The Guardian Culture

‘Everything countercultural is doomed, isn’t it?’​ Sofie Royer, the bracingly brilliant pop star pondering life’s big questions

Referencing Tarkovsky and French theory, the Austrian-Iranian singer is writing some of today’s wittiest music – though she’s ‘too pop for the art world, too indie-darling for the mainstream’You wait ages for a brilliant pop song about film-making and then two come along at once. Following on from Charli xcx’s Camera comes Actress by Sofie Royer, with lyrics referencing rotoscoping, call sheets, screenplays, establishing shots, cinéma verité and more. “When the dust settles on your heart / I’d l

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

Studio71 Alum Joseph Marchese Joins Bent Pixels as Head of Creator Strategy and Business

Joseph Marchese has joined creator network Bent Pixels as executive VP of creator strategy and business as the firm revs up its portfolio of support services offered to attention-economy clients. Marchese spent the past 12 years as a senior executive at Studio71, another creator media firm that handled distribution and advertising sales representation for a […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

Apple TV Inks Deal With Yahoo Sports for Free Alt-Casts of MLS Matches and MLB Games (but Only the First Two Innings)

Apple has forged a new pact with Yahoo Sports aimed at reminding everyone that Apple TV carries a bevy of live sports. Over the next two months, Yahoo Sports will stream alternate broadcasts of four Apple TV games: two MLB “Friday Night Baseball” games and two Major League Soccer matches. The alt-casts will stream for […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

Kaskade, Electronic Music Icon, Signs With Pacific Music Group in Asia Partnership (EXCLUSIVE)

Kaskade has signed with Pacific Music Group (PMG) in a strategic partnership focused on expanding the electronic artist’s presence across Asia, the Pan-Asian entertainment company has revealed. Kaskade, born Ryan Raddon, is an eight-time Grammy Award nominee whose career spans more than two decades. He was the first DJ to headline Coachella, performed the Super […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

Slavoj Žižek on Why We Seek Utopias in the Movies (Exclusive Trailer)

In ‘The Pervert's Guide to Utopias," from Sophie Fiennes, the Slovenian philosopher and film lover talks Trump, capitalism and the end of the world.

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

George Clooney Tackles Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger, Mark Ruffalo, AI and State of U.S. Politics

The Oscar winner touched down on the Lido Wednesday for a hard-hitting press conference ahead of receiving a Golden Lion career achievement honor during the Venice Film Festival's opening ceremony.

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Culture

Ready tae Drap review – clashing neighbours trapped in a lift get roars of approval

Òran Mór, GlasgowComedy chemistry drives a play that asks if three contrasting characters – conspiracy theorist, pregnant mum, hen-do attendee – can find common groundTrapping three nightmare neighbours in the dodgy lift of their Glasgow high-rise, Ready tae Drap has lots of sparky, slapstick humour – but not so much nuance.Crotchety conspiracy theorist Pat (Isabelle Joss) is in her 70s and armed with barbed, uninvited observations. Saintly, exhausted Muslim mum of two Aaliyah (Tinashe Warikandw

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

George Clooney Defends Mark Ruffalo’s ‘Ability to Speak Freely’ About Paramount-Warner Bros. Deal and Doesn’t See How the Merger ‘Financially Ends Up Making Sense’

Life really does imitate art. George Clooney attended last year’s Venice Film Festival with “Jay Kelly,” a comedic drama in which he portrayed an aging A-lister who travels to Italy to receive a life achievement award. Now the actor is getting a real Venetian tribute, accepting the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award on the […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

Forget the Red Carpet — Venice’s Real Stars Are in the Documentaries This Year

From an Elon Musk expose to an intimate Oasis reunion, this year’s non-fiction lineup might be the fest’s biggest draw.

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

Maggie Gyllenhaal Takes on Venice Film Festival’s Lack of Women in Competition: “There’s a Systemic Problem”

The ‘Lost Daughter’ filmmaker met the press alongside her fellow Golden Lion jurors as the politically charged 83rd Venice Film Festival prepared to open Wednesday.

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

Venice Jury President Maggie Gyllenhaal Says Films Are ‘Fundamentally, Unavoidably Political’ and Questions Lack of Female Directors in Competition: ‘There’s a Systemic Problem’

It didn’t take long for politics to take the spotlight at this year’s Venice Film Festival jury press conference. Amid the wars raging in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as the unrest in the United States, jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal was asked whether cinema should be political. “OK,” Gyllenhaal said with a laugh. “May as well get […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

Ruben Östlund’s Plattform Produktion Boards Jessica Hausner’s Satirical Drama ‘Toxic’ Ahead of Venice Gap-Financing Market (EXCLUSIVE)

Ruben Östlund’s Plattform Produktion has joined “Toxic,” the forthcoming satirical workplace drama from “Club Zero” director Jessica Hausner, which is among the projects being pitched during the Venice Gap-Financing Market taking place Sept. 4 – 6.  The pan-European co-production is produced by Schubert (Austria), Essential Films (Germany), Société Parisienne de Production (France) and Plattform Produktion (Sweden). International […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

A Family and Country Are in Crisis in ‘Our Share of Sand’ (Exclusive Venice Clip)

Newcomer Maya Mehta stars opposite Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub in the debut feature from writer-director Shalini Adnani, which has its world premiere in Venice Critics' Week.

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Stays in Full Swing Atop U.K., Ireland Box Office as ‘The Odyssey’ Continues Voyage

Sony’s superhero blockbuster “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” held the top position at the U.K. and Ireland box office for a fifth consecutive weekend, generating £2.7 million ($3.7 million). The film has collected $125.5 million after 27 days on release. Universal’s epic “The Odyssey,” directed by Christopher Nolan, maintained second place in its seventh week on […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

‘Wildwood’ and ‘Ray Gunn’ to World Premiere at London Film Festival as ‘Ink,’ ‘Club Kid,’ ‘Bunker,’ ‘La Bola Negra,’ ‘Wild Horse Nine’ and More Join Lineup

The 70th BFI London Film Festival has unveiled its full lineup of movies, with the U.K.’s biggest film event bringing together some of the year’s most talked about festival favorites, many features expected to be in the awards race and titles soon to premiere in Venice, Telluride and Toronto. With the Andrew Scott-starring “Elsinore” set […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

Robert Pattinson’s Banner Year Ticks on as He’s Named Jaeger-LeCoultre Global Ambassador

The role is a natural progression for the London-born Pattinson who is said to be a "genuine admirer" of fine watchmaking and mechanical timepieces: "There's an integrity to everything they create."

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

Brad Bird’s ‘Ray Gunn,’ Travis Knight’s ‘Wildwood’ Among BFI London Film Fest World Premieres

Boots Riley’s 'I Love Boosters' and Tony Gilroy's 'Behemoth!' are among the international premieres as the fest set its full program: "Tumults of the era live inside our program, but so too do cinematic thrills."

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

Siri Hustvedt Enters the World of Witches and Peter Zumthor in ‘From Inside Out’ (Exclusive Trailer)

Wim Wenders' Venice-bound documentary explores the world of the award-winning Swiss architect.

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Hollywood Reporter

Brad Bird’s ‘Ray Gunn,’ Travis Knight’s ‘Wildwood’ Among BFI London Film Fest World Premieres

Boots Riley’s 'I Love Boosters' and Tony Gilroy's 'Behemoth!' are among the international premieres as the fest set its full program: "Tumults of the era live inside our program, but so too do cinematic thrills."

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026

Variety

Cartoon Forum Unveils Tribute Nominees, Introduces New Sustainability Award Ahead of 2026 Edition

12 days before its grand opening, Cartoon Forum, Europe’s main co-production forum for animated TV series, has unveiled its 2026 Tribute nominees. Presented for the first time in 2006, these awards have since become a prestigious recognition in the European animation industry. The Tributes celebrate the dedication and creativity of key players in the sector […]

entertainment  Sep 2, 2026