Daily Archives: June 7, 2025

Box Office: ‘Ballerina’ Arms Itself With $10.6 Million Opening Day, ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Gets Third Weekend on Top

Lionsgate’s first theatrical stab at spinning off the “John Wick” franchise, the Ana de Armas-led “Ballerina,” fired off $10.65 million across Friday and preview screenings from 3,409 venues. The actioner is now pacing a touch behind projections from earlier this week, looking at a debut

Why Annecy Has Become an Essential Stop on My Festival Calendar: It’s the World Capital of Animation

When people ask me what my favorite film festival is, I know what they expect to hear: something upscale and exclusive, like Venice or Cannes, with their red carpet premieres and interminable standing ovations, where the winning filmmaker goes home with a golden something-or-other, be

‘Olivia & the Clouds’ Director Tomás Pichardo Espaillat on the Wild Collaborative Animation Process of His Annecy Player: ‘It Was Chaotic and Crazy’

Through the thoughts and memories of its cast, Annecy __ player “Olivia & the Clouds” leaps across multiple animation and live-action formats. This film — only the third animated feature produced in the Dominican Republic, according to its director Tomás Pichardo Espaillat — is made

Brazil’s ‘Nimuendajú’ Makes Annecy Debut As Director Tania Anaya Underlines Ongoing Fight for Indigenous Peoples’ Freedom

Since launching only a few years ago, Annecy’s “Contrechamp” section has been a haven for powerful independent features, and this year’s selection proves to be especially strong. Selected to compete among those very few is “Nimuendajú,” the debut feature of Minas Gerais-based director Tania Anaya.

Guadalajara Highlights Hits, Notable Debuts Among Recent Spanish, Portuguese-Language Movies, Plus a Film About a ‘Hell of Naked Depravity’  

José María Cravioto’s “Cars, Pot & Rock ’N’ Roll: The Legend of the Mexican Woodstock” and Victoria Franco’s “Twelve Moons” feature in the Mezcal Mexican competition at this year’s Guadalajara Film Festival. Its other main competition, focusing on Ibero-American fiction movies and doc features, takes

Emmy Winner James A. Castillo Discusses Animating Goya’s Madness in Tribeca Player ‘The Quinta’s Ghost,’ Unveils Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)

Acclaimed Spanish director James A. Castillo’s haunting new short, “The Quinta’s Ghost,” premieres in the Official Selection at this year’s upcoming Tribeca Festival, and Variety has been given exclusive access to the film’s official trailer and poster, which can be found at the bottom of

‘Echo Valley’ Review: Killer Duo Julianne Moore and Syndey Sweeney Test the Limits of a Mother’s Unconditional Love

For anyone craving some classic Julianne Moore energy, director Michael Pearce’s “Echo Valley” feels like a throwback to the fierce copper-coifed star’s early career. Before “Short Cuts” and “Boogie Nights” and a well-deserved Oscar win, Moore played the duly suspicious snoop in “The Hand That

Boutique Blu-ray Labels Thrive in Digital Age, Defying Streaming Dominance, SXSW London Panel Finds: ‘The Romanticism of Having a Physical Product’

In an age where streaming services dominate entertainment consumption, boutique Blu-ray labels are experiencing an unexpected renaissance, with industry leaders citing a growing hunger for tangible, curated film experiences that digital platforms cannot replicate. Speaking at SXSW London’s “Why Boutique Blu-ray Labels Are Thriving in