News

Kenneth Branagh’s wistful homage to his childhood in Northern Ireland arrives on the big screen in the form of the semi-autobiographical movie, Belfast. Written and directed by Branagh, the story chronicles the life of a working-class family in the late 1960s in a narrative set against the backdrop of social tumult during the Northern Ireland Conflict.

Four HFPA members – Lena Basse, Yukiko Nakajima, Janet Nepales and Ruben Nepales – answered that question and discussed related matters, including recent reforms to the Association, in a panel discussion presented by the Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) in conjunction with its November festival program. Rick Ambros, a media and entertainment consultant and producer, moderated the forum, part of AWFF’s series of panel discussions,  held in person at the Landmark Theatres in Los Angeles.

The third time is the charm: so the old adage goes, and that’s certainly been the case for the long-awaited, twice-delayed 68th annual Sydney Film Festival, which opened November 3 at the iconic Sydney State Theatre with a packed house watching Western Sydney-set drama, Here Out West.   The prestigious festival – which was canceled altogether in 2020 due to Covid – usually takes place in June each year, but this year was initially pushed back to August in line with delays from other major festivals, including Cannes.

Women made up 39% of directors in 2020. While that number reflects gender gains in the field when placed in the perspective of the fact that women make up 51% of the general population – not so much.

Eternals, the first Marvel movie from director Chloe Zhao, scored as the second biggest worldwide bow of a Hollywood release this year. The movie about an immortal race of superheroes who made an impact on the Earth’s history and civilizations, and starring Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, and Salma Hayek, debuted on top in all major overseas markets with international and global hauls of $90.

Clive Owen was interviewed by the journalists of the Hollywood Foreign Press for the first time in 2003 in London when he spoke about Beyond Borders directed by Martin Campbell, co-starring Angelina Jolie. “I had a strong immediate and instinctive response to the script, I thought it was an important film, so powerful, and a fantastic part.

Long-time HFPA member Dierk Sindermann passed away on Nov. 3, 2021, after a six-month battle with brain cancer.

Not even hurricane Ida could stop this festival, which started on Nov 5. New Orleanians do not like when we call them resilient, so let’s just say they are masters at success against all odds.

It’s that time of the year, when Hollywood pays renewed attention to Asian cinema thanks to the Asian World Film Festival, now celebrating its 7th edition and steadily growing thanks to the tireless efforts of West African-born, Lebanon and France-educated Georges N. Chamchoum, the Festival's Executive and Program Director.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has announced the hiring of Neil Phillips as its first Chief Diversity Officer as an integral part of its continuing commitment to implementing reforms to promote greater diversity, equity, and inclusion both within the organization and within broader Hollywood and journalism communities.  Phillips is an innovative speaker and entrepreneur who works to shine a light on the most pressing issues of our time: value and equity, with a focus on creating opportunities elevating human value in education, business, and the public/private sector.