Latest news with #SheffieldDocFest
Broadcast Pro
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Palestine Film Institute to present three documentaries at Sheffield DocFest
Through the Palestine Showcase, PFI continues to champion Palestinian cinema on the global stage, providing space for creative resistance and meaningful dialogue amid efforts to preserve and share Palestinian stories with the world. The Palestine Film Institute (PFI) is set to present three feature-length documentaries in progress as part of the Palestine Showcase at this year's Sheffield DocFest. Organised in collaboration with Sheffield DocFest, the British Council and Switzerland's AKKA Films, the special screening will take place on June 21 at the Montgomery Theatre in Sheffield, exclusively for DocFest delegates. This initiative underscores PFI's ongoing commitment to preserving and amplifying Palestinian narratives through international platforms. By offering filmmakers and producers a stage to present their works-in-progress, the showcase aims to connect them with key figures in the film industry, including festival programmers and decision-makers, and to foster engagement with the broader global cinema community. The three selected projects each reflect distinct aspects of the Palestinian experience, blending powerful storytelling with creative cinematic approaches. Theft of Fire, directed by Amer Shomali and produced by Rashid Abdelhamid, Ina Fichman, and Remi Grellety, is a genre-bending documentary that imagines an art heist to reclaim stolen Palestinian antiquities. White Resistance: Letters to the Living, directed by Mahmoud Atassi and produced by Abdulrahman Alkilany, draws from harrowing footage captured inside Gaza's Kamal Edwan hospital and follows the legal efforts to secure the release of its detained director, Hussam AbuSafiya. Meanwhile, Reclaiming Time, directed and produced by Fuad Hindieh, takes a surreal and visually rich look at a filmmaker's quest to legally change his birthdate—an act that transforms into a symbolic journey to reclaim time lost to occupation.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sky News' David Rhodes, Dow Jones CEO Talk AI 'Thugs,' Media's 'Big Mistakes,' U.S. Press Freedom
Media companies have made major mistakes in reacting to technological change in the past that must be avoided amid the rise of artificial intelligence. That was the message shared by David Rhodes, executive chairman of Sky News and the former CBS News president, and Almar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones and publisher of The Wall Street Journal, both part of News Corp, during an appearance at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit in London on Wednesday. They spoke in a session, which was live-streamed and entitled 'Media, Machines, and Mayhem: Truth as a Competitive Advantage.' More from The Hollywood Reporter In 'Renovation,' a Young Woman Feels the Pressure to Settle and Be Successful (Exclusive KVIFF Trailer) Sheffield DocFest Opener 'Still Pushing Pineapples' Is a Road Movie About the Singer of Much-Maligned Black Lace Hit 'Agadoo' Dreaming of a Comeback Global TV Producers On Navigating Trump's Tariff Storm: "Ignore the Distractions" 'There is a failure of imagination' when it comes to a vision for AI, Rhodes argued. 'Right now, we talk about generative AI and talk about answers to prompts, and we think only about text. But what's really important to us is to be a design partner with all of the firms … on what it looks like when something much more compelling happens, which is when these models come for video. We do want that design partnership.' Of course, the appropriate business and financial models for AI companies to use media content remains a key focus and issue of debate. Various media companies have struck licensing deals with one AI company while suing another. 'We also want to advocate for good terms of trade, for how our information, how our results turn up in answers to those prompts,' Rhodes highlighted in that context. 'We need to not repeat what were the errors of the news media in approaching Web 1.0 and even Web 2.0 and social media, where big mistakes were made.' Latour echoed that when sharing his company's approach to AI. Dow Jones has struck a licensing deal with OpenAI, but it sued Perplexity AI. 'We want a commercial arrangement with all the AI platforms. That's the foundation of it. Information has value, and we need to, through a market mechanism, arrive at that value,' he emphasized. Highlighting that Dow Jones spends $1.7 billion every year 'to perform the little miracle that is the Wall Street Journal and all of our other information,' he highlighted that nobody can expect to 'take all of your productivity from this year… give it away for free, move it into the AI machine,' and take 130 years worth of archives without appropriate pay. 'We're not going to let that happen. We need fair value for that, or otherwise, there's not going to be any news,' the CEO concluded. He didn't mince words in his follow-up comments. 'So we want to strike commercial arrangements. If you do not agree to that, you are a thug, and we'll come after you like a common thief,' Latour shared. 'We will see you in court, and we will argue our case. And that may sound belligerent, but it is a necessity.' Rhodes on Wednesday didn't comment on the litigation brought by U.S. President Donald Trump against CBS News over how 60 Minutes edited his former opponent Kamala Harris' answer to a question. The two sides have been in mediation talks to try and resolve the suit, with Paramount reportedly to have offered $15 million to resolve the suit. The Federal Communications Commission is also reviewing the interview via its 'news distortion' purview while also reviewing CBS parent Paramount Global's deal to sell to Skydance Media. So, is there press freedom in the United States right now? 'Yes, there is press freedom,' replied Latour. 'I get asked this question all the time, particularly when I'm traveling abroad. Our journalists can freely report, and our opinion writers are free to share their free markets, free people philosophy richly.' He continued: 'There is a free debate. The President, of course, and the administration is free to respond to that, and the decibel level has gone up. But I think there should not be hysteria.' Concluded Latour: 'The tension between an administration and established media, or other media, is common. We got clobbered when the Wall Street Journal did a front-page story on President Biden's cognitive decline, and that was not very comfortable. The decibel level has definitely gone up.' That conclusion wrapped up the session. 'In a world where seemingly every voice has a platform, where narratives can make or break a business, and where public trust in corporations and institutions has rapidly eroded, the mission of global news organizations has never been more vital – or more complex,' its description said. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
President Biden Continues to Say He Would've Beaten Trump, Says He Wasn't Surprised by 2024 Election Outcome: 'They Went the Sexist Route'
Former President Joe Biden was in good spirits as he returned to The View on Thursday for his 11th appearance on the ABC daytime program and first live TV interview since he left the White House. The former commander-in-chief was brought out early in the show for a solo interview before he was joined by his wife, former first lady Dr. Jill Biden. And The View devoted its full hour to its interview with the Bidens. More from The Hollywood Reporter Sheffield DocFest Sets Films on Ukraine War Field Medics, Agency Matching North and South Koreans Why Sean Penn Says Donald Trump "Might Try to Destroy the World" Whoopi Goldberg Disapproves of Trump's "Limiting" Movie Tariffs: "Please Stop" President Biden was peppered by questions about the 2024 presidential election, which saw the president drop out in July after a poor performance at a late June debate with then-Republican candidate Donald Trump led to growing calls for him to end his reelection bid. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate, and she won the support to become the Democratic nominee. But Harris ended up losing the election to Trump, who won all seven swing states. When asked if he was surprised by the outcome, Biden said he wasn't not because Harris isn't qualified to be president — she is qualified to be president, he insisted. But he blamed misogyny and negative campaigning by the Trump team for Harris' loss. 'They went the sexist route — this is a woman, this and that,' Biden said. 'I've never seen such a successful and consistent campaign undercutting the notion that a woman of color couldn't win.' Biden added that he speaks to Harris 'frequently' and has sought his opinion ('not going to tell you what it is') and said she's got a 'difficult decision' about her political future, as she's been reportedly pondering a run for California governor but is also seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate. 'I hope she stays fully engaged; I think she's first rate,' Biden said of Harris while adding that there are 'other great candidates' in the Democratic party, leaving him 'optimistic about the future not pessimistic.' Still, Biden continues to maintain, as he told USA Today shortly after the election, that he would've beaten Trump, highlighting how though Trump won he received a smaller popular vote total than the more than 80 million people who voted for Biden in 2020. 'A lot of people didn't show up,' Biden said, referring to the 2024 voter turnout. When asked about his late exit from the 2024 presidential race and whether that hampered Harris' campaign, Biden dismissed that argument saying that Harris was with him 'in every decision we made,' touting his administration's legislative and economic achievements and how 'she was every single part of it.' 'It was a very tough year, but look what happened in the meantime,' he said in part. As for Trump, when asked why the president, who keeps invoking Biden's name, can't keep talking about him, Biden was quick to say it was 'because I beat him,' adding quietly, 'I'm used to dealing with bullies.' Still Biden said he 'takes responsibility' for Trump's re-election. 'I was in charge and he won,' he said, going on to talk about the border legislation that Democrats have said Trump scuttled. Joined by Dr. Jill Biden in the second half of the program, the couple responded to allegations that he suffered a cognitive decline when he was in the White House. 'They are wrong. There's nothing to sustain that,' Biden said in part. He also laughed when Jill Biden was asked about claims she put a 'cocoon' around him. More to come. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sheffield DocFest Sets Films on Ukraine War Field Medics, Agency Matching North and South Koreans
Billy Idol, female war field medics on the frontlines in Ukraine, a marriage agency matching North Korean women and South Korean men, a whistleblower in Vladimir Putin's Russia, the aftermath of Brexit, and Indian sex workers who begin making short films – those are just some of the topics to be featured in documntaries screening during the 32nd edition of Sheffield DocFest next month. Overall, the festival in the north of England will screen 116 films, 82 features and 34 shorts. It will feature 51 world premieres, 16 international premieres, eight European premieres, and 39 U.K. premieres from 68 countries of production. More from The Hollywood Reporter Among big names, Billy Porter will attend as executive producer of I Was Born This Way, Sam Pollard and Daniel Junge's celebration of the life of Carl Bean, from a tough childhood through to his musical success and queer rights advocacy. It will feature in the Sheffield fest's Rhythms section, along with the likes of Jonas Åkerlund's Billy Idol Should Be Dead, in which the rock icon, his family, friends, and collaborators reflect on 'his tumultuous career, personal life and lasting impact on global popular culture.' Of course, political themes and conflicts will also be in focus, for example in the festival's People & Community strand where Amber Fares' Coexistence, My Ass! will screen. 'Comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi turns satire into resistance, employing humor to expose hard truths about the relationship between Israel and Palestine – where coexistence feels like a bad joke,' reads a synopsis of the film. 'Cuba & Alaska' And the Rebellions section will include David Borenstein's Mr. Nobody Against Putin. 'A primary school teacher in Russia becomes an unlikely whistleblower as he goes undercover to document propaganda and militarization inside Russia's school system,' according to its description. 'At Sheffield DocFest, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire change and create an alternate future,' said Mimi Poskitt, Sheffield DocFest's managing director. 'And this is what DocFest 2025's program is all about: coming together to learn and be inspired to take action. In planning this year's edition, we reflected deeply on where we can make a real difference — how, in an environment where filmmakers are facing ever greater challenges, our festival can be a place where documentaries thrive.' Added Raul Niño Zambrano, Sheffield DocFest's creative director: 'This year, we've brought together some of the most powerful shorts, documentary features, series, podcasts, talks, and immersive works from across the globe to transform the city of Sheffield into a truly unique space where perspectives meet, just as our tagline proudly proclaims. Our 2025 program delves into urgent, creative, and cutting-edge stories — from activism and climate justice, to queer perspectives and powerful journeys through archival treasures.' The 32nd edition of the Sheffield DocFest takes place June 18-23. 'North South Man Woman' Check out the lineup for its international competition and its international first feature competition below. International Competition Cuba & Alaska – Yegor Troyanovsky – Ukraine, France, Belgium, 2025 (World Premiere) Two female medics in Ukraine's army, whose lives are captured via phone and body-cam footage, navigate the chaos of war with bravery, humour and friendship. Factory (Gong Chang) – Hao Zhou – Macau, 2025 (World Premiere) Acclaimed director Hao Zhou journeys into one of China's vast factories around the time of the pandemic to detail the impact of global supply chains and coercive business practices on workers' lives. The Gas Station Attendant – Karla Murthy – USA, 2025 (World Premiere) A daughter reflects on her South Asian father's life, his never-ending pursuit of the American dream, and the human capacity to love and survive. North South Man Woman – Morten Traavik, Sun Kim – Norway, Latvia, South Korea, 2025 (World Premiere) North Korean women meet South Korean men in a fascinating and often surprising look at love, business and geopolitics. Shards of Light – Mila Teshaieva, Marcus Lenz – Germany, Ukraine, 2025 (World Premiere) War has ravaged the Ukrainian city of Bucha, whose residents have endured unimaginable hostility and suffering. If hope remains a faint glimmer, the will to survive still shines through in this powerful and unflinching film. Still Pushing Pineapples – Kim Hopkins – United Kingdom, 2025 (World Premiere) A melancholic yet heartfelt story of the former singer of pop band Black Lace and his journey on the road with his aging mother and his partner, as he aims for a comeback. Welded Together – Anastasya Mirashnichenko, Anastasiya Zinovieva – France, Netherlands, Belgium, 2025 (World Premiere) A young welder confronts her fractured past to protect her sister, forging a future from sacrifice, resilience and the spark of second chances. Yanuni – Richard Ladkani – Austria, Brazil, USA, Canada, Germany, 2025 (International Premiere) In this love story and urgent call to action, an Indigenous couple risk everything to defend the Amazon and their unborn child's future. International First Feature Competition (supported by Netflix) Blue Has No Borders – Jessi Gutch – United Kingdom, 2025 (World Premiere) A young filmmaker is determined to know her neighbours in the port town of Folkestone. But in the aftermath of Brexit, building new relationships isn't easy. The Broken R (Rotacismo) – Ricardo Ruales Eguiguren – Ecuador, Italy, 2025 (World Premiere) This intimate journey about self-acceptance follows Ricardo, a 24-year-old man born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, who has struggled to pronounce the letter R since birth. Carmela and the Walkers (Carmela y los Caminantes) – Luis Herrera, Esteban Coloma – Ecuador, 2025 (World Premiere) As the world appears increasingly intolerant of 'outsiders,' an Ecuadorian woman welcoming Venezuelan migrants into her home is a moving reminder of our capacity for warmth and humanity. Comparsa – Vickie Curtis, Doug Anderson – Guatemala, USA, 2025 (World Premiere) In a Guatemalan town, two fiery sisters channel their grief and anger into a local street performance to protest against gender-based violence in the country. December (Grudzień) – Grzegorz Paprzycki – Poland, Lithuania, Qatar, 2025 (World Premiere) Amid December's festive glow, refugees remain hidden in forests along the Poland-Belarus border. This powerful documentary gives voice to their silent cries. A Little Gray Wolf Will Come (Dolazi mali sivi vuk) – Zhanna Agalakova – Croatia, Netherlands, France, 2025 (World Premiere) On the eve of the war in Ukraine, a Russian journalist from pro-Kremlin TV channel brings her rebellious and Westernized teenage daughter on a journey through Putin's Russia. Lullaby For The Mountains (Օրոր Լեռների Համար) – Hayk Matevosyan – Armenia, USA, 2025 (World Premiere) In this hypnotic odyssey, the ancient monasteries of Armenia's highlands bear traces of epochs past. Landscapes give way to soundscapes, and the shadowy depths within. Redlight to Limelight – Bipuljit Basu – India, Finland, Latvia, 2025 (World Premiere) A high-spirited group of Indian sex workers and their families begin making short films to transform their own lives and inspire others. International Short Film Competition Alboroque – Sabrina Fernández Casas – Switzerland, Spain, 2025 (World Premiere) To protect their villages and restore biodiversity to the landscape of Galicia, a unique collective unites to fight invasive plants and municipal neglect. Animal Eye – Carlo Nasisse – USA, Costa Rica, 2024 (International Premiere) Scientists and philosophers confront the limits of their own vision through the eyes of animals. A Colour I Named Blue (色をこえて青を見る) – Sybilla Patrizia – Japan, 2025 (European Premiere) Two Japanese indigo dyers embark on an inner journey: one finding his own shade of blue, the other discovering new meaning through his color blindness. The Dam (La Presa) – Manuel Ojeda, Cuba, 2025 (World Premiere) A mysterious fish, rumoured to be three metres long, swims behind a dam. Tingo is obsessed with catching this shadowy creature and proving everyone wrong. Faith (La Fede) – Antonio Napoli – Italy, 2025 (World Premiere) According to an ancient Neapolitan proverb, 'More things happen in a day than in an entire century'. For the city of Naples, that day is today. From The Mountain We See The Mountain (Desde La Montaña Vemos La Montaña) – Julián García Long – Belgium, 2025 (World Premiere) In the mist of the Patagonian Andes, an indigenous forest is recovering from a fire, with animals and humans emerging from a landscape scarred by colonisation. In A Whisper (Dans un Souffle) – Catarina Gonçalves – Portugal, Hungary, Belgium, 2025 (World Premiere) A breath caught on ice … This film traces the commitment and quiet resilience behind the graceful façade, as figure skater Nina Pinzarrone prepares to perform. My Name Is Oil – Igor Smola – Azerbaijan, Singapore, 2025 (World Premiere) On a platform in the middle of the sea, the industrial machinery of an oil rig attempts to send out a warning of an impending catastrophe. Oscurana – Violeta Mora – Honduras, Hungary, Portugal, Belgium, 2025 (World Premiere) When darkness falls, the walking begins in this vital, visceral evocation of the experience of migrants undertaking a hazardous journey on foot across the US border. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Russell Brand Arrives at London Court to Face Rape and Sexual Assault Charges
Russell Brand arrived at London's Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday after being charged with rape and sexual assault. The disgraced comedian's first hearing took place after it was confirmed last month that the U.K.'s Crown Prosecution Service authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge a man, identified as 49-year-old Brand, following an investigation by detectives. More from The Hollywood Reporter Ed Sheeran Sets 'Play' Release Date, Drops Second Single "Old Phone" Gal Gadot, Matthias Schoenaerts to Star in World War II Thriller 'Ruin' for Director Niki Caro 'Still Pushing Pineapples' to Open Sheffield DocFest Brand has been charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault. The crimes he has been charged with relate to a 1999 rape in the Bournemouth area of the U.K.; a 2001 indecent assault of a woman in Westminster, London; the 2004 oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in Westminster, London; and between 2004 and 2005, the sexual assault of a woman in Westminster, London. When the formal charges were released, Brand, who has turned to Christianity and been baptized since widespread allegations came to light, responded to the charges in a video shared on his social media, stating: 'I've never engaged in non-consensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.' Detectives began investigating in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations, which followed reporting by Channel 4's Dispatches and The Sunday Times. The program aired extensive allegations against Brand. One of the women told Dispatches that Brand entered a relationship with her when he was 31 and she was 16. Their relationship lasted three months, she had said, and Brand had been 'emotionally abusive and controlling.' Another claimed that Brand raped her in 2012 in his L.A. home, according to the Sunday Times. The Briton denied all claims made against him, which date between 2006 and 2013, when Brand was at the height of his fame working on Big Brother's Big Mouth, Kings of Comedy and Big Brother's Celebrity Hijack. A Banijay U.K.-commissioned investigation later found informal complaints concerning Brand were made over 20 years ago on set, and another review into Brand's behavior at the BBC, in particular between 2006 and 2008 when he worked for 6 Music and Radio 2, found that fellow employees believed he 'would always get his way, and therefore stayed silent' about his inappropriate conduct. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
