NEW YORK Jeffrey Morgan–an alumnus of SHOOT’s 2007 New Directors Showcase on the strength of his first documentary, Lillie & Leander: A Legacy of Violence–now finds himself on the festival circuit with another feature, over a decade in the making, which was sparked in part by Lillie & Leander. Welcome to Jay debuted on August 31 at Read More 

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Emmys have become the “Shogun” show well before Sunday’s ceremony even begins. The FX series about political machinations among local lords, Portuguese traders and a wandering British sailor is already the winningest series for a single season in Emmy history after taking 14 trophies at the precursor Creative Arts ceremony on Sunday. The main Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) “Musical” has been a dirty word lately in Hollywood marketing, but “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu isn’t having it. Of course, there’s no running from the term when you’re bringing to the screen one of the most popular Broadway shows of the 21st century, or telling a story so connected to one of the most Read More 

LOS ANGELES (AP) Francis Ford Coppola has sued Variety, saying that a July story that said he ran an unprofessional set with impunity and touching and tried to kiss female extras during the production of his film “Megalopolis” was false and libelous. The suit, which seeks at least $15 million from the entertainment trade publication, was filed in Read More 

TORONTO (AP) The day after the premiere of their film “Nightbitch,” Amy Adams and Marielle Heller are sitting in a Toronto restaurant reflecting on all that went into, as Heller puts it, “birthing” a movie that captures some of the truest, rawest but seldom Instagrammed things about early motherhood. Their film, which writer-director Heller has described as Read More 

TORONTO (AP) When the British filmmaker Mike Leigh was 6, his father, a doctor who would oppose his son becoming an artist, told him to quit drawing pictures of people. In a way, Leigh never stopped. In his six decades making movies, the 81-year-old Leigh has made some of the most humanistic movies in cinema, many of Read More 

LOS ANGELES The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that the world premiere of Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 will close the 38th edition of AFI Fest. The Warner Bros. Pictures film stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Gabriel Basso, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough, Leslie Bibb and Kiefer Sutherland. Juror #2 will screen as the Read More 

VENICE, Italy (AP) Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut “The Room Next Door,” with Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, won the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion award Saturday. Nicole Kidman was awarded the best actress prize, for her r aw and exposing portrayal of a CEO embroiled in an affair with an intern in “Babygirl,” but missed the ceremony due Read More 

LOS ANGELES (AP) “Shōgun” won the most Emmys ever for a single season of a television series with 14 at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sunday night, while “The Bear” won seven including best guest actress in a comedy series for Jamie Lee Curtis. Presenters were saying “Shōgun” all night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles Read More 

LOS ANGELES It seemed apropos that Saturday evening (9/7) was big for Saturday Night Live as the stalwart NBC show topped the awards tally on the first night of two Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies this weekend. Saturday Night Live took six Emmy Awards spanning such categories as directing, technical direction, production design, lighting design, makeup and hairstyling. Read More 

LOS ANGELES Apple’s “Fuzzy Feelings” won the primetime commercial Emmy this evening (9/7) during the first of two Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies being held this weekend in the Peacock Theater at LA Live. The yuletide film out of TBWAMedia Arts Lab was directed by Lucia Aniello via Hungry Man in tandem with stop-motion animator Anna Mantzaris Read More 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) One month after a judge declared Google’s search engine an illegal monopoly, the tech giant faces another antitrust lawsuit that threatens to break up the company, this time over its advertising technology. The Justice Department, joined by a coalition of states, and Google each made opening statements Monday to a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, Read More 

LOS ANGELES Partizan has added the London-based directing duo Ethan & Tom to its roster for global representation. Known for their expert technical fluency and authentic casting, Ethan & Tom deploy diverse methods of filmmaking, telling stories ranging from well-crafted visual jokes to stunning and extravagant cinematic worlds. Ethan & Tom met in 2017 at the University Read More 

LOS ANGELES Creative production partner Tool has added Ava Berkofsky to its directorial roster for commercial representation in the U.S. Berkofsky (they/them), an award-winning cinematographer and LGBTQIA+ voice, has applied their signature visual style to features (The Sky Is Everywhere), television (HBO’s Insecure, Bel-Air), documentaries, and commercials. Tool becomes the first company to represent Berkofsky as a Read More 

LOS ANGELES Filmmaker and photographer Matthew Dillon Cohen has signed with Biscuit Filmworks for commercial representation in the U.S. and U.K. Cohen is best known for his visual storytelling, with vivid colors and cinematic realness. Prior to connecting with Biscuit Filmworks, he was most recently repped by Anonymous Content. Cohen’s latest film for Zach Bryan builds upon Read More 

LOS ANGELES Director Nat Livingston Johnson has signed with Hey Wonderful for commercials and branded entertainment. Johnson was previously part of the directing duo Peking (with Gregory Mitnick), known for Cannes Lion-winning documentary and experiential work for Skype and Doritos x Rock the Vote, along with award-winning short films such as The Kook, which have played at Read More 

TORONTO (AP) Many of the expected conventions of music biopics are present in “Piece by Piece,” about the producer-turned-pop star Pharrell Williams, and “Better Man,” about the British singer Robbie Williams. There’s the young artist’s urge to break through, fallow creative periods and regrettable chapters of fame-addled excess. But there are a few, little differences. In “Piece Read More 

TORONTO (AP) A few hours before the film about his life, “Unstoppable,” was to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Anthony Robles, sitting alongside the actor who plays him, Jharrel Jerome, was remembering the moment he won the NCAA wrestling national title. He had done something that was, by any measure, extraordinary. Robles was born without Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York’s Read More 

LOS ANGELES Epoch Films has signed Swedish filmmaker Daniel Lundh for commercial representation in the U.S. Lundh deftly uses comedy to render keen observations about human nature and ordinary life. This engaging directorial style is helped by Lundh’s concentration on casting and openness to improvisation when working with talent, nailing original and compelling performances. Prior to joining Read More 

LONDON Object & Animal has signed director Daniel Warwick for representation in the U.S., U.K. and the Netherlands. Warwick, known for his cinematic scale and off-beat narratives, has won assorted awards including Grand Prix at Ciclope, Cannes Lions and D&ADs. His noted work spans such clients as Kathmandu, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Adidas, Coors, and adult store Eis.de. Read More 

LOS ANGELES Roderick Fenske, the award-winning agency copywriter/creative director turned comedic director of commercials and films, has joined Yard Dog TV for U.S. representation. Fenske–known for his idiosyncratic casting, stylish art direction, and blend of practical and digital effects–saw his newest commercial work, for Drink Weird Ice Tea, break earlier this month. His most recent short film, Read More 

LOS ANGELES Gravy Films has signed Swedish filmmaker Tomas Jonsgården for commercial representation in the U.S. The director has won many accolades at Cannes Lions, British Arrows, Epica, and Eurobest, and was named Director of the Year at the Swedish Film & TV Producers Association’s ROY Awards. (He continues to be repped in Sweden by B-Reel Films.) Read More 

NEW YORK Global creative agency DAVID has hired Daniel Lobatón as its first chief creative officer of North America, overseeing North American offices, DAVID Miami and DAVID New York. Lobatón will step into the newly created position to oversee creative operations, ensuring both offices continue to deliver business-driving ideas and usher in new creative opportunities and growth Read More 

LOS ANGELES Director Pete Marquis has opened Good Behavior, a comedy-focused production company in which he’s partnered with executive producer Victoria Guenier and producer Adam Lawson. The trio worked on some 50-plus productions since meeting three years ago at Strike Anywhere, a production house where Marquis was on the directorial roster, Guenier was on staff as EP Read More 

ROME (AP) First Paris, now Rome and next Barcelona — Lily Collins is taking on two more European cities. As the star and producer of “Emily in Paris,” she’s been playing the unlucky-in-love marketing executive, breaking hearts (including her own) in France for the past three seasons of the Netflix show. That changes in part two of Read More 

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) They say tripping on psychedelic mushrooms triggers hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia and nervousness. In the case of Elliott, an 18-year-old restless Canadian, they prompt a visitor. “Dude, I’m you,” says the guest, as she nonchalantly burns a ‘smores on a campfire next to a very high and stunned Elliott. “Well, I’m a 39-year-old you. What’s up?” Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) Taylor Swift ‘s dominance continued at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she took home seven awards — including the night’s biggest, the trophy for video of the year. In her speech Wednesday night, Swift thanked her “boyfriend, Travis” for being on set of the “Fortnight” music video and cheering her on. Fans rewarded the Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) Before Aaron Pierre wanted to act, he wanted to be the fastest man in the world. Growing up in West Croydon in London, Pierre was drawn to track and field. He thought gold medalist sprinter Maurice Greene was the coolest man on Earth. Pierre ran the 60-meter, the 100-meter and second leg of the 4×100 Read More 

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