Julia Mayorga to Star in the Indie Drama “People Not Places”

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Julia Mayorga has found her people…

The Latina actress has landed in the indie drama People Not Places, hailing from director Brad Furman.

Mayorga is joined by Allegra Leguizamo as new cast additions to the film that will star Shirley MacLaine and Stephen Dorff.

Written by Ellen Brown Furman, the filmmaker’s mother, the film centers on Clare (MacLaine), an elderly widow living in Atlantic City who meets an erratic homeless man (Dorff) who sleeps in cars. Their shared loneliness causes them to bond, as they find the courage to face his regrettable past and her shortened future.

Mayorga plays Sarah, Clare’s stunning daughter-in-law with an artistic flair, who creates jewelry. Her husband Cole is torn between his need to support Sarah’s ambition and his mother’s need for more time with her son.

Leguizamo plays Allison, a young woman who asked for a gardener but got much more.

Furman and Jess Fuerst are producing the film under their Road Less Traveled Productions banner.

Currently, Mayorga can be seen opposite Jeff Daniels, Bill Camp and Maura Tierney on Showtime’s American Rust, which moved to Prime Video for its second season earlier this year.

She can also be seen leading the drama Rare Objects, marking the latest directorial outing of Katie Holmes.

Seen on series like The Equalizer and New Amsterdam, Leguizamo will next appear in Furman’s action thriller Tin Soldier, starring Jamie Foxx, Robert De Niro and Scott Eastwood, as well as Rachel Israel’s comedy The Floaters starring Jackie Tohn, Aya Cash, Jake Ryan and Seth Green.

Recently, she wrapped production on Flash Warning, a short film she stars in, which she also wrote and directed.

Bleecker Street Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Bobby Cannavale’s Family Dramedy “Ezra”

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bobby Cannavale’s latest project is headed to a U.S. theater near you…

Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to Ezra, the starry family dramedy starring the 53-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor.

Hailing from actor-turned-director Tony Goldwyn, the film is coming off of its world premiere in the Special Presentations section of the Toronto Film Festival.

Starring Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro and newcomer William A. Fitzgerald, the film is slated for release in theaters in 2024.

Also starring Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg, Ezra follows Max Brandel (Cannavale), a once successful late-night comedy writer turned less-successful stand-up comedian, who struggles through the failure of his career and marriage. After moving in with his father, Stan (De Niro), Max and his ex-wife Jenna (Byrne) remain at odds on how to best raise their autistic son, Ezra (Fitzgerald).

Described by Deadline as “a touching testament to the power of love, acceptance, and the challenges of parenthood,” the film was written by Tony Spiridakis, with William Horberg, Jon Kilik, Goldwyn and Spiridakis producing.

Rodrigo Prieto to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at GuadaLAjara Film Festival

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rodrigo Prieto is earning a special award…

The 57-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated cinematographer will be honored with the 2023 Árbol de la Vida, a lifetime achievement award, at the 13th edition of the GuadaLAjara Film Festival on November 1.

Taking place at the Theater at the Ace Hotel in Downtown L.A., Prieto will be honored at the opening night gala celebration. Past honorees have included Oscar-winner Patricia Arquette, in addition to stars such as Xolo Maridueña, Rosario Dawson and Danny Trejo.

Prieto has garnered worldwide acclaim for his work on various feature films, collaborating with some of cinema’s most vital masters. He has picked up his three Oscar nods for Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain (2005) and two with Martin Scorsese — Silence (2016) and The Irishman (2019).

He’s teamed up with the iconic filmmaker again for Killers of the Flower Moon, the story of a group of men that murdered Osage tribe members in the 1920s. The Apple Original Films and Paramount Pictures co-distributed feature stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone.

Prieto also lensed Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar Mattel meta-comedy Barbie from Warner Bros — now the highest grossing release of 2023.

Curated with Latinx and BIPOC communities in mind, GLAFF’s programming is a mix of films that aim to attract cinephiles and art and culture enthusiasts. The 2023 program and official selection includes a special Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) centerpiece gala screening of the 1960s Mexican classic Macario from director Roberto Gavaldón. More films will be announced in the coming weeks.

“GLAFF continues its mission to be a bridge between Latin America and U.S.-based Latinx/BIPOC creators,” says Ximena Urrutia, festival director. “Being part of a festival run by Latina women, we strive to add to the efforts of ensuring domestically and internationally Latinx representation.”

The GuadaLAjara Film Festival is supported by the University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, the University of Guadalajara Foundation USA, the Grodman Legacy Family Foundation and the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG).

Hulu Releases Trailer for Luis Brandoni’s Spanish Series “Nada” Featuring Robert De Niro

Posted on September 13, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Brandoni has nothing to worry about…

Hulu has released the first trailer for its Spanish-language series Nada, starring the 83-year-old Argentine actor and politician.

The series premieres on October 11 via the streamer in the U.S. and in Latin America exclusively on Star+ and on Disney+ in select markets outside the region.

The series, referred to as Argentina’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, tells the story of Manuel (Brandoni), a sophisticated culinary critic from Buenos Aires, an art lover and a provocateur whose life up until this point had been managed by his assistant (María Rosa Fugazot).

However, an exceptional event forces him to change his routine and hire Antonia (Majo Cabrera), an inexperienced young woman born and raised in a small town in Paraguay, to tackle the household tasks. The clash of cultures and generations leads to unusual, contradictory and tender situations that result in significant learning experiences for both.

Manuel’s old friend Vincent (Robert De Niro), a renowned New York writer, visits his house. They share many adventures together, including tasting foods, reading, long walks, and existential conversations, all set against the backdrop of the magnificent city of Buenos Aires.

The cast of Nada also includes Silvia Kutika, Enrique Piñeyro, Gastón Cocchiarale, Daniel Miglioranza, Pablo Novak, Belén Chavanne, Alejandro Paker, Rodrigo Noya, Ariadna Asturzzi, Cecilia Dopazo, Manuel Vicente and Daniel Aráoz.

Produced by Metrovisión, Nada is written by Emanuel Diez, Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat, the writers of the hit series El Encargado, currently streaming on Hulu.

The series was created and directed by Cohn and Duprat.

Nada will kick off the Culinary Zinema section at the 71st edition of the festival taking place from September 22 to 30. The Star Original Productions’  new original dramedy is the first Latin American fictional series to be included in this festival’s section.

Noah Centineo to Serve as Member of Tribeca Festival Jury

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Noah Centineo has joined the jury…

The Tribeca Festival, which gets under way on Wednesday in New York, has announced members of the jury, including the 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican actor, who will decide winners in 15 award categories.

In addition to Centineo, the jury roster also includes Brendan Fraser, Stephanie Hsu, Zoey Deutch, Dianna Agron, Zazie Beetz, Kate Siegel, Mark Duplass, Stephen Kay, Nina Dobrev, Clea DuVall, Piper Perabo, Chance the Rapper, Jeremy O. Harris, Andrew Ahn and Chloe Grace Moretz.

Along with the competitive categories, the Nora Ephron Award will be presented in the memory of the filmmaker and writer.

While the festival removed the word “film” from its name several years ago to reflect its broad range of offerings in games, podcasts, music and other areas, the film slate has continued as an identifying aspect of the event.

This year’s U.S. narrative feature jury includes Hsu, Ramin Bahrani, Zoey Deutch, Mike Flanagan and Tommy Oliver; the international feature jury includes Fraser, Zazie Beetz, Alfredo Jaar, Shirin Neshat and Kate Siegel; and the documentary feature jury includes Mark Duplass, Adam Goldberg, Stephanie Linus, Alexandra Pelosi and Ryan White.

Award categories span narrative and documentary features and shorts as well as the immersive Storyscapes vertical, games and audio storytelling. Winners will be announced June 15. The festival runs June 7 to 18.

The Tribeca Festival was founded in 2001 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff. In 2019, James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems bought a majority stake in festival parent Tribeca Enterprises. After a year in virtual mode in 2020 due to Covid, the 2021 edition was the first North American festival to be held in person coming out of the pandemic. The last two Tribecas have unfolded in June, a change from the festival’s longtime berth in April. Organizers have indicated the new timing offers a lot of upside, including more favorable weather in New York, which helps with attendance and logistics for the many outdoor events typically on the schedule.

First Look Photo Released of Bobby Cannavale & Robert De Niro Comedy “Inappropriate Behaviour”

Posted on October 30, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s an inappropriate time for Bobby Cannavale.

Mister Smith Entertainment has released a first look image of new comedy Inappropriate Behaviour, starring the 52-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor and Robert De Niro.

Currently in production, the film follows Max Bernal (Cannavale), a once-successful late-night comedy writer turned not-so-successful stand-up comic, who moves in with his father (De Niro), having recently blown up his career and marriage. When he and his ex-wife Jenna (played by Cannavale’s real-life partner, Rose Byrne) find themselves at odds with how to address the needs of their 11-year-old autistic son Ezra (Fitzgerald), Max decides to kidnap his child and take him on a cross-country odyssey.

Directed by Tony Goldwyn, the film also stars Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg.

Tony Spiridakis wrote the screenplay.

“We are thrilled with the response we’ve seen to this remarkable, heartwarming story from our international partners so far and excited to collaborate with them to bring Inappropriate Behavior to audiences around the world,” says Mister Smith Entertainment’s founder and CEO David Garrett.

Signature Entertainment Acquires UK/Irish Rights to Bobby Cannavale’s Road-Trip Comedy “Inappropriate Behavior”

Posted on October 8, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Bobby Cannavale’s inappropriate project will be headed to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Signature Entertainment has acquired UK and Irish rights to the 52-year-old’s road-trip comedy Inappropriate Behavior from Mister Smith Entertainment.

The film also stars Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro, Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg and William Fitzgerald.

Inappropriate Behavior, which is currently in production, follows Max Bernal (Cannavale), a once-successful late-night comedy writer turned not-so-successful stand-up comic, who moves in with his father (De Niro), having recently blown up his career and marriage. When he and his ex-wife Jenna (played by Cannavale’s real-life partner, Byrne) find themselves at odds with how to address the needs of their 11-year-old autistic son Ezra (Fitzgerald), Max decides to kidnap his child and take him on a cross-country odyssey.

The comedy is directed by Tony Goldwyn from a Tony Spiridakis screenplay.

The deal was negotiated between Signature Entertainment’s Director of Acquisitions and Development, Elizabeth Williams, and Mister Smith CEO David Garrett.

Signature plan to release the film in 2023.

Williams said: “Inappropriate Behavior completely charmed us when we read the script and we cannot wait to see it brought to life, especially with such a stellar cast. Audiences are going to love the smart comedy and heart-warming moments throughout. We look forward to releasing this feel-good film in the UK & Ireland next year.”

Garrett added: “We are delighted to have Signature as our UK partner on this film. It is a story which combines both heart and humour and has a stellar cast which will bring out the very best from the writing.”

Bobby Cannavale to Star in Tony Goldwyn’s Feature “Inappropriate Behavior”

Posted on September 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Bobby Cannavale is cashing in on his behavior…

The 52-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor has joined the all-star cast of Tony Goldwyn’s feature Inappropriate Behavior.

Cannavale will star alongside Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg and William Fitzgerald in the film.

The film, in which Goldwyn also appears, follows Max Bernal (Cannavale), a formerly successful late-night comedy writer turned not-so-successful stand-up comic, and his brilliant, complicated 11-year-old son Ezra (Fitzgerald), who is autistic. Having recently blown up both his career and his marriage, Max is now living with his father, Stan (De Niro). Max, profoundly at odds with his ex-wife Jenna (Byrne) about how to address their son’s needs, decides to kidnap Ezra and take him on a cross-country odyssey, with hilariously disastrous results.

Tony Spiridakis scripted the film, going into production this month, which is being co-financed and produced by Closer Media and Wayfarer Studios, as the former company’s first feature.

“Tony Spiridakis is a spectrum father, and he wrote a script whose lived-in truth, humor and grace are evident on every page,” said Closer Media. “Tony Goldwyn has always been drawn to great material, as an actor, producer and filmmaker, going all the way back to our days working together on Ghost at Paramount. Seeing this story that celebrates neurodivergence come together with this amazing cast and team makes us feel incredibly fortunate and thrilled to be making this as our first film at Closer Media.”

“After hearing the initial idea, Wayfarer Studios felt strongly connected to it,” added Wayfarer Studios’ President, Jamey Heath. “We have a duty to ensure everyone feels they are represented in storytelling, and this unique story showcases those who are differently abled. These stories are crucial to the growth and acceptance of all people and having the opportunity to reach global audiences with this film speaks to our core mission, and we are incredibly proud to partner with Closer Media, who share our same vision.”

John Leguizamo to Star in the Action Film “Tin Soldier”

Posted on May 18, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

John Leguizamo is soldiering forward…

The 61-year-old Colombian actor will star in the action movie Tin Soldier, which begins filming next week in Greece.

Leguizamo will star opposite Jamie Foxx, Robert De Niro and Scott Eastwood in the project.

Tin Soldier tells the story of The Bokushi (Foxx), who preaches to hundreds of veterans who have been drawn to the promise of protection and purpose under him. Surrounded by his devout military-trained followers, he has built an impenetrable fortress and amassed an arsenal of weapons. After several failed infiltration attempts, the government – in the form of military operative Emmanuel Ashburn (De Niro) – recruits Nash Cavanaugh (Eastwood), an ex-special forces asset, who was once a disciple of The Bokushi. Nash agrees to use his vulnerable past and insider knowledge of the enigmatic leader to finally get revenge on the man who took everything from him, including the love of his life.

WME Independent is handling international sales with CAA Media Finance and WME Independent co-repping North America.

Brad Furman is directing from his script with Jess Fuerst. Unified Pictures’ Keith Kjarval, Current Entertainment’s Steven Chasman and Romulus Entertainment’s Brad Feinstein will produce.

Furman and Fuerst will also produce under their Road Less Traveled Productions banner.

Producers Kjarval and Chasman said: “As longtime friends, working with Brad (Furman) to craft an inspired and clever action film is a dream come true as we have formed a family along the way. Brad and Jess (Fuerst) have written such a powerful screenplay that has allowed us to put together an amazing diverse group of actors. With such incredible talent, this is going to be a wild ride.”

“I am honored to be a part of the team behind such an ambitious, important and deeply personal work in Tin Soldier,” Furman said. “With awe-inspiring settings and set pieces built for the big screen, this is an original story about struggle, sacrifice and the power of love and acceptance. To collaborate with a cast of this caliber is beyond humbling. The individual inspiration they have brought to each role is like nothing I have seen before. This has been an exciting journey and my hope is the film is even more exciting for audiences around the world.”

Zoe Saldana to Receive “Star of the Year” Award at CinemaCon

Posted on April 24, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is a shining star…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress will be among the honorees at CinemaCon’s Big Screen Achievement Awards.

Saldana will receive a CinemaCon Star of the Year award as The Adam Project star prepares for the release of a slate of projects that includes a new David O. Russell film, Keyhole Garden, the Avatar franchise and a new Guardians of the Galaxy installment.

The Big Screen Achievement Awards will be held at CinemaCon headquarters at Caesars Palace on April 28 and will be hosted by Entertainment Tonight veteran Kevin Frazier from inside the Colosseum. The awards are designed to shine a spotlight on the big-screen achievements of actors and filmmakers.

Other honorees include Robert De Niro, Billy Eichner, Abby Ryder Fortson and Glen Powell.

Additional honors are expected to be announced.

“CinemaCon may be the only time during the course of the year where the exhibition community gets to thank the creative world for providing the very best in the world of movies,” said Neuhauser. “Our roster of honorees this year represents an incredible scope of talent and to have one of the most legendary actors in the history of film being honored, that of course being Robert De Niro — well, it really doesn’t get better than that.”

The news comes just days before the big event that sees Hollywood studios and cinema operators gather in Las Vegas for the annual convention hosted by the National Association of Theatre Owners.

This year, all five major Hollywood studios plus Lionsgate and Neon will be touting their upcoming slates during their time on stage inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

CinemaCon, expected to draw upward of 6,000 guests, runs April 25-28. Partners this year include both the International Cinema Technology Association and National Association of Concessionaires.

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