Awards Radar had the opportunity to sit down with Steve Toussaint. The talented actor was excited about what’s to come for Lord Corlys Velaryon during the upcoming third season of House of the Dragon. Westeros isn’t kind to those who deal with tragedy, and Toussaint is very aware that his character will need to change in order to survive. The performer also praised other crew members who made the action of House of the Dragon possible. From showrunners to the costume design department, Steve Toussaint had nothing but good things to say about the team behind HBO’s massive hit. Here are some of the highlights from the conversation:

Awards Radar: In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, what was important for Corlys when it comes to his relationship with the Crown?

Steve Toussaint: I think that kind of changed as the season went on, he was forced to put his love for Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) by his beloved wife. He had been injured and he thought: “Let’s get out of this. This is not our war”. His wife thought: “No, this is the right thing to do”. And she was correct. During the first five episodes of Season 2, he was there due to a feeling of obligation towards his wife. That was reinforced after she had died. Her dying wish was to support Rhaenyra and hold the realm together by supporting what they believe to be the legitimate claim to the Iron Throne.

His relationship to the crown was complicated, nuanced. If you look at the two candidates, Rhaenyra and Aegon, she clearly is the right choice. But his family has been hurt by being close to the Targaryens. His daughter then dies after being married to the brother of the King. He’s ambivalent towards the Targaryens, and Rhaenyra in particular.

AR: What was it like to work with Eve Best during this season of House of the Dragon?

ST: It was the absolute best, pardon the pun. I had admired her before meeting her. I had seen her in a couple of things on the screen, I hadn’t seen her in theatre. I saw her in a wonderful show called The Shadow Line. And, of course, she was in Nurse Jackie. When they told me Eve would be playing that part, I was very excited. And you always hope you can get along with the person you’ll be working closely with. And we did! From the first day, we became very close colleagues and friends. It was a great joy. She’s one of those actors you can throw a line at differently, in different takes, and she will go along with it. It was a real heartbreak when her character met her demise.

AR: Did you read the book before working on the show?

ST: No, I hadn’t! George R.R. Martin was kind enough to send a few of us signed copies of the book. I had decided early on that I wouldn’t read the book because there’s the book and there’s the television series. They can be two different entities. The last thing I wanted to do was read something in the book that Miguel and Ryan, at the time, decided that it wasn’t cinematic. My job is to try mu hardest to portray the screen version that they had written. I’ll probably read the book when we finish this thing.

AR: When did you find out that Rhaenys was going to die? What was that like for you?

ST: They must have sent me the scripts before we had our first rehearsal. I must have found out then. My only memory of finding out is actually at the table reading. I know that can’t be possible, but that’s the memory that I have. Eve and I were sitting together. We got to the part where it says: “She plummets to her death”, or something like that. The entire room went like: “Oh no!”. Suddenly, it became real. I can’t say I was in shock, because it’s Westeros. People die all the time in Westeros. But it was hard to lose my partner in crime.

AR: The chemistry between the two characters was incredible. How did you work with Eve Best to craft this relationship?

ST: It was a lot of fun! There wasn’t a lot of work. I think I used to disagree with this idea of “chemistry”. I just thought: “If you just look into another actor’s eyes, there’s chemistry”. But having this experience and having so many people tell me what they felt watching the two of us together, I’m more open to it. When we were rehearsing with Ryan and Miguel before Season 1, there was one question we would ask. When know that they’re a power couple, but when they got together, was it a political thing or was it love? Both Ryan and Miguel, without hesitation, said it was love. That was very important.

As actors, we were teased by other cast members who portrayed people in relationships, because ours was the healthiest relationship. The characters like being around each other, they love each other. I was recently discussing Season 3 with someone, and I said: “The only time that Corlys smiles brightly is with her presence”. The only time he’s completely relaxed with himself is with her. These are things we discovered through playing these characters. A lot of that came from the fact that Eve and I liked each other anyway. We had wonderful conversations on set about all sorts of things. She’s a very funny and kind lady. She was kind enough to laugh at my jokes. That gets you a long way in my book.

AR: Moving forward, what is the essence of Corlys Velaryon? Now that he has lost Rhaenys.

ST: Without spoilers, if you watched the first two seasons, it will make sense. He basically is now about his legacy and what he leaves behind. At one point, he tries to name his granddaughter as his heir. Some people believe that the heir of Driftmark has to be salt and sea. He’s looking for that person. He’s looking for a vehicle for his name to continue. There is nobody else, his children are dead. The grandson who would’ve been the heir to Driftmark has also died. No spoilers, but that does leave his two illegitimate children. As we see at the end of Season 2, Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) wants nothing to do with him. He hates him because of what he did. Corlys is in search of making a lasting legacy. He wants to keep the promises he made to his wife. We open Season 3 in a state of war for the succession.

AR: What is it like for you to work on the massive sets and real locations of House of the Dragon?

ST: It’s terrific! Anything that can aid your imagination makes acting much easier. I worked on this scale once before. I did a film called The Prince of Persia and that was a big deal. I remember walking into the set in Morocco and thinking it was huge. I get that feeling almost every day on this show. No spoilers, but what we have planned for this season is huge. The are some things that I have been told that I’ve never done on television before. It’s amazing! We were walking around the set just a couple of days ago, discussing the details on the paintings and the carvings on the columns. It’s truly amazing. I’m constantly amazed at the crafts people who work on the show. I told Loni (Peristere, one of the directors from the series): “I’m so glad that I don’t have to keep all of this memorized, like you”. He did the lovely, cheeky smile that he has. It’s a massive undertaking and an absolute thrill to be a part of it.

AR: What were your inspirations for the way Corys carries himself when he’s on the screen?

ST: I’ll tell you something that’s interesting. When I first met Ryan and Miguel, when I was trying to get the job, what we talked about, more than anything else, was about being a father. I’m not a father. But I had just played a father in a series of films and television that Steve McQueen had directed. One of them was Small Axe: Red, White and Blue. A played a father who was very stern. He loved his children, but he felt like he had to be tough.

We talked a lot about that character and that kind of father. That was the inspiration, after that, we started talking about our own fathers, myself and Miguel. About how you equip yourself to live in the world. Are you soft and kind? Or are you tough or whatever? A lot of those things kept coming back to me when I looked at the script. Specially when it comes to how Corlys is with his first son. He’s trying to secure a place for his family in a world where you can die very quickly. He hopes that his name carries on. When you first meet him, he’s like: “Let’s get to the throne!” He says to his wife: “It should’ve been you”. He’s very modern in the sense that he’s very supportive of his wife.

Both seasons of House of the Dragon are now streaming on Max.

The post Interview: Steve Toussaint Dives Deep into Playing Corlys Velaryon in ‘House of the Dragon’ appeared first on Awards Radar.

Awards Radar had the opportunity to interview the talented actor, who talked about his portrayal of Andy while providing new insight on how he built the character and what was so fascinating about the role. Andy is one of the main characters in La Máquina, which allowed Luna to be reunited with his long-time friend, Gael García Bernal. Here are some highlights with the interview with Diego Luna:

NOTE: This interview was translated from Spanish.

Awards Radar: Diego, how do you feel with the accomplishment La Máquina turned out to be?

Diego Luna: I’m very happy with what’s happening with La Máquina. I like watching people celebrating it. I love how our job keeps us as a part of this celebration. This time period is special because it celebrates the diversity of voices that are telling stories, and it makes you feel like you’re a part of a community. That’s really beautiful.

I’m thankful for the crew and the La Máquina family. It’s been a wonderful journey, with a lot of work and plenty of risks. Above all, it feels like we’re a family and there’s a feeling of belonging. We’re a community that has been together for decades.

AR: What was your relationship with boxing before La Máquina?

DL: Before La Máquina, I had been a fan of boxing since I was child. The stories of boxing are very interesting. I followed the career of Julio César Chávez a lot. He was a wonderful boxer. I would say he’s Mexico’s best boxer, but that’s up for debate. Mexico has delivered great figures in boxing. But I grew up watching him (Chávez).

Many years later, I got to approach him and agree to make a documentary with him. He gave me the opportunity, he invited me to his house. I made a documentary about him, his relationship with his son and the final years of his career. He was very generous with me. We established a very beautiful friendship. I got to know his universe. I got to know the stories he was a part of. He’s a generational talent in the history of boxing. He crossed borders during a time when he could make the United States, Mexico and South America pay attention to him.

Anyways, being able to make that documentary was very important to me in order to talk about where I came from. It also allowed to talk about how boxing could help us understand our country better. Boxing is crucial to understanding our country. In conclusion, boxing is very important. And I also must say that, the times I’ve had contact with the boxing community, I’ve found a very beautiful, empathic, grateful and generous group. Knowing that community has also been very nice.

AR: What fascinated you the most about this project? The story of a boxer trying to get his confidence back? Or the organized crime story your character is involved in?

DL: In a way, the story of my character and those people isn’t clearly defined. They’re some sort of Greek gods who are somehow pulling the strings and defining the destiny of those in the ring. But I’d say that the fascinating story is the one of two men who have to have to go beyond one moment and close a specific chapter of their lives. They also have to be brave enough to mature.

In that sense, boxing narratives are very unfair. They prepare you to achieve certain things. And when you’re ready, your body starts to fail and you’re not there. Nobody teaches you to let go. Nobody is with you during that process. And this story is about what happens when you understand boxing better than anything, but your body doesn’t respond.

What happens to Andy, which is also very important, is how he’s clinging to a certain image and power. He’s clinging to being part of an elite group of people and he has to let it go. And it’s hard to let go. It’s hard to grow old.

AR: What did you do to get into Andy’s headspace? Was he based on anyone you know?

DL: Yes, I know a lot of people (like Andy). I tried not to be focused on a single story. But to me, Andy is important to talk about what we’re doing as a society. The importance we’re giving to superficial matters. This constant level of unhappiness with how we look. What we’re doing to out bodies. The feeling that social media brought us, where we have to be streaming 24 hours a day. We have to be constantly exposed to a camera.

I lived in that world where things happened to us and then we decided to share one or two. Now we’re sharing our lives before things happen to us. And when things do happen to us, they have to be available for everyone to see. And I think that has brought distortion and confusion. Andy is definitely a victim of that. He’s lost control. He doesn’t notice what he’s doing to his body and how he’s hurting himself.

I know a lot of people who aren’t capable of realizing what they’re doing to themselves. When they look in the mirror, they don’t see what everyone else sees. That’s one of the things this character has. It was very important to me to talk about that, because I encounter it in my life very often. It’s alarming.

AR: As a performer, what was important for to stand out in the contrasting moments when Andy is having fun and when he’s being threatened by criminals?

DL: Andy us exactly a character of extremes. He doesn’t know how to reach a middle ground. That’s why I talk a lot about the distortion he lives in. He lives through everything with a lot of intensity. He’s a man who clearly doesn’t know how to live life calmly and keep his distance. He makes a lot of mistakes. He’s used to everything working out for him. And when that isn’t the case, he suffers a lot.

He’s a very lonely guy. He hasn’t learned how to deal with the absence of his father, so he has a toxic relationship with his mother. He lives his life through somebody else. That must be hard. He would like to be the center of attention. He would like to be the boxer, but he’s not.

AR: Was the sequence at Plaza de Toros México filmed on location?

DL: Yes, yes, yes! We filmed at Plaza México at night, and it was beautiful and thrilling. Plaza México is the only bullring in the world that is shaped like an ice cream cone. People are always facing each other, and it makes it very powerful for concerts and boxing fights. We knew it had to be there. It was very expensive, we had to do it all in one night. But we got it, and it looks amazing!

(Laughs) The one who suffered through it was Gael. It was very cold, and he had to wear the boxing shorts. The cold was terrible, even if you were just boxing. But yes, we filmed on location at Plaza México and other arenas. But the most special one was Plaza de Toros México.

AR: I can imagine the cold of Plaza México being unforgiving with the boxing shorts

DL: Yes! It was at night, we shot at 4 A.M. and during the winter! Poor Gael.

AR: How did it feel to bring these iconic places from Mexico City to a global audience?

DL: That’s what makes me very proud of this series. In every way, it’s a tribute to the place we belong to. And it’s also a tribute to the talent of Mexico City. That fact that we were allowed to tell a story that is being seen all over the world brings a very pleasant feeling. It’s being celebrated in different countries. People are watching with subtitles and that’s okay! We appreciate that.

AR: Where did Andy’s accent come from. Was it hard for you to get used to it?

DL: Yes, it was difficult. And I got to have fun with it because Gael does a very specific job. And Gael is from (Guadalajara). I based it on him, but my character (Andy) is playing a character himself. If you look at the very first scene from La Máquina, it’s evident that Andy is like a Russian doll.

He wakes up at home, gets a milkshake and has a makeup routine. He has a toupée. He dresses in a specific way and injects substances onto his face. He’s a guy who wears a character. When you see him, he’s a character within a character, played by an actor, who is me. You get to have fun with that. I wanted Andy to feel like a norteño. He wants to sound like a tough businessman. Suddenly, specially with his mom, you get to see his vulnerability. The accent goes back to what he experienced during his childhood. He had that range.

AR: Andy is a very physical role. Was it difficult for you to constantly be carrying things and moving around when portraying him?

DL: Yes, because his movements are very unique and he’s a guy who physically represented a challenge for me. It was very to fun to play with once I was in costume. I stayed in character the whole day. And I’m not that kind of actor, that’s not what I meant. I walk in, I play, and when that’s over, I’m very happy to return to my regular self. There’s a distance between me and the characters. Not when I’m filming scenes. You’re living through them.

But also, it’s not hard for me to get out of character. But I liked to stay in character here. It was important in order not to lose him. I couldn’t let go of him. I was just on set bullying everyone around me. Andy is not polite. He’s politically incorrect. He’s very adorable, but ignorant. And he gets pretty heated up about everything. In that sense, he’s excited all the time.

He does everything three times bigger. It’s very uncomfortable to have him around. It must be fun for the crew for a bit, but after some time, they must’ve been grateful to go home.

AR: Well, I’m very happy to be interviewing Diego Luna and not Andy!

DL: Exactly! You couldn’t stand Andy! He would be schooling you about everything! He would’ve criticized your blazer, your hair! He would’ve asked why your headphones aren’t wireless. He is a very disgusting guy (laughs), but adorable and lonely and insecure.

AR: This was a very improvised interview, okay? I’m out of town, I would’ve gotten a haircut if I had known I was getting to talk to you today (laughs)

DL: (laughs) I would’ve had a heart attack if I had found out like that! We are where we are, as you can see (points towards the hotel room around him). We are where this interview caught us. Thank you.

AR: Thank you. I think that you have a very wide range as an artist. What would happen if Cassian Andor met Andy Pérez?

DL: Andy and Cassian are water and oil. Cassian would get away from him, or he’d get a droid to get rid of Andy. Andy wants to be the center of attention in every room he walks in. He wants the entire world to know that he’s standing there and has something to offer. Cassian is the exact opposite. Cassian wants to go by unnoticed. But they have something in common, now that I think about it. Specially with the Cassian from Season 1. Both men are negotiators. Both characters sell something that isn’t owned by them.

AR: Do you stay in touch with the Rogue One cast? Have they said anything about La Máquina?

DL: They’ve texted me, yes. I haven’t talked to Donnie (Yen) in years. We used to text a lot back in the day, but we lost contact. Felicity has sent us a couple of nice texts. And if I ever run into someone (from Rogue One), we start up a conversation. I can’t say much because, I’ve met with some of them more than with others. I’ll leave it at that.

But the cast and crew of Rogue One is a team I lived something very powerful with. A movie that was very difficult to make while attempting to be different. It was hard, but I think the movie achieved it. We formed very intense and deep relationships. But there are some people from that cast who I’ve had continued to see (since the release of Rogue One).

AR: Andor is about to return and I hope you get all of the awards for that. But what’s next for you, as an artist?

DL: I want to go back to making films. I was just in Kiss of the Spider Woman and I liked the scope and scale of it. What I’ve done on television represents the same amount of work I’ve done for films. I always give it my best, series are long movies. But telling a story in two hours is something I do miss. I’ll do a bit of everything. I also miss the stage.

The post Interview: Diego Luna on the Action of Playing Andy in ‘La Máquina’ appeared first on Awards Radar.

WWE Monday Night Raw will be focused on the storylines featuring the Superstars that belong to the show’s roster, including CM Punk, Dominik Mysterio and the World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther. The debut of WWE Monday Night Raw on Netflix will take place on January 6. The show will be streamed live from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. One of the combats that will take place during the event will be the highly-anticipated singles match between Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa.

WWE Monday Night Raw will be the only WWE show that will be streamed live on Netflix every week in the United States. When it comes to select international territories, other shows from the company will be available for streaming, including NXT and WWE Friday Night SmackDown. There’s no telling what’s going to happen when the best Superstars in the world enter the ring next year.

The debut of WWE Monday Night Raw on Netflix will come very close to the biggest event in the company’s calendar. WrestleMania 41 will take place from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19 and 20, 2025. Some of the storylines that will culminate during the blockbuster event will be developed once WWE Monday Night Raw arrives on Netflix. In the meantime, fans will have to tune in every week in order to find out what’s going to happen with their favorite Superstars.

You can check out the reveal of the new logo from WWE Monday Night Raw below, before the series makes its debut on Netflix on January 6:

The post New WWE Raw Logo Revealed by Triple H appeared first on Awards Radar.

Better Man dares to take an unexpected spin when it comes to the life and career of a very successful singer. Directed by Michael Gracey, the movie portrays Robbie Williams as a chimpanzee. Williams voices himself in the project. And to explain the depiction of the artist as a primate, it’s been stated that it reflects the idea that the singer felt “less evolved” than others while finding his footing within the music industry.

The Penguin Lessons is a comedy drama that held its world premiere during last year’s edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. The premise follows a British teacher portrayed by Steve Coogan who takes a job in Argentina. The story will be based on the memoir written by Tom Michell, taking audiences on an unpredictable journey. These movies have been carefully selected to open and close next year’s edition of the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

The rest of the selection for next year’s edition of the Palm Springs International Film Festival includes Armand, Lost Ladies and Presence. The selection of movies has been carefully divided into categories such as American Indies, True Stories and Spanish Focus. It’s time for the one of the most interesting festivals of the season to delight the world once again, with the next edition of the Palm Springs International Film Festival being merely weeks away.

You can check out the whole list below:

AWARDS BUZZ – BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM SUBMISSIONS   

This section is selected by Festival programmers as the strongest entries in this year’s Academy Awards® race and will screen 35 official submissions from the Best International Feature Film category. A special jury of international film critics will review these films to present the FIPRESCI Award for Best International Feature Film of the Year, as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay in this category. On Monday, January 6, The Hollywood Reporter will also host an in-depth panel discussion with some of the directors that have made the Best International Feature Film short-list. 

Armand (Norway), Director Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel 

Come Closer (Israel), Director Tom Nesher

Dahomey (Senegal), Director Mati Diop 

Drowning Dry (Lithuania), Director Laurynas Bareiša (North American Premiere) 

Emilia Pérez (France), Director Jacques Audiard 

Everybody Loves Touda (Morocco), Director Nabil Ayouch 

Flow (Latvia), Director Gints Zibalodis

From Ground Zero (Palestine), Anthology featuring 22 contributing directors, see website for full list (California Premiere)

The Girl with The Needle (Denmark), Director Magnus von Horn 

Grand Tour (Portugal), Director Miguel Gomes 

How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand), Director Pat Boonnitipat 

The Hungarian Dressmaker (Slovakia), Director Iveta Grófová

I’m Still Here (Brazil), Director Walter Salles

Julie Keeps Quiet (Belgium), Director Leonardo Van Dijl (California Premiere) 

Kill the Jockey (Argentina), Director Luis Ortega (U.S. Premiere) 

Kneecap (Ireland), Director Rich Peppiatt 

La Suprema (Colombia), Director Felipe Holguín Caro 

The Last Journey (Sweden), Director Filip Hammar & Fredrik Wikingsson 

Life (Turkey), Director Zeki Demirkubuz

Lost Ladies (India), Director Kiran Rao 

Meeting With Pol Pot (Cambodia), Director Rithy Panh (North American Premiere)

Memories of a Burning Body (Costa Rica), Director Antonella Sudasassi Furniss (California Premiere) 

My Late Summer (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Director Danis Tanović (U.S. Premiere) 

Old Fox (Taiwan), Director Hsiao Ya-Chuan 

Santosh (United Kingdom), Director Sandhya Suri 

Saturn Return (Spain), Director Isaki Lacuesta, Pol Rodríguez 

The Seed of The Sacred Fig (Germany), Director Mohammad Rasoulof

Shambhala (Nepal), Director Min Bahadur Bham (U.S. Premiere) 

Sujo (Mexico), Director Astrid Rondero, Fernanda Valadez 

Three Kilometers to The End of The World (Romania), Director Emanuel Pârvu (California Premiere) 

Touch (Iceland), Director Baltasar Kormákur

Twilight Of the Warriors: Walled In (Hong Kong), Director Soi Cheang

Universal Language (Canada), Director Matthew Rankin 

Vermiglio (Italy), Director Maura Delpero 

Waves (Czech Republic), Director Jiří Mádl  

TALKING PICTURES  

The Talking Pictures program includes in-depth discussions with directors, writers and actors from the year’s top titles. The following film selected for this year’s program with guests attending are:   

Emilia Pérez (France) with director Jacques Audiard and actors Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Edgar Ramírez 

Sing Sing (United States) with actor Colman Domingo 

MODERN MASTERS   

New films, classic auteurs.   

Hard Truths (United Kingdom/Spain), Director Mike Leigh

Never Alone (Estonia/Finland), Director Klaus Härö (North American Premiere) 

Parthenope (Italy), Director Paolo Sorrentino 

Presence (United States), Director Steven Soderbergh

A Traveler’s Needs (South Korea), Director Hong Sangsoo 

When Fall Is Coming (France), Director François Ozon (U.S. Premiere)

NEW VOICES NEW VISIONS   

Unique viewpoints from first- and second-time directors.   

Bob Trevino Likes It (United States), Director Tracie Laymon 

Bonjour Tristesse (Canada/Germany), Director Durga Chew-Bose

Color Book (United States), Director David Fortune

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (South Africa), Director Embeth Davidtz (California Premiere)

Hanami (Switzerland/Portugal/Cape Verde), Director Denise Fernandes 

The New Year That Never Came (Romania), Director Bogdan Mureșanu (California Premiere) 

To A Land Unknown (United Kingdom/Palestine/France/Greece/Netherlands/Germany/Qatar/Saudi Arabia), Director Mahdi Fleifel

AMERICAN INDIES 

Independent films from rising American filmmakers.  

Bad Shabbos (United States), Director Daniel Robbins

The Friend (United States), Directors Scott Mcgehee, David Siegel (California Premiere)

I Don’t Understand You (United States/Italy), Directors Brian Crano, David Craig

Lilly (United States), Director Rachel Feldman (California Premiere) 

Love Me (United States), Director Sam Zuchero & Andy Zuchero 

Millers In Marriage (United States), Director Edward Burns (U.S. Premiere)

Paper Flowers (United States), Director Mahesh Pailoor 

Sacramento (United States), Director Michael Angarano

TRUE STORIES   

Non-fiction filmmaking at its most urgent and illuminating.   

Adrianne & The Castle (Canada), Director Shannon Walsh 

Agent of Happiness (Bhutan/Hungary), Director Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó 

Apocalypse in the Tropics (Brazil), Director Petra Costa (California Premiere)

Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It (United States), Director Paris Barclay 

Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story (Ireland/United Kingdom), Director Sinéad O’shea (California Premiere) 

Bring Them Home (United States), Directors Ivan Macdonald, Ivy Macdonald, Daniel Glick 

Checkpoint Zoo (United States/Ukraine), Director Joshua Zeman 

Counted Out (United States), Director Vicki Abeles 

Desert Angel (United States), Director Vincent Deluca (California Premiere) 

The Diamond King (United States), Director Marq Evans (California Premiere) 

Diane Warren: Relentless (United States), Director Bess Kargman

Driver (United States), Director Nesa Azimi (California Premiere) 

Every Little Thing (Australia), Director Sally Aitken (California Premiere) 

Good Men (United States), Director Bobby Roth 

Group Therapy (United States), Director Neil Berkeley

Headhunting To Beatboxing (India), Director Rohit Gupta (North American Premiere) 

His Own Way – The Cinema of Avi Nesher (Israel), Director Yair Raveh

Homegrown (United States), Director Michael Premo 

Igualada (Colombia/Mexico/United States), Director Juan Mejía 

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence (United States), Director Varda Bar-Kar 

Jean Cocteau (United States), Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland (California Premiere) 

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (United States), Director Bruce David Klein (California Premiere) 

Mistress Dispeller (China/United States), Director Elizabeth Lo 

My Sweet Land (Jordan/United States/France/Ireland), Director Sareen Hairabedian

Nasty (Romania), Directors Tudor Giurgiu, Tudor D. Popescu, Cristian Pascariu (North American Premiere)

No Other Land (Palestine), Directors Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor 

Paul Anka: His Way (United States), Director John Maggio (California Premiere) 

Sabbath Queen (United States), Director Sandi DuBowski

Schindler Space Architect (United States), Director Valentina Ganeva 

Shelf Life (United States/Japan/Switzerland/Georgia/England/Egypt/Spain/Wales), Director Ian Cheney (California Premiere) 

Space Cowboy (United States), Directors Marah Strauch, Bryce Leavitt 

The Stamp Thief (United States/Poland/Germany), Director Dan Sturman (World Premiere) 

A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things (United Kingdom), Director Mark Cousins (California Premiere) 

Tokito: The 540-Day Journey of A Culinary Maverick (Japan), Director Aki Mizutani (North American Premiere) 

Transfers (Argentina/Uruguay), Director Nicolás Gil Lavedra (North American Premiere) 

Walk With Me (United States), Director Heidi Levitt 

Whatever It Takes (United Kingdom/United States), Director Jenny Carchman 

You’re No Indian (United States), Director Ryan Flynn (World Premiere) 

Zurawski V. Texas (United States), Directors Maisie Crow, Abbie Perrault

SPANISH FOCUS 

Stories from Spanish filmmakers. 

Afternoons of Solitude (Spain/France/Portugal), Director Albert Serra 

The Exiles (Spain/Chile), Director Belén Funes (U.S. Premiere) 

Holy Mother (Spain/Belgium), Director Antonio Chavarrías (California Premiere) 

I Am Nevenka (Spain/Italy), Director Icíar Bollaín (California Premiere) 

Marco, The Invented Truth (Spain), Directors Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño (California Premiere) 

Rioja, The Land of a Thousand Wines (Spain), Director José Luis López-Linares 

The Wailing (Spain/France/Argentina), Director Pedro Martín-Calero (U.S. Premiere) 

SPOTLIGHT: PEDRO ALMODÓVAR 

As part of the Spanish Focus there will be a spotlight selection featuring films from celebrated filmmaker, Pedro Almodóvar. 

All About My Mother (1999)

Matador (1986)

The Room Next Door (2024)

Talk To Her (2002)

QUEER CINEMA TODAY & THE GAYLA   

Poignant, heartfelt and insightful stories from the LGBTQ community.   

Bun Tikki (India), Director Faraz Arif Ansari (World Premiere)

Desire Lines (United States), Director Jules Rosskam 

Drive Back Home (Canada), Director Michael Clowater 

Four Mothers (Ireland/United Kingdom), Director Darren Thornton 

A House Is Not a Disco (United States), Director Brian J. Smith 

I’m Your Venus (United States), Director Kimberly Reed (California Premiere) 

Misericordia (France/Spain/Portugal), Director Alain Guiraudie

A Nice Indian Boy (United States/Canada), Director Roshan Sethi (California Premiere, Gayla Spotlight) 

Sally! (United States), Director Deborah Craig, Jörg Fockele, Ondine Rarey (Gay!la Spotlight) 

FAMILY DAY 

Movies to enjoy with the whole family. 

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (United States), Director Pete Browngardt 

Flow (Latvia/France/Belgium), Director Gints Zibalodis

The Mountain (New Zealand), Director Rachel House (U.S. Premiere) 

WORLD CINEMA NOW   

Travel the world without leaving your seat.   

Arcadia (Greece/Bulgaria/United States), Director Yorgos Zois (North American Premiere) 

Auction (France), Director Pascal Bonitzer 

Audrey (Australia), Director Natalie Bailey (California Premiere) 

Black Dog (China), Director Guan Hu 

Bushido (Japan), Director Kazuya Shiraishi

The Correspondent (Australia), Kriv Stenders (International Premiere) 

From Hilde, With Love (Germany), Director Andreas Dresen (U.S. Premiere) 

Ghost Trail (France/Germany/Belgium), Director Jonathan Millet (California Premiere) 

Happy Holidays (Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar), Director Scandar Copti (California Premiere)

John Cranko (Germany), Director Joachim Lang (North American Premiere) 

Maldoror (Belgium/France), Director Fabrice du Welz

Manas (Brazil/Portugal), Director Marianna Brennand (North American Premiere) 

My Favourite Cake (Iran/France/Sweden/Germany), Directors Maryam Moghaddam, BehtashSanaeeha

Odd Fish (Iceland/Finland/Czech Republic), Director Snævar Sölvason (International Premiere) 

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Zambia/United Kingdom/Ireland), Director Rungano Nyoni

Pink Lady (Israel/Italy), Director Nir Bergman (California Premiere) 

The Quiet Ones (Denmark/United States), Director Frederik Louis Hviid (California Premiere)

Quisling – The Final Days (Norway), Director Erik Poppe (U.S. Premiere) 

Sex (Norway/United States), Director Dag Johan Haugerud (California Premiere)

The Shameless (Switzerland/France/Bulgaria/Taiwan/India), Director Konstantin Bojanov (North American Premiere) 

Sons (Denmark/Sweden), Director Gustav Möller (North American Premiere)

Souleymane’s Story (France), Director Boris Lojkine 

Sunshine (Philippines), Director Antoinette Jadaone (U.S. Premiere) 

Superboys Of Malegaon (India/United States), Director Reema Kagti 

Tatami (Georgia/Israel/Iran), Directors Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Guy Nattiv (U.S. Premiere) 

There’s Still Tomorrow (Italy/United States), Director Paola Cortellesi

Through Rocks and Clouds (Peru/Chile), Director Franco García Becerra (California Premiere)

Tinā (Mother) (New Zealand), Director Miki Magasiva (California Premiere) 

To Kill a Mongolian Horse (Malaysia/Hong Kong/South Korea/Japan/SaudiArabia/Thailand/United States), Director Xiaoxuan Jiang (North American Premiere) 

Trifole (Italy/South Africa/United States), Director Gabriele Fabbro (International Premiere) 

Waltzing With Brando (United States/French Polynesia), Director Bill Fishman

The Way, My Way (Australia), Director Bill Bennett (North American Premiere)

William Tell (United Kingdom), Director Nick Hamm (U.S. Premiere) 

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT   

Highlighting films from the Coachella Valley.   

Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion (United States), Director Matthew Miele  

The post 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival Lineup Revealed appeared first on Awards Radar.

Online screenings for some of the titles that were featured in this year’s DOC NYC will continue to take place until December 1. The winners of the festival will also be available for streaming. When it comes to the international competition award, Yalla Parkour won the prize. Stone Mountain was victorious in the U.S. Competition Prize. While this year’s participants displayed an incredible amount of talent, only one title could take the award home for each category.

This year’s Metropolis Award was given to Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse. The title dives deep into the life of the artist, who was crucial in the history of dark and complex themes in comics. The Kaleidoscope Grand Jury Prize was awarded to The Falling Sky. The project is focused on iconic shaman Davi Kopenawa and the Yanomami community of Watoriki in the Brazilian rainforest. With this edition of DOC NYC in the books, the world is getting ready for what next year’s documentaries will bring to the table.

You can check out the entire list of winners below:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION:

Grand Jury Prize: Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, produced by Basel
Mawlawi. (World Premiere)

Special Mention: Sudan, Remember Us, directed by Hind Meddeb, produced by Abel
Nahmias, Michel Zana and Taoufik Guiga. (U.S. Premiere)

U.S. COMPETITION:

Grand Jury Prize: Stone Mountain, directed by Daniel Kaufman, produced by
Krista Worby and Daniel Kaufman. (U.S. Premiere)

Special Mention: Black Snow, directed by Alina Simone, produced by Kirstine Barfod.
(North American Premiere)

METROPOLIS COMPETITION

Grand Jury Prize: Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse, directed by Molly Bernstein,
Philip Dolin; produced by Alicia Sams, Sam Jinishian. (World Premiere)

Special Mention: Conbody vs. Everybody (Episodes 1 & 2), directed by Debra
Granik, produced by Anne Rosellini, Joslyn Barnes. (NYC Premiere)

KALEIDOSCOPE COMPETITION:

Grand Jury Prize: The Falling Sky, directed by Eryk Rocha, Gabriela Carneiro da
Cunhap; produced by Donatella Palermo, Eryk Rocha, Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha.
(NYC Premiere)

Special Mention: G – 21 Scenes from Gottsunda, directed by Loran Batti, produced
by Göran Hugo Olsson, Melissa Lindgren. (North American Premiere)

AUDIENCE AWARD:

Audience Award Winner: Slumlord Millionaire, directed by Steph Ching, Ellen
Martinez, produced by Ellen Martinez, Steph Ching, Nicole Tsien. (World Premiere)

SHORT FILM AWARDS

Grand Jury Prize: “Qotzuñi: People of the Lake”, directed/produced by Gastón
Zilberman and Michael Salama. (North American Premiere)

Special Mention: “51st State”, directed/produced by Hannah Rosenzweig, produced
by Liat Z. Rubin, Ray Whitehouse. (NYC Premiere)

Special Mention: “Death by Numbers”, directed by Kim A. Snyder, produced by
Janique L. Robillard, Kim A. Snyder, Maria Cuomo Cole. (NYC Premiere)

DOC NYC U COMPETITION:

DOC NYC U Award: “Find Me”, directed/produced by Hsi Cheng. (School of Visual
Arts)

The post DOC NYC Announces 2024 Jury and Audience Awards appeared first on Awards Radar.

The report states that this will be the next project tackled by Guadagnino. The director has been very busy over the past couple of years. Challengers shook the world this spring, with the relationship between Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) stealing the spotlight on the big screen. It’s time for Guadagnino to bring his talent to what could become one of the biggest franchises in upcoming years.

Daniel Craig recently worked with Luca Guadagnino during the production of Queer. The movie is focused on the relationship between Craig’s character, William Lee and Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey). Sgt. Rock will be very different from what audiences saw in Queer. The DC character is known for being a powerful soldier in the middle of World War II. Deals between Craig, Guadagnino and DC Studios haven’t been signed at the moment.

The new DC Universe will begin with next month’s Creature Commandos. The animated series will introduce an unpredictable group of monsters who will be assigned dangerous missions. After that, Superman will fly into theaters next summer. It remains to be seen if the new franchise can live up to the hype. If a deal with Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig is signed, the series has the potential to develop more projects from filmmakers who have stayed away from the comic book movie trend.

Source: Deadline

The post Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig Planning to Reunite for ‘Sgt. Rock’ appeared first on Awards Radar.

The companies have also released a new spot to showcase what they have in store for the new era of wrestling that will be making its way to Netflix. Outside of the United States, WWE programming such as SmackDown, NXT and the company’s Premium Live Events will also be available for streaming live on the platform. Select historical PLEs will be added to Netflix’s catalog in these international territories, setting the stage for what will be an unforgettable era in the company’s history.

WWE Monday Night Raw will be streamed live on Netflix every week starting on January 6. The move comes after the companies signed an industry-stopping deal almost a year ago. The rest of WWE’s programming can’t make its way to Netflix right now due to pre-existing licensing deals with other companies, which is why only select international territories will witness all of the action on the streaming platform.

The current top Superstars of Monday Night RAW include the World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther, the Women’s World Champion, Liv Morgan and several other competitors who put everything on the line when they enter the ring every week. The entire landscape of the industry changes on January 6, when WWE Monday Night RAW makes its way to Netflix. Get ready to cheer for your favorite Superstars in the new chapter of the longest-running weekly episodic television show in history.

You can check out the new spot for WWE Monday Night Raw below, before the show comes to Netflix on January 6, 2025.

The post WWE Reveals Location of RAW Debut on Netflix appeared first on Awards Radar.

Reinders had plenty of praise for the young stars of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, who shared the screen with her over the course of four years: “The most challenging thing about playing Miss Jenn in the final season is that it was the final season. I love playing Miss Jenn. And I loved working with those kids on and off the screen. To know that it was coming to an end was very bittersweet, but wonderful at the same time. I knew they were going to go off and do more amazing things.”

The actress knew how important Miss Jenn would be as the mentor of her students, which is why she was careful with the inspirations she based the character on: “I think my Miss Jenn was a mashup of a bunch of different teachers I had growing up. I was lucky to have many, many teachers that encouraged me and supported me like Miss Jenn tries to do. And I also think that I pulled from Miss Jenn with people that I know now. There was a big part of our creator and writer, Tim Federle, in Miss Jenn. A lot of his spirit.”

Reinders had a very successful background as a stage actress before joining the cast of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. When asked if the role of Miss Jenn made her miss the stage, the actress gave her insight on the connection between theatre and television in the series: “Yes and no. Really, Miss Jenn was the best of both worlds. Because the stage was not very far away from us, but we got to go further than a (stage) show gets to go in a night. So I love that Miss Jenn’s journey started and kept going, and kept going for all those years.”

Miss Jenn had many students over the course of the show, but appeared that the character had a constant favorite in Carlos (Frankie Rodriguez). Here’s Kate Reinders had to say when confronted with the idea: “(laughs) For the record, I don’t have favorites! I love Frankie Rodriguez. I think I was really lucky, because Miss Jenn and Carlos do connect on the stage at the same level. They have a secret language to each other. And I think Carlos and I sort of have that, too. My soul loves his soul, if that makes sense.”

Reinders was very happy to be a part of the legacy that began with the release of the High School Musical movies, which only got to grow with the introduction of the series to Disney+: “I developed a greater appreciation for it. Of course, by getting closer to something, you get to know it better. But it became very clear how High School Musical movies touched an earlier generation. And they were so powerful that they keep touching future generations. It was an honor to be a part of that, honestly.”

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series follows new characters who study at East High. Due to the fact that the teens go to school in the same place that served as a filming location for the original High School Musical movies, Miss Jenn encourages her drama club to bring the story of Troy and Gabriella from the screen to the stage. The result was four seasons of heartwarming drama, comedy twists and turns that proved that lightning could strike twice for the Disney franchise. All seasons of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series are available for streaming on Disney+.

The post Interview: Kate Reinders on the Magic of Playing Miss Jenn in ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ appeared first on Awards Radar.

Copeland had heard about the world of Percy Jackson before, but he never imagined he would be a part of the television adaptation. “I got the audition. I had obviously heard about Percy Jackson.” The actor said, “I hadn’t read the books and I didn’t see the movies when they came out because I was on the road (as a wrestler) for 250 days a year at that point. If anything happened in terms of pop culture, it just flew by my radar. When the audition came through, I thought (Percy Jackson) could be interesting. Then I saw it was Ares.”

Stepping into the shoes of Ares in the Percy Jackson adaptation was very different from what Copeland has done in his career in the ring: “I didn’t really fully understand (acting in a dramatic television role) until I did a show called Haven. The executive producers of the show saw me retiring from wrestling. They called WWE and asked if I was available. One episode of that show turned into forty-one. I like to say that it felt like my college in acting. By the time I finished Flash and got to Vikings, I felt okay saying I’m an actor. Looking back, it was a great set of tools pro-wrestling gave me in order to become an actor.”

Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson novels provide almost limitless storytelling opportunities for the Disney+ television series. But Copeland was excited to see what he could bring to the table as Ares, “More than anything, I really concentrated on the scripts. Just because I noticed some subtle differences (from the books). He was funnier in the script. There were scenes in the scripts that weren’t in the books at all. The diner scene that Ares and the kids have wasn’t in the books. When I read that, I thought, “There’s so much to sink my teeth into here””.

Percy and his friends managed to defeat Ares during the first season of the Disney+ hit. But Copeland wasn’t shy when it comes to teasing the future of the character: “If you’ve read the books, you know that the gods don’t go away. Like a fungus, Ares is going to come back up at some point (laughs). What’s really cool, too, is looking forward to seeing the scripts because, again, the whole diner scene wasn’t in the books. I feel like it added a lot to the character of Ares. (Which) I was very thankful for.”

Many professional wrestlers, such as Dave Bautista and John Cena, have transitioned into acting during later stages of their career. Copeland can’t wait to see what the future holds for him as a performer: “I don’t really worry about being known (for a specific genre). More than anything, I just want to have fun. That is right now the most important work criteria for me. If it’s not fun, then I’m not gonna do it. I have to read something and go “Ah, this sounds like a blast. This sounds like it could be a lot of fun to portray. Same goes with wrestling. If it’s not fun, then why do it?”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians brings the famous character created by Rick Riordan to life on Disney+. The first season of the acclaimed series made a wonderful job of introducing the heroes and villains of this modern world where important figures from the Greek mythology are still alive in the shadows. Percy Jackson and the Olympians has been renewed for a second season. Audiences might get a chance to see what happens after Ares swore to take his revenge on the protagonist of the story. A release date for the second installment hasn’t been announced by Disney+.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is now streaming in Disney+.

The post Interview: Adam Copeland on the Fun Aspects of Playing a God in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ appeared first on Awards Radar.

Awards Radar had the opportunity to interview co-supervising sound editor, Tim Kimmel, and co-supervising sound editor/sound designer, Luke Gibleon. The duo had the task of bringing the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender to life through the sounds that could heard across the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom and all the other locations visited by Aang and his friends during the first season of the series.

Awards Radar: What sound element were you excited to work on when you joined Avatar: The Last Airbender?

Tim Kimmel: It was the overall experience, with all of it. The different types of bending and trying to see what taking the animated series and turning into a live-action story. Having a lot of freedom and a lot more to do with it.

Luke Gibleon: The animated show is a beloved classic, that was exciting about this. Getting a chance to bring it into a live-action space. Bring an additional dimension via sound for it. How we could use sound to enhance that whole story.

AR: How did you create the sound effects for earth-bending? Did you capture nature elements and then enhance them digitally?

LG: That was actually one of the easier bending disciplines to do. That’s because, in previous projects and shows I’ve worked on I had rock and stone material I could use as a starting place. It’s also an element that’s more straightforward than some of the other elements when it comes to how things impact and move. I still did a lot of designs with those elements. You have to create all these kinds of movements and impacts for the elements. There’s so many things of different scales and sizes. There’s plenty of design work. It was a lot of fun because earth is huge, beefy and massive.

AR: If earth-bending was easy, which elements were complicated to work with when it comes to the sound design?

TK: Luke was the one designing them. I would think that fire was probably one of the more difficult ones because it doesn’t make an impact sound. That was one of the things that was discussed with Jabbar (Raisani), one of the executives from the show. He said that, even though fire doesn’t make a sound upon impact, we needed to create something that was believable. I thought that was one of the most interesting ones to be working with.

AR: What was the process for creating the sound design for the fight sequences in Avatar: The Last Airbender?

LG: When we talked about bending from the beginning, we knew it was a martial art form. Bending and the martial arts go hand-in.hand. If you think about the energy that comes from bending, that’s chi. We used more influence from the Western disciplines, such as Tai Chi and Kung Fu. That was the starting place. You’re really stylizing bending as if it was a martial arts form.

I’ve done a lot of martial arts films and fight sequences. I have a martial arts background. It’s a bit more like second nature, when I’m designing fight sequences. The bending part is what made it even more fun. Because I wasn’t doing only a fight. I was doing a fight using internal energy that has manifested into elements.

TK: Between every bending discipline, there is a constant energy that Luke designed in these fight sequences. There’s a sound that goes along the chi he was talking about.

LG: And it pre-lapsed all the elements that we hear. As they’re fighting, we hear this energy element that we call the bending energy. It’s to tie the bender to the element itself. It operates as a glue and every bender has it.

AR: Luke, you mentioned that you had a martial arts background that influences your work for media?

LG: Yeah, I did Kung Fu for quite a few years and I mixed that in with Tai Chi and Kickboxing. There’s a lot of similarities with the choreographies that they used in Avatar: The Last Airbender. It’s very Wushu based, that’s a northern Kung Fu style.

AR: What were the inspirations for Appa’s sound design?

LG: With Appa, as well as many of the other characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender, it’s right in the name. Appa is a sky bison. We have ostrich horses and badger moles. We’re always looking to use as much as we can from the actual elements. For Appa, we made sure to get bison and buffalo sounds incorporated into his voice. I used more animal voices for the breathing and for the grunts. We also wanted a soothing presence for when he’s with Aang.

For that, we used a pitched and slowed-down cat purr. It created a soothing presence for Aang. Beyond that, Appa’s voice turned out to be my voice. We had a really fantastic voice actor come in (who also does the voice of Momo). He came on before the visual effects were established. He was looking pretty much at nothing while trying to get the sounds right. But the executives still weren’t happy with where Appa was going.

We gave them different versions in order to know what they thought. They liked the version that featured my voice. The difference was that development on the visuals was further along and we could see the character interacting with Aang before recording the sounds. We mixed those elements together and they became Appa’s voice. We did keep the actor for Appa’s roar.

AR: Would it be more comfortable for you to work before or after the visual effects are finished?

LG: It depends on many things, including time and budget. This was kind of a best-case-scenario in many ways. I got to do sound design on elements before they were realized. Later down the road, we got more concrete visuals. Then we adjusted that design to those visuals. We don’t always get that, and it worked out in our favor.

TK: They had us early on for Appa and Momo. It was very rough visual effects. We did our work on it and sent it to post-production and to the visual effects team. They began to shape the effects based on what we had worked on when it came to our design. Once that had a more realized shape, Luke stepped in to make it all match.

AR: Will you be returning for season two?

TK: We sure are!

AR: Is there anything you wished you had done differently in season one that you will implement in upcoming episodes?

LG: I don’t know if there’s anything left to do differently, but I’m looking forward to expanding upon what we have done. The (original series) has metal-bending, blood-bending. And the first season was incredibly daunting. In other projects, you get to design stuff and use it for different purposes throughout production. It ends up being similar and thematic.

There wasn’t a lot of that with Avatar: The Last Airbender. The bending was different and we always had new creatures. It was a constant sprint to come up with something new. For season two, we’re going to have some of those battles out of the way. Now we know what some of these elements sound like.

This interview was edited for length and clarity purposes. Avatar: The Last Airbender is currently streaming on Netflix.

The post Interview: Tim Kimmel and Luke Gibleon on the Magic Behind the Sound of ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ appeared first on Awards Radar.