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European sales banner Newen Connect has boarded “Haunted Minds,” a psychological thriller directed by Belgian filmmaker Lucas Belvaux (“This Is Our Land”) on the eve of the European Film Market in Berlin.

“‘Haunted Minds” is led by a sexy cast, including Niels Schneider and Ramzy Bedia, who both starred in Xavier Giannoli’s acclaimed limited series “Of Money and Blood.” Deborah François (“Savage State”) and Linh-dan Pham (“Mr. Nobody”) complete the cast.

The movie, which is based on a Belgian novel penned by Belvaux, revolves around a skilled army veteran Skender suffering from Ptsd who’s been estranged from his children and their mother, and is now homeless. “Out of the blue, Max, his former sergeant, approaches him with a life-changing offer, to hunt down a man. If Skender agrees to the offer, his family will receive a large sum of money upon his death. However, if he survives for one month,...

Mk2 Films has taken on international sales rights for Frenchdrama Enzodirected by Robin Campillo, who stepped in todirect the feature after his friend and the film’s co-writer Laurent Cantet died unexpectedly in April of last year.

Anatomy Of A Fall producer Marie-Ange Luciani of Les Films de Pierre produces the film shot in and set in La Ciotat in the south of France. It follows a 16-year-old boy who defies his bourgeois family’s expectations by starting a masonry apprenticeship where he meets a charismatic Ukrainian colleague who shakes up his world. Newcomers Eloy Pohu and Maksym Slivinskyi star...

Hafsia Herzi’s coming-of-age story La Petite Dernière, about a young woman balancing her faith and family with her ambitions and sexuality, has just wrapped for rising French production outfit June Films; mk2 Films has acquired the buzzy title for international sales.

Newcomer Nadia Melliti stars alongside Return To Seoul’s Park-ji Min with Louis Memmi, Mouna Soualem, and several non-professional actors in an adaptation of Fatima Daas’ novel. It is about the daughter of Algerian immigrants in Paris struggling to reconcile what is expected of her by her family and society and the life she wants for herself.

Newen Connect has boarded Pascal Elbé’s Lucky Star, one of four newcomedies the company will launch at Unifrance’s Rendez-Vous in Paris later this month.

Actor/filmmaker Elbé’s fourth feature as a director is set in 1940 France and stars Benoit Poelvoorde as an army deserter who hatches a plan to escape Nazi punishment and protect his wife and sonby pretending his family is Jewish, but ends up being swept into the Resistance.

Elbé also stars in the film with Audrey Lamy, Zabou Breitman and Hugo Becker. It is produced by Yze’s Yann Zanou and Adnp/Quad’s Nicolas Adassovsky.

Horimiya's unique storytelling format required adaptation to create a cohesive love story for Hori and Miyamura. The 4-koma format limited the original plot's depth, leading to the anime's focused development of the romantic narrative. Director Masashi Ishihama aimed to bring more romantic comedies to Japan through the refreshing take on Horimiya.

Its not usual to see the genre romance paired together with the shonen demographic, but when they are, its usually in reference to a major hit like Horimiya. That is not the only factor that makes the romcom special, though. The source material for this anime is a webcomic that is in a 4-koma format, which is to say, each chapter is made up of only 4 panels. This inevitably makes the story feel more like a comic strip than a cohesively placed narrative, making it almost impossible to watch the anime in the same order the comics were released.

Madonna‘s “Like a Virgin” is undoubtedly one of the best dance songs of the 1980s. However, the hit version of the song is not the best version out there. The Material Girl created a better recording of “Like a Virgin” that turns the original song on its head. While the newer “Like a Virgin” is available for purchase, it hasn’t garnered much attention.

Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ is more layered than it might seem on 1st listen

It’s impossible to remember now, but Madonna was not always a risque artist. Her first album, Madonna, included some G-rated hits such as “Holiday,” “Borderline,” and “Lucky Star.” She only became scandalous when she put out “Like a Virgin,” and the lyrics of that song were telling. Virginity loss is traditionally seen as a loss of innocence, and “Like a Virgin” was Madonna’s transition into a sexual provocateur.

Justin Timberlake’s music tours have been a topic of conversation between himself and wife Jessica Biel. Earlier in their relationship, Biel tried to stay close to Timberlake by accompanying the singer during his global performances. But Timberlake quickly felt that wasn’t such a good idea.

Jessica Biel once insisted on coming with Justin Timberlake on his music tour Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel | Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images

Biel recently admitted that Timberlake’s touring was one of the most challenging aspects of their relationship. Speaking on The View (via People) recently, Biel confided how she and Timberlake managed to maintain contact while Timberlake traveled the world.

“Thank goodness for Zoom and FaceTime. For traveling families — well, for everybody, really — but for parents who are gone a lot, that’s been really helpful,” Biel said.

Biel emphasized the importance of keeping in touch while he was away, which was...

Madonna‘s “Like a Virgin” is one of the most important dance songs of the 1980s. You’d think every artist would have wanted to record it! However, other artists had major issues with the track. Things went differently when the song’s writers played it for Madonna.

Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ has a major connection to Cyndi Lauper

“Like a Virgin” was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. They also co-wrote Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional,” The Bangles’ “Eternal Flame,” and “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper. During an interview with SongwriterUniverse, Steinberg revealed that many singers were resistant toward “Like a Virgin.”

“We tried to place ‘Like a Virgin,’ but everyone looked at us like we were nuts,” he said. “Some people even asked us to change the title. I knew that compared to most mainstream pop lyrics, the title and theme might seem a bit jolting and risque.

Madonna‘s first album included several of the most important songs of her career. One of the producers of the album was hurt by the way the Material Girl treated her. He had plenty to say about the character of the Queen of Pop. Notably, Madonna’s brother had a lot to say about that era of his sister’s career.

The producer of Madonna’s 1st album said she belittled his contributions

Reggie Lucas was one of the producers of Madonna’s self-titled debut album. He served as the producer of the two songs from the album that reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100: “Borderline” and “Lucky Star.” During a 2013 interview with The Atlantic, Lucas felt that Madonna had not given him sufficient credit for his role in her career.

“Just for the record, one tires in a lifetime of hearing someone taking credit for something that you’ve done,...

You might think Madonna‘s first album is simply overloaded with some of the Material Girls‘ best pop songs. According to the album’s producer, you’d be wrong! He said the album actually contains prophecies. Here’s what one musician had to say about the Queen of Pop.

Madonna’s producer wanted to challenge her on her 1st album

Reggie Lucas was a producer who worked with Roberta Flack and Miles Davis. He also served as the producer on Madonna’s self-titled debut album. During a 2013 interview with The Atlantic, Lucas discussed working with the Queen of Pop. “As a producer, you understood that your first job was to support people to achieve that end,” he said. “You challenged the artist just enough to bring out the best in them and introduce them to audiences that they normally wouldn’t be introduced to.

“When I did [Madonna’s song] ‘Physical Attraction,’ that was just it,...

Madonna‘s “Lucky Star” might not be as famous as “Like Virgin” or “Like a Prayer,” but it has an incredible dance groove. The song’s producer discussed what he thought of the track. He also revealed what he thought of the Queen of Pop before she was the Queen of Pop.

Madonna’s producer said the final version of ‘Lucky Star’ is barely like the original

Reggie Lucas was the producer of Madonna’s self-titled first album. While Lucas is not a household name, he had a huge influence on the style of music known as post-disco, as well as dance music as a whole. During a 2013 interview with The Atlantic, Lucas discussed working with the Material Girl on the album.

“I’d write songs and put them on a little cassette player with me singing, and I can’t sing,” he said. “I’d ask Madonna if she liked them,...

The Asian Film Awards Academy (Afaa) and the Singapore Film Society announced today that Hong Kong's first-generation kung fu superstar Sammo Hung will visit Singapore for the Afaa's Masterclass Series and a number of activities at the upcoming 12th Singapore Chinese Film Festival (Scff). Director Sammo Hung's five important movie classics will be screened during Scff as the festival's first “Filmmaker in Focus” special segment.

Studied under Peking Opera master Yu Jim Yuen at a young age, Hung was the “big brother” of the famous Seven Little Fortunes. Under the guidance of a strict master, Hung learned the true skills behind the four basic techniques of traditional Chinese opera: Singing, reciting, acting and martial arts. His career as a young performer gave him the foundation for his future as an action superstar and cultivated his hardworking and dedicated persona.

Hung thinks that “achievements” mean a great deal to him, and...

Big news for fans of weird girls voiced by Aya Hirano: there's a combined event for Lucky Star and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya just around the corner! With the original Lucky Star manga turning 20 last year and 2024 being the big 2-0 for the first Haruhi light novel, it feels like a perfect time to celebrate both of these now-interlocked series. The event is part of the previously announced Sos☆Thanks Festival - Celebrating the 20th Anniversary! The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star Thanks Festival that brings back fond memories of the original works~ : Related: Haruhi Suzumiya, Lucky Star Teams up for 20th Anniversary Celebrations Lucky Star fans will want to make their way to the first of the day's two events, where Aya Hirano (the voice of Konata Izumi), Emiri Kato (the voice of Kagami Hiiragi), Kaori Fukuhara (the voice of Tsukasa Hiiragi), and Aya Endo...

The soundtrack of Guy Ritchie’s classic crime comedy Snatch is filled with great needle drops from a wide variety of musicians ranging from Oasis to 10cc to Madonna. After establishing his darkly comedic take on the British crime film in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Ritchie returned to London’s criminal underworld for more violence and pitch-black humor at the hands of tough-as-nails gangsters in Snatch. Snatch weaves two separate narratives – one about the search for a stolen diamond and the other about a crime boss forcing a small-time boxing promoter to step up his game – with ironic twists and chance encounters.

From wisecracking mobsters to nonlinear narratives to a twisted sense of humor, Ritchie borrowed a lot from the Tarantino playbook in rounding out his own signature filmmaking style. Soundtrack needle-drops are another stylistic flourish that Ritchie has taken from Tarantino. Like Tarantino, Ritchie often pairs violent...

Daniel Radcliffe rhymes surgeon with virgin alongside Evan Rachel Wood’s Madonna in the latest trailer for “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.”

While the Roku Channel original film, premiering at TIFF before streaming November 4, certainly lives up to its “weird”-ness, the real-life Yankovic co-wrote the film alongside director Eric Appel. Radcliffe stars as the musician who dreams of stardom by parodying famed songs.

“I’m tired of people thinking I’m some kind of joke,” Radcliffe as Weird Al says in the trailer. “My whole life, all I wanted is to make up new words to a song that already exists.”

Later, Radcliffe tells a crowd, “Be as weird as you want to be.”

Produced by Funny Or Die and Tango, with Will Ferrell and Rainn Wilson co-starring, “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” is the “unexaggerated true story about the greatest musician of our time,” Yankovic himself. Per the official synopsis,...

Okay parents, the countdown to the return of the school year is close to single-digit days. Really, hard to believe, eh? Well before you start stockpiling blender ingredients for a celebratory beverage, you’ve still got to keep them entertained in the hazy last couple of Summer weekends (naturally the temps are still soaring almost everywhere). So, that may warrant a multiplex trek for some matinee fare for them. If they’re leaning toward the animated features, then it’s almost certain they’ve caught up with the Minions (maybe more than once). And if the kiddos are very “pre-k” the PG-rated superhero slapstick of DC League Of Super-pets may be a tad overwhelming. Ah, but there is a PG alternative (very rare) opening this weekend. It’s the feature animated debut of a new “player” in the field, though a few familiar faces are behind the scenes. Like the film’s heroine,...

KollywoodWith less than three weeks to go before the heavily anticipated Ajith starrer releases, we wonder what to expect when ‘Valimai’ hits the screens on February 24.Bharathy SingaravelThere’s just 18 days to go before the much-anticipated Ajith starrer Valimai finally hits the big screens. So what will the biggest release of the year so far mean for the actor, his fans and theatre owners? This is Ajith’s first film since the pandemic began. As he teams up again with director H Vinoth, fans are no doubt eager to see how different his role will be from Nerkonda Paarvai, which was also directed by Vinoth. Nerkonda Paarvai, the remake of the Amitabh Bachchan-led Pink, was also the last time we saw the popular actor on screens. The actor himself appears to be re-branding. On December 1 last year, Ajith surprised Tamil cinema audiences with a short statement asking that he...

The big comic book news this week is that Batman’s sidekick Tim Drake — the current Robin, in case you aren’t up on the incredibly convoluted lore of Bat-pals — is bisexual. And on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Thursday, show writer Louis Virtel weighed in on that big announcement, the history of queer comic characters and the sexual orientation of a classic Bat-villain.

First, if you want to know more, you can read a breakdown here. Now back to Louis Virtel, who is also well known as a comedian and a former “Jeopardy!” contestant. He talked about it during a segment called “Virtel It Like It Is,” during guest host Sarah Silverman’s monologue.

“Robin: Bisexual. If this rocked you to your core, I don’t know what to tell you. You’re like one of those housewives in the ‘50s who saw Liberace and thought, ‘He’s got a cape,...

Universal Pictures has signed on to be the home for a biopic of iconic singer Madonna, who will direct her own story from a script she is writing with Oscar-winning Juno scribe Diablo Cody. Madonna will produce the film with Pascal Pictures’ Amy Pascal. Madonna will not act in the film, but she will lead a search for a young actress who will play her in the formative stages of a disruptor’s career that set the template for all the diva singing stars who’ve followed, from Beyonce to Lady Gaga.

The film will tell the story of Madonna’s growth into a chart topping juggernaut and style icon with the staying power to become the all-time bestselling female artist — 335 million records worldwide — and the highest grossing solo touring numbers ever. She has been on the cover of more than 4700 magazines through her career. She and Cody have been...

Each year, the “Rusical” challenge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is a highly anticipated one. It’s a chance for the queens to truly flaunt their talents as they perform unique song-and-dance numbers. The 12th season came with a little more pressure, though, as the competing queens had to perform to some of Madonna’s greatest hits, while also donning her most iconic looks. From “Lucky Star” to “Like a Virgin,” the task to take queens of different musical skill levels and turn them into pop stars fell to choreographer Jamal Sims.

Tom Campbell

Executive producer

“Every year, we challenge ourselves to think of new and better things to do. We asked, ‘Why haven’t we done Madonna?’ We wanted to see how we could push the queens. With this group, we knew from their audition tapes that they were talented in a variety of ways and across the board.

For almost two weeks now, a debate around the term “urban” has roiled the music industry. Some believe it’s a barely veiled synonym for black that actually ends up harming and limiting the black artists and executives it’s supposed to protect. Others argue the term is a part of an effort “to give black executives a true voice and an opportunity to run and manage an aspect of the [music] business that was largely being ignored by the corporations.” Republic Records announced that it would do away with “urban;” for now,...

Flix FlashbackThe couple completes 20 years of marriage on April 24.Sowmya RajendranIt would be an understatement to say that Amarkalam was an important film in Ajith's career. Not only did the 1999 film directed by Saran pave the way for the actor to do more action films, it was also on the sets of Amarkalam that Ajith fell in love with his co-star, Shalini. The couple celebrates 20 years of marriage on April 24, Friday. A few months before the release of Amarkalam came Vaali, a film where Ajith played dual roles -- as the hero and antagonist. Though it was rated 'A', it went on to become a blockbuster and proved that Ajith could pull off negative characters and not only the sensitive, romantic hero. In Amarkalam, his character Vasu is an amoral goon with a troubled past; he lives on the premises of a theatre, and spends his days fighting and getting drunk.

Exclusive: In a competitive situation, La-based Sentient Entertainment has won the remake rights to Nicole Kidman horror movie hit The Others, which scared up north of $200M global when it was released in 2001.

Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of Alejandro Amenabar’s timely self-isolation tale about a war widow who hides her children away in an isolated mansion due to a rare disease characterized by photosensitivity. The arrival of three mysterious servants unlocks the house’s terrifying secrets. Kidman was Golden Globe and BAFTA-nominated for her turn and writer-director Amenabar won Goyas for Best Director and Screenplay.

More from DeadlineSentient Pacts With The Washington Post On Film About Police Dog Who Sniffed Out Colombian Drug CartelSpanish-Language Horror Hit 'Morgue' Strikes Sales Deal With Remakes Specialist FilmSharks; Watch First International TrailerHBO Latino Takes U.S. Rights To Animated Film 'Lino 3D', Canada Deal Also Closes -- Cannes

Sentient struck...

Top animation directors Yasuhiro Takemoto and Futoshi Nishiya were among the talent killed by last month’s arson attack on Kyoto Animation, city police have confirmed.

Revealing the names of 10 of the 35 victims of the fire that ravaged the three-story studio, police also said that veteran animator Yoshiji Kigami was killed.

Takemoto was the top director at the studio, familiarly known as KyoAni, with credits that include the feature animation “Lucky Star.” Nishiya was animation director on the “Free!” TV series, among many other credits. Kigami worked as key animator on the “Free!” series as well as last year’s “Violet Evergarden” series.

All 35 killed have been identified by DNA analysis, but the police are releasing their names in consultation with the bereaved families as they make funeral and other arrangements. A further 33 people were injured in the blaze.

The suspected arsonist, Shinji Aoba, is recovering in the hospital from severe burns.

A crowdfunding campaign launched by U.S. animation distributor Sentai Filmworks to assist Kyoto Animation has passed the $2 million mark. The Japanese studio was the victim of an arson attack last Thursday that killed 34 people and injured 34 more.

Among the contributors is software giant Adobe, which anonymously donated $50,000, according to a report on ITmedia News. A spokesman for the company confirmed the donation and said: “Kyoto Animation is a center of the creative community, not only in Japan but worldwide.”

In spite of the horrific attack, Kyoto Animation said in a post on its website that its next feature film, “Violet Evergarden Gaiden” (“gaiden” means “special episode”), is set for a two-week theatrical run in Japan in September. The company asked fans not to bring flowers or gifts to a “Violet Evergarden” orchestral concert scheduled for Saturday in Tokyo, adding that it would also not be accepting donations at the concert.

Yasuhiro Takemoto, director of TV series Lucky Star and co-director of feature The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, both by Kyoto Animation (KyoAni), is feared to be among the 34 who died in the arson attack on the studio July 18.

Takemoto’s father told The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper Monday that he called his son's cellphone after hearing news of the attack but couldn't reach him, and was later asked by police to help with a DNA test to identify the victims.

"I've cried and cried. I'm exhausted from crying," Takemoto's father told the paper.

At the ...

Yasuhiro Takemoto, director of TV series Lucky Star and co-director of feature The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, both by Kyoto Animation (KyoAni), is feared to be among the 34 who died in the arson attack on the studio July 18.

Takemoto’s father told The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper Monday that he called his son's cellphone after hearing news of the attack but couldn't reach him, and was later asked by police to help with a DNA test to identify the victims.

"I've cried and cried. I'm exhausted from crying," Takemoto's father told the paper.

At the ...

Witnesses report attacker screamed “You die!”

July 18 Update: Officials in Kyoto, Japan, said on Thursday (18) that 33 people died and a further 36 were injured following an arson attack at Kyoto Animation headquarters in Japan’s worst mass killing in nearly two decades.

Original July 17 Report: A suspected arson attack at an animation production studio in Kyoto, Japan has killed at least 26 people and injured dozens more.

According to reports from Associated Press and the BBC, a 41-year-old man broke into the Kyoto Animation Co. studio on Thursday morning, sprayed petrol and ignited it.

Japanese public broadcaster Nhk is reporting that some...

Witnesses report attacker screamed “You die!”

A suspected arson attack at an animation production studio in Kyoto, Japan has killed at least 26 people and injured dozens more.

According to reports from Associated Press and the BBC, a 41-year-old man broke into the Kyoto Animation Co. studio on Thursday morning, sprayed petrol and ignited it.

Japanese public broadcaster Nhk is reporting that some people remain unaccounted for; the suspect has been detained and taken to hospital with injuries, with latest reports saying he was not an employee of the studio.

AP has quoted survivors of the attack, some of whom were...

Witnesses report attacker screamed “You die!”

A suspected arson attack at an animation production studio in Kyoto, Japan has killed at least 23 people and injured dozens more.

According to reports from Associated Press and the BBC, a 41-year-old man broke into the Kyoto Animation Co. studio on Thursday morning, sprayed petrol and ignited it.

Japanese public broadcaster Nhk is reporting that some people remain unaccounted for; the suspect has been detained and taken to hospital with injuries, with latest reports saying he was not an employee of the studio.

AP has quoted survivors of the attack, some of whom were...

How might Euphoria follow up on last week’s episode, which ended with violence (both real and threatened), cataclysmic disappointment and a sweet kiss that probably won’t end well?

With a little rollerskating, of course.

More from TVLineBig Little Lies: Did Shailene Woodley Just Drop a Huge Season 2 Finale Spoiler?Big Little Lies Season 2 Finale Sneak Peek: 'The Lie Is the Friendship'Big Little Lies Recap: Courtroom Drama

Other things happen in the episode, of course. Maddy’s injuries come to light, and no one is happy about them. Cassie and McKay make up. Kat wears a body harness — y’know,...

Who doesn't miss watching Chloe Lukasiak and Maddie Ziegler on Dance Moms? While both gals achieved stardom off of the Lifetime series, their time as Aldc members is what fans always come back to. "I see Maddie at events. I'm still close with Brooke and Paige and I talk to Nia," Chloe previously told Life & Style. "I think we're all still pretty close — just the way our lives and careers are all going, it's all different directions. We try to hang out with each other as much as we can, but it's a little bit hard when there's eight of us all going in completely different directions. When you go through an experience like that, it kind of just builds like, really stable friendships because we were leaning on each other during those times." The 16-year-old almost instantly became a fan favorite thanks to her iconic dance routines — and today,...