The Woodstock Film Festival (WFF) will return to using indoor venues in Woodstock, Kingston and Saugerties for its upcoming 22nd anniversary slated for September 30 – October 3, 2021. Tom Quinn, CEO and Founder of the groundbreaking film distribution company NEON, will be the recipient of the Woodstock Film Festival’s 2021 Honorary Trailblazer Award.
The feature-film adaptation of the Tony Award–winning musical Dear Evan Hansen is the Opening Night Gala Presentation at the 46th Toronto International Film Festival. Directed by Stephen Chbosky, Dear Evan Hansen is the story of a high-school senior with a debilitating anxiety disorder whose private letter to himself as part of a therapy exercise lands in the hands of a fellow classmate, with tragic consequences. The incident propels Evan on a journey of self-discovery that leads him toward belonging and acceptance, not only among the people who love him, but also by Evan himself. Starring Tony winner Ben Platt as Evan, along with Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, and Nik Dodani, Dear Evan Hansen features songs from the original Broadway sensation.
499, the fourth feature film by Mexican-American director Rodrigo Reyes explores the brutal legacy of colonialism in contemporary Mexico.
Yakuza Princess, a violent action-thriller film from director and co-writer Vicente Amorim opens in theaters and On Demand on Friday, September 3rd, 2021.
Ryoo Seung-wan’s tense action thriller Escape from Mogadishu, starring Kim Yoon-seok (NYAFF Star Asia winner 2018) and Zo In-sung will kick off 20th edition of New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) at Film at Lincoln Center on August 6. The dramatic film is based on real events that took place in 1991 at the onset of the Somali Civil War, and depicts the perilous escape attempted by North and South Korean embassy workers who were stranded in the title city during the conflict. (Well Go USA is releasing the film in the United States and Canada.)
Neon will release Jonas Carpignano’s A Chiara, which won the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European film in the Directors’ Fortnight section at Cannes. The film was written by Jonas Carpignano and stars Carmela Fumo, Claudio Rotolo and Swamy Rotolo.
Acclaimed filmmakers including Laurent Cantet, Terence Davies, Lucile Hadzihalilovic, Claudia Llosa and Claire Simon will compete in the Official Selection at 69th edition of San Sebastian Festival running from September 17-25, 2021. Inés Barrionuevo will show her fourth feature film, while Alina Grigore, Zhang Ji and Tea Lindeburg will also present their first films.
The animated film Doom Cruise directed by Hannah Stragholz and Simon Steinhorst walked away €20,000 and the Saxon State Minister Promotion Prize in the National Competition at the 33rd Filmfest Dresden short film festival in in Dresden, Germany. In the hand-colored film a cruise ship is sailing to its demise as a metaphor to current societal themes.
Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas) directed by Pedro Almodóvar, starring Penélope Cruz, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, along with Julieta Serrano and Rossy De Palma is the Opening Film, in Competition, of the 78th Venice International Film Festival (September 1 – 11 2021).
Directed by Jim Taihuttu, the Dutch war film The East (De Oost) starring Martijn Lakemeyer, Marwan Kenzari, Jonas Smulders will be released in the U.S. everywhere on August 13th, 2021.
Vertical Entertainment released the official trailer for the thriller Rushed starring Siobhan Fallon Hogan (Saturday Night Live), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgement Day), Jake Weary (Animal Kingdom), Peri Gilpin (Frasier) and newcomers rapper Fat Nick, Justin Linville, Jay Jay Warren, former NFL player Phil Villapiano, Peter Munson Hogan, Sinead Hogan, and Lily Rosenthal.
Sony Pictures Classics released the first official trailer for Julia, the documentary film on TV chef and author Julia Child, directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen. No release date has been announced.