20th Century Studios’ “The First Omen,” Starring Sonia Braga, to be Released in April 2024

Sonia Braga is feeling an impending omen

The 20th Century Studios’ psychological thriller The First Omen, starring the 73-year-old Brazilian actress, will be released on April 5, 2024.

Sonia BragaThe film is the prequel to the classic 1976 horror film, The Omen.

The original film, a hit in its day, grossed more than $60 million at the domestic box office (unadjusted for inflation) that starred Gregory Peck, Lee Remick and Harvey Stephens, follows an American ambassador who believes his 5-year-old son is the Antichrist.

In the prequel directed by Arkasha Stevenson, a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. She encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

In addition to Braga, best known for work in Kiss of the Spider Women, The First Omen also stars Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Ralph Ineson and Bill Nighy.

The film is based on characters created by David Seltzer, with a story by Ben Jacoby and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson and Keith Thomas.

Producers are David S. Goyer and Keith Levine, and executive producers are Tim Smith, Whitney Brown and Gracie Wheelan.

Diego Luna to Receive 2021 Platino Award of Honor

Diego Luna is being celebrated for his platinum career.

This year’s seventh edition of the Ibero-American Platino Awards (Premios Platinos) will honor the 41-year-old Mexican actor, director, producer and festival organizer with the Platino Award of Honor.

Diego Luna

An itinerant award show by design, this year’s Platinos will be held on October 3 in Madrid.

Luna will be the youngest recipient of the career achievement honor, joining previous winners Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez, often simply referred to as Raphael, one of Spain’s most iconic entertainers of the 20th century; Adriana Barraza, the Oscar nominated Spanish-English-language crossover star of Alejandro Iñárritu’s Babel and Amores Perros; Oscar and three time Primetime Emmy nominee Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver); Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory); and Primetime Emmy (The Burning Season) and BAFTA (“Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos) nominee Sonia Braga.

A child actor who excelled from an early age, Luna’s first film appearance was in Javier Bourges’ 1991 Mexican Academy Award-nominated short The Last New Year.” He appeared in several telenovelas throughout the ‘90s, joined on screen for the first time by his longtime collaborator and close friend Gael García Bernal in El abuelo y yo in 1992. Alternating between film and television over the next decade, his international breakout came with García Bernal and Spain’s Marbel Verdú in Alfonso Cuarón’s seminal coming-of-age road trip film “Y Tu Mamá También.”

Shortly after, Luna began his Hollywood career appearing alongside Bon Jovi in John Carpenter’s Vampires: Los Muertos and in Salma Hayek’s Oscar-winning biopic Frida.

In the decades since, Luna has continued to work on both Latin American and U.S. productions while also taking turns as a producer, writer and director. He also, again with García Bernal, launched the nomadic documentary film festival Ambulante, as well as their own production label, first Canana in 2005 and now La Corriente del Golfo.

Most recently, he created and hosts the Amazon Original conversation series Pan y Circo and is starring in the Disney+’s Andor, a spinoff series following his Rogue One: A Star Wars Story character Cassian Andor.

He was also recently confirmed as a voice actor for Netflix’s upcoming animated series Maya and the Three, where he will team with frequent collaborator Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life).

Last year’s ceremony was, like so many, forced online by the COVID-19 pandemic. But this time around, the Platinos are planning an in-person event to celebrate the best offerings from the Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American screen industries.

At 11 nominations each, the two standout titles are Fernando Trueba’s Colombian drama Memories of My Father and Jayro Bustamante’s Guatemalan thriller La Llorona.

The Platino Awards are promoted by EGEDA (Spain’s Entity for the Rights Management of Audiovisual Producers) and FIPCA (the Ibero-American Federation of Film and Audiovisual Producers) and have the support of the Ibero-American film academies and institutes as well as numerous sponsors in Europe and Latin America.

Kleber Mendonça Filho Named to This Year’s Cannes Film Festival Jury

Kleber Mendonça Filho is on the jury…

Organizers for the 74th Cannes Film Festival have unveiled the nine-person jury group, which includes 52-year-old Brazilian film director, screenwriter, producer and critic.

Kleber Mendonça Filho

In addition to Filho, the jury includes president Spike Lee, French-Senegalese actor-director Mati DiopOscar nominated actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, French actress Mélanie Laurent, Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner and French singer Mylène Farmer.

Rounding out the jury are French actor Tahar Rahim and South Korean actor Song Kang-Ho.

Filho’s first movie, Neighboring Sounds, made its world premiere at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2012 and was Brazil’s entry in the race for the Oscars. His second feature film, Aquarius, starring Sonia Braga, played in competition at the 69th Cannes in 2016 before being nominated for a César and an Independent Spirit Awards. In 2019, Bacurau, which Filho co-directed with Juliano Dornelles, screened in competition in Cannes was awarded the Jury Prize.

All together, the jury will watch 24 films in competition during the delayed film festival from July 6-17. The jury will announce its winners on the last day of the festival.

Sonia Braga to Star Opposite Jennifer Lopez in Lionsgate’s “Shotgun Wedding”

Sonia Braga is reporting for Mom duty…

The 70-year-old Brazilian actress has been cast in Lionsgate’s Jennifer Lopez-led film Shotgun Wedding.

Sonia Braga

Braga will portray J.Lo’s mom in the film, which also stars Josh Duhamel and Jennifer Coolidge.

“We couldn’t be happier for our bride and groom of this Shotgun Wedding,” said Erin Westerman, president of production for the Lionsgate Motion Pictures Group. “We know Josh and Jennifer will make a compelling and sexy on-screen couple and they will be fun sparring partners as their dream destination wedding erupts into a memorable nightmare. We are also thrilled to bring Jennifer and Sonia on to our cast as Mothers of the Bride and Groom. Their acting and comedic talents will add another fun layer to this already-rich action-comedy.”

Logline: Darcy (Lopez) and Tom (Duhamel) gather their lovable but very opinionated families for the ultimate destination wedding just as the couple begin to get cold feet. And if that wasn’t enough of a threat to the celebration, suddenly everyone’s lives are in danger when the entire party is taken hostage. “Til Death Do Us Part” takes on a whole new meaning in this hilarious, adrenaline-fueled adventure as Darcy and Tom must save their loved ones — if they don’t kill each other first.

Braga, known for her Golden Globe nominated role in The Kiss of the Spider Woman, most recently starred in the Independent Spirit Award nominated Brazilian film Bacurau, from director Kleber Mendonça Filho.

Her feature credits include Wonder, The Milagro Beanfield War, as well as the miniseries Streets of Laredo, Luke Cage and The Burning Season.

Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles’ “Bacurau” Among Barack Obama’s Favorite Films of 2020

Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles are getting the presidential seal of approval…

Former President Barack Obama’s list of his favorite television shows and movies of 2020 includes t52-year-old Brazilian filmmaker and the 40-year-old Brazilian filmmaker’s Bacurau.

Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles

Mendonça Filho and Dornelles’ western/thriller stars Sonia BragaUdo KierBárbara ColenThomas AquinoSilvero Pereira and Karine Teles.

Here’s the film’s synopsis: After the death of her grandmother, Teresa (Colen) comes home to her matriarchal village in a near-future Brazil to find a succession of sinister events that mobilizes all of its residents.

Here are the complete lists:

MOVIES

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Beanpole
Bacurau
Nomadland
Soul
Lovers Rock
Collective
Mank
Martin Eden
Let Him Go
Time
Boys State
Selah And The Spades
Crip Camp

TV:

Better Call Saul
The Queen’s Gambit
I May Destroy You
The Boys
The Good Lord Bird
Devs
The Last Dance
Mrs. America
The Good Place
City So Real

Alonso to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Las Reinas”

Daniella Alonso is taking the throne…

The 38-year-old Puerto Rican and Peruvian American actress has landed the lead role in ABC’s drama pilot Las Reinas.

Daniella Alonso

(Animal Kingdom) has been cast as the lead in Las Reinas, ABC’s drama pilot from feature writer Dean Georgaris, ABC Studios and the Mark Gordon Co.

Las Reinas centers on Detective Sonya De La Reina (Alonso) who is forced to confront her past when a case compels her to reconnect with her estranged family – the most powerful criminal outfit in Miami. Thrust back into the world she thought she had left behind, Sonya must walk the murky line between the law and her family, and question her true destiny as a De La Reina. Sonia Braga co-stars.

From feature writer Dean Georgaris, who penned the script, the pilot will be directed by Liz Friedlander,

Alonso, who starred on the NBC drama series Revolution, is coming off a season-long stint as a series regular on TNT’s dramas Animal Kingdom. She also recently recurred on The Night Shift and Being Mary Jane.

Braga to Co-Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Las Reinas”

Sonia Braga is taking the thrown…

The 66-year-old Brazilian actress has been cast in ABC’s drama pilot Las Reinas in a co-starring role.

Sonia Braga

Penned by feature writer Dean Georgaris, Las Reinas centers on Detective Sonya De La Reina, who is forced to confront her past when a case compels her to reconnect with her estranged family – the most powerful criminal outfit in Miami. Thrust back into the world she thought she had left behind, Sonya must walk the murky line between the law and her family, and question her true destiny as a De La Reina.

Braga will portray Sonya’s grandmother Gabriella De La Reina, the head of one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the world. After her husband was killed, Gabriella took over their small criminal enterprise and turned it into a multi-national, multi-million dollar behemoth of illegal and legal interests. She has it all – except the one thing she wants more than anything: to bring her estranged granddaughter Sonya back into the fold.

Liz Friedlander has been tapped to direct the pilot after co-creating, executive producing and directing the pilot for another Mark Gordon Co./ABC Studios project, the freshman ABC drama series Conviction.

Braga recently co-starred in the feature Aquarius and will next be seen in Wonder and Going Places.

Mendonca Filho Named to Variety’s “10 Directors to Watch” List

Keep your eyes on Kleber Mendonca Filho

The Brazilian film director, screenwriter and producer will be honored as one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch during the Palm Springs Film Festival in January.The full list, which spans the creative landscape and puts a spotlight on a mixture of independent and studio filmmakers, includes Moonlight director Barry Jenkins.

Kleber Mendonca Filho

Mendonca Filho is being recognized for helming the Brazilian–French drama Aquarius, starring Sonia Braga as Clara, a retired music writer and the last resident of Aquarius building, who refuses to sell her apartment to a construction company that intends to replace it with a new edifice.

The film was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

“One of the most exciting things for me about the festival is being able to host Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch brunch,” said Michael Lerman, the festival’s Artistic Director. “Not only is it a fantastic event, but it also nicely compliments our festival program with selections from our Talking Pictures and Awards Buzz sections, as well as the director of our opening night film The Sense of an Ending, Ritesh Batra. It’s an exciting list this year!” 

Here’s the complete list:

Maren Ade, (“Toni Erdmann”)
Ritesh Batra, (“The Sense of an Ending”)
Otto Bell, (“The Eagle Huntress”)
Julia Ducournau, (“Raw”)
Geremy Jasper, (“Patti Cake$”)
Barry Jenkins, (“Moonlight”)
Emmett and Brendan Malloy, (“The Tribes of Palos Verdes”)
Kleber Mendonca Filho, (“Aquarius”)
William Oldroyd, (“Lady Macbeth”)
David Sandberg, (“Lights Out”)

Previous 10 Directors to Watch include Ben Affleck (Gone Baby Gone), Ava DuVernay (Selma) and Christopher Nolan (Memento).

The list debuted in 1996 and the annual event moved to the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January 2011.

Braga to Star Opposite Rosario Dawson on Marvel’s “Luke Cage” Series for Netflix

Sonia Braga is ready to Marvel

The 65-year-old Brazilian actress and three-time Golden Globe nominee has joined the cast of Marvel’s Luke Cage, the third series in the comic book publisher’s four-series package for Netflix.

Sonia Braga

Braga, best known for her roles in Kiss of the Spider Woman and Moon Over Parador, will portray Soledad Temple, mother of the Rosario Dawson-portrayed Claire Temple – whom we’ve previously met in Marvel’s Daredevil and briefly in Marvel’s Jessica Jones.

Set to debut with a 13-episode first season on the streaming service in 2016, Luke Cage has American Horror Story: Coven alum Mike Colter playing the ex-con with super strength who tries to get his life back on track and becomes a hero for hire to pay the bills in contemporary New York City.

Fans of the long established Marvel character, who first appeared back in 1972, Colter’s Cage also is a featured player and love interest in Jessica Jones, which debuted November 20 on Netflix.

Ray Donovan‘s Cheo Hodari Coker is Luke Cage’s showrunner and will write the series’ first 2-episodes. Marvel’s Luke Cage is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix.

Braga Lands Role on NBC’s Drama Pilot “The Curse Of The Fuentes Women”

Sonia Braga has been cursed…

The 64-year-old Brazilian actress, best known for her performances in Kiss of the Spider Woman and Moon Over Parador, has landed a regular role in The Curse Of The Fuentes Women, NBC’s drama pilot from Warner Bros. Television.

Sonia Braga

When a magical and mysterious young man (portrayed by Adan Canto) inexplicably emerges from the ocean, he breathes new passion into the lives of the Fuentes women – the beautiful but lonely Lola (Christina Vidal), her ailing mother Esperanza (Rachel Ticotin) and her troubled daughter Soledad (Katie Sarife). Lola has given up on love and dedicated herself to caring for her daughter Soledad, her mother Esperanza and their floundering family restaurant – until a mysterious stranger enters her life, opening up a world of possibilities.

Braga will play Orquidia, the estranged sister of Esperanza (Ticotin). Orquidia has been harboring an enormous grudge against her sister for decades.

Braga, nominated for three Golden Globes and an Emmy, has appeared on television in Sex and the City, Alias and The Cosby Show.