at the Academy Awards.

Cannes, France, 19 May 2018

1. Wide shot, pan red carpet

2. Pan from press to Asia Argento

3. Pan from press to Asia Argento raising fist

4. Medium Sting and Shaggy

5. Medium Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi

6. Tilt up Valery Kaufman

7. Medium John Savage

8. Medium shot Samal Yesyamova and Sergey Dvortsevoy

9. Pan from press to Un Certain Regard jury (L-R) Kantemir Balagov, Annemarie Jacri, Virginie Ledoyen, Benicio Del Toro

10. Pan of above

11. Pan from press to wide of "Cold War" arrivals

12. Medium Gary Oldman and Gisele Schmidt, tilt up to press

13. Medium Marcello Fonte and Matteo Garrone

14. Wide Marcello Fonte and Matteo Garrone

15. Pan from press to Adrien Brody and Caroline Scheufele

16. Wide Nadine Labaki and arrivals for "Capernaum"

17. Tilt up Behnaz Jafari, Mastaneh Mohajer and guest

18. Tilt up photographer to Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis, joined by Laure Harrier and Barry Alexander Brown

19. Cutaway press

20. Wide Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis, Laure Harrier and Barry Alexander Brown

21. Pan from press to Hirozaku Kore-Eda

22. Pan from photographer to wide of jury including Denis Villeneuve, Chang Chen, Ava DuVernay, Lea Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Khadja Nin, Andrey Zvyagintsev and Robert Guediguian.

23. Cutaway photographers

24. Wide of jury pan to Cate Blanchett posing for photos

25. Various jury

26. Cutaway photographers

27. Pan of jury

28. Various jury

29. Medium Lea Seydoux

30. Various of jury on steps

31. Wide of arrivals "The Man That Killed Don Quixote" arrivals

32. Cutaway photographers

33. Wide of "The Man That Killed Don Quixote" arrivals including Jordi Molla, Sergi Lopez, Rossy De Palma, Olga Kurylenko, Adam Driver, Terry Gilliam, Joana Ribeiro, Jonathan Pryce.

34. Cutaway press

35. Various "The Man That Killed Don Quixote" arrivals

36. Wide of red carpets

36. Various of "The Man That Killed Don Quixote" arrivals on steps and entering theater