Helpmann Awards 2012: Sydney, Australia   Australia's top female dramatic actors, Robyn Nevin and Cate Blanchett, won their categories in the national Helpmann Awards presented in Sydney last night, but unusually no single production dominated the ceremony.   While Nevin won for Belvoir St Theatre's Summer of the Seventeenth Doll and Blanchett for Sydney Theatre Company's Gross und Klein, the award for best play went to Ganesh Versus the Third Reich by the G...

This year’s San Sebastian Festival closed with a Special 60th Anniversary Donostia Award to Dustin Hoffman, a tribute to one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, winner of two Academy Awards and with a brilliant career behind him. Hoffman also was chosen to close the Festival with his directorial debut: Quartet, on which the actor steps behind the camera to direct a splendid cast headlining Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Sheridan Smith, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay, Tr...

This year’s San Sebastian Festival closed with a Special 60th Anniversary Donostia Award to Dustin Hoffman, a tribute to one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, winner of two Academy Awards and with a brilliant career behind him. Hoffman also was chosen to close the Festival with his directorial debut: Quartet, on which the actor steps behind the camera to direct a splendid cast headlining Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Sheridan Smith, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay, ...

By Maria Esteves – August 5, 2012 The Third New York City International Film Festival (NYCIFF 2012) presented by NYCIFF Institute will be held August 10-16, 2012 at the NY Film Market, Magno theater, and Tribeca Cinemas. The New York City International Film Festival presents a high-profile platform for emerging and established independent filmmakers from around the world. This year’s festival will showcase over 100 films (documentaries, features, shorts), exhibitor show, panel...

By Maria Esteves – May 24, 2012 The 57th Annual 2012 Village Voice OBIE Awards (OBIES 2012) honoring theatrical excellence and achievements in Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway commenced Monday, May 21, 8:00 pm at the legendary Webster Hall ballroom, New York, Monday, May 17, 8:00 pm. The ceremony also featured three outstanding performances by Joshua Henry and Sumayya Ali from ten-time Tony Award nominated Broadway musical The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, David Patrick Kelly from eleven-t...

By Maria Esteves – May 23, 2012 The 57th Annual 2012 Village Voice OBIE Awards (OBIES 2012) honoring theatrical excellence and achievements in Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway commenced Monday, May 21, 8:00 pm the legendary Webster Hall ballroom, New York, Monday, May 17, 8:00 pm. The ceremony also featured three outstanding performances by Joshua Henry and Sumayya Ali from ten-time Tony Award nominated Broadway musical The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, David Patrick Kelly from eleven-t...

By: Maria Esteves – May 22, 2012 The 57th Annual 2012 Village Voice OBIE Awards honoring theatrical excellence and achievements in Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway commenced Monday, May 21, 8:00 pm at the legendary Webster Hall ballroom, New York. The ceremony featured performance by Joshua Henry and Sumayya Ali from ten-time Tony Award nominated Broadway musical The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, David Patrick Kelly from eleven-time Tony Award nominated Broadway ONCE, and Ethan Lipton &a...

SUPPORTING ACTRESS 2012 Octavia Spencer The Help (2011) 2011 Melissa Leo The Fighter (2010) 2010 Mo'Nique Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) 2009 Penélope Cruz Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) 2008 Tilda Swinton Michael Clayton (2007) 2007 Jennifer Hudson Dreamgirls (2006) 2006 Rachel Weisz The Constant Gardener (2005) 2005 Cate Blanchett ...

Successful directors claim that smart casting is 80% of their job. Successful producers know thatputting the right people on screen means money. Yet many filmmakers don’t know how to usethe audition process to full advantage, or how to get the best work from actors. Successful actors know how to prepare for their ‘job interview,’ but most actors are frustrated by their audition results. They don’t know how to present their skills, talents, or themselves in a positive way. Casting becomes...

Water for Elephants enjoyed its Sydney premier tonight, with the 300m red carpet running down Pitt St Mall. Reese Witherspoon and her co-star Robert Pattinson (Twilight) were mobbed by thousands of fans and hundreds of media types. Earlier in the day they did Sydney's famous Luna Park, running with the circus theme. "I think all I can do is stand back and sort of watch it happen because I'm not used to seeing somebody have so many fans," Witherspoon told the press. ...

Water for Elephants enjoyed its Sydney premier tonight, with the 300m red carpet running down Pitt St Mall. Reese Witherspoon and her co-star Robert Pattinson (Twilight) were mobbed by thousands of fans and hundreds of media types. Earlier in the day they did Sydney's famous Luna Park, running with the circus theme. "I think all I can do is stand back and sort of watch it happen because I'm not used to seeing somebody have so many fans," Witherspoon told the press. ...

When homebody Meris and her husband, Mitch Canfield, move from Irvine, CA to Portland, OR to pursue a job at his friend’s company, Meris feels like an outcast among Mitch’s fraternity/sorority like circle of old high school friends, and everything she does and says to try and fit in is perceived as awkward, freaky and bizarre. It is not until she finds her niche in punk rock, chocolate covered gummi bears, and wiping her “menses on a woman at the market’s face”, when she can fina...

 French Actor Mathieu Amalric Directs and Stars in This Sexy, Wistful Comedy, Featuring Burlesque Performers from San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles and New York San Francisco, CA – The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21–May 5) will close with On Tour, Mathieu Amalric’s directorial feature about brassy American burlesque performers touring the French countryside, 7:00 pm, Thursday, May 5 at San Francisco’s landmark movie palace the Cas...

  Envy the lucky movie musical fan who found the companion book to BURLESQUE, the season's most flashy movie musical, in their Christmas stocking. This glossy tome, with an introduction by the film's diva legend Cher and a foreword by its breakout star, singer/dancer-turned-actress Christina Aguilera, is that rare example of a book that illuminates the film that it features.....something that used to be standard issue in the embrace between cinema and publishing, but is extremely rare t...

Starting a festival is like juggling....a chainsaw, a kitten and a 25lb weight. It takes more than dexterity. I takes more than agility. It takes endurance and determination and unbelievable focus. The goal: everyone must have a great experience at the Queens World Film Festival. Period. Keep an eye on us. Keep telling stories....and making them move. ...

Monsoonal flooding in Pakistan this year has caused a massive humanitarian crisis. Perth's internationally credentialled, award winning and nation beating stand-up comedians are here to contribute in the only way they know how: By telling jokes.They are calling their one-off fundraising show DRY HUMOUR: Stand-Up Comedy for Flood Relief in Pakistan.The people of Perth are invited to join Lukey Bolland, Laura Davis, Bonnie Davies, James De Leo, Andrea Gibbs, Jeff Hewitt, Janelle Koenig, Josh Makin...

By: Maria Esteves - May 27, 2010 The 55th Annual OBIES Cocktail Party preceded the ceremony at Webster Hall, New York, Monday, May 17, 7:00pm. Presented by The Village Voice and Stella Artois, the OBIES (abbreviation for Off-Broadway) co-hosted by Tony Award winners Michael Cerveris and Anika Noni Rose honors Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theater achievements of 2009-2010.  Theater professionals, past Obie winners and nominees celebrated a private cocktail reception with exquisite h'ord...

By: Maria Esteves – May 26, 2010 The 55th Annual 2010 Village Voice OBIE Awards honoring Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theater exceptional achievements of 2009-2010, co-hosted by Tony Award winners Michael Cerveris and Anika Noni Rose (2001 OBIE Award winner, Eli's Comin') were held at the historical Webster Hall ballroom, New York, Monday, May 17, 8:00 pm. The ceremony included special performances by cast members of Eleven-Time Tony Award nominee Broadway musical FELA! (2009 OBIE Awar...

By: Maria Esteves – May 22, 2010 The 55th Annual 2010 Village Voice OBIE Awards honoring Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theater exceptional achievements of 2009-2010, co-hosted by Tony Award winners Michael Cerveris and Anika Noni Rose (2001 OBIE Award winner, Eli's Comin') were held at the historical Webster Hall ballroom, New York, Monday, May 17, 8:00 pm. This year’s award presenters were J. Smith Cameron, Viola Davis, Marin Ireland, Linda Lavin, Hamish Linklater, Sam Rockwell, ...

The 55th Annual 2010 OBIE Awards presented by The Village Voice honoring Off-Broadway's theater achievements of 2009-2010 will commence on Monday, May 17, 2010 at Webster Hall, New York.  This year's OBIE Awards co-hosted by Michael Cerveris (In the Next Room) and Anika Noni Rose (2001 OBIE winner, Eli's Comin' ) will be announced by J. Smith Cameron, Viola Davis, Marin Ireland, Linda Lavin, Sam Rockwell, Michael Shannon, Kerry Washington, and Jennifer Westfeldt. The ceremony will feature a liv...