Everything's Coming Up Cannes
Plus: New Nonfiction Netflix funding; Peabody, GLAAD, and BAFTA winners; Reinventing the RomCom in Babes
Happy Thursday, friends — and happy Cannes day 3. Let’s take stock:
“I was about to turn 40 and I thought that my career was over.” Meryl Streep reflected on her last time at Cannes.
It’s “only moving everything in the correct direction.” Jury president Greta Gerwig addressed the brewing Cannes #MeToo and French labor strikes.
The trades launched roundups of their most anticipated films, buzziest sales titles in competition, and running reviews for the next 9 days.
More Cannes below. Plus premieres, acquisitions, and awards across the industry. Let’s dive in.
Roll of Honor
Premieres, Awards, and More. Say hello to featured members on the app.
What to Watch This Weekend
These Projects Found Love in An Unexpected Place
Babes. “Babes unabashedly refashions the romcom to the ebb and flow of best friendship” (The Guardian). Bonnie Gross, Producer; Chris Rivera, Associate Producer, Post-production Supervisor; Keith Jenson, Colorist; Gwen Capistran, Still Photographer; Evan O'Brien, Distributor. In Theaters Friday.
Interview with the Vampire Season 2. The show “understands that a great vampire story combines genuine eroticism with campy flair” (Variety). Maya Kvetny, Casting Director; Sebastian Vaskio, ADR Mixer; Erin Staub, Graphic Artist. AMC+.
Imaginary friends and Imposter Unicorns
IF. “If you’ve ever wondered where your imaginary friends go when they’re no longer in your brain, [writer and director] John Krasinski has an answer” (Variety). Alexa Zinz Ginsburg, Producer; Connie Huang, Splinter Unit DP. In Theaters Friday
Thelma the Unicorn. The film from director Jared Hess “might be the animated successor to Napoleon Dynamite” (Polygon). Matías Marek, CG Character Animator. Netflix Friday.
Of Sound and Fury: New Docs Examine the Story Under the Story
POWER. “The aim… is to underline how much of our contemporary conversations about policing are really about power” (NYT). Sweta Vohra, Netsanet Negussie, Producers; Julia Liu, DP; Colleen Cassingham, Coordinating Producer; Dominic Stewart, Asst. Editor. Limited Release; Netflix.
The Tuba Thieves. Organized around a series of high school tuba thefts, the Sundance hybrid doc “deftly considers the presence and absence of sound” (IndieWire). Rachel Nederveld, Su Kim, Producers; Derek Howard, DP; David Teague, Supervising Editor; Jeffrey Winter, Distributor. Monday on PBS.
Acquisitions and Adaptations
A24 partners with Hereditary producers for feature adaptation Of Sundance Short The Looming. Masha Ko, Director, Writer, Producer; Andrey Nikolaev, Co-Producer, DP.
Vertical acquires Winner starring Emilia Jones, Connie Britton & Zach Galifianakis. Myron John Tataryn, EP; Joseph Krings, Editor; Heather McIntosh, Composer; Jessica Smith, Special Thanks.
Array Releasing acquires documentary For Our Children. Sara Maamouri, Writer / Editor.
What We’re Reading
We checked in with Hollywood writers a year after the strike. They’re not OK.
Montclair Film launches Summer Showcase series. Check out the dozen Portrait films included here.
On the Awards Beat: And the Winner is…
Peabody Winners. Check out our rundown of winning projects on the app, including Portrait teams behind 20 Days in Mariupol, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Bobi Wine: The People's President, Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters, Dead Ringers, Fellow Travelers, Judy Blume Forever, Jury Duty, Reality, Reservation Dogs, Somebody Somewhere, The Bear, The Last of Us, The Stroll, While We Watched.
GLAAD Award Winners. Congrats to Portrait teams behind Red White & Royal Blue, Rustin, Beyond The Aggressives: 25 Years Later, and The Last of Us.
TV BAFTA Winners. Congrats to Portrait teams behind Class Act, The Sixth Commandment, and White Nanny Black Child.
Gotham TV Award Nominees Announced. Check out the full details on Portrait nominated teams here.
Everything’s Coming Up Cannes
Join the Cannes experience on Portrait to connect with senior industry attendees at the fest and see full bios of the teams behind the films. The conversation on the app is hopping. You don’t want to miss it.
Check out some of the Portrait films’ sales buzz :
Jackrabbit Media Sales: The team has five titles at Cannes including Portrait films Cannibal Mukbang, Four Samosas, and The Shade.
Written In The Stars: Portrait member Fawzia Mirza is set to direct this Australian Book adaptation.
The Apprentice: The Donald Trump biopic has been on many critics’ watch lists.
Exhibiting Forgiveness: Check out the Portrait teams and Variety news.
Brides and Witches were featured in BFI’s line up in Deadline.
Plus these Portrait acquisitions and partnerships:
Norah sets French distribution With Nour films (Deadline). Portrait member Asmae El Moudir is on the jury for the Un Certain Regard category.
Amazon and NBCUniversal have backed South Asian Film market Tasveer Ahead of Cannes Launch. Rita Meher, Co-founder.
Did we miss your Cannes news? Share it on the app.
Window of Opportunity 🔍
Check out the Discover Tab on Portrait for grants, programs, festivals, and jobs.
Closing Soon: Programs + Grants
Have an opportunity to share? Post it on the app or fill out our form.
Netflix and The Blackhouse Foundation Partner On Nonfiction Producing Fellowship. Read more about the new program in Deadline. Applications open May 8.
Gotham Spotlight on Documentaries (5/16 deadline)
Sundance Development Track (5/16 deadline)
Paramount Viewfinder (5/18 deadline)
North Fork TV Script Competition (5/21 deadline)
Gotham U.S. Shorts to Features (5/30 deadline)
Spotlight Documentary Residency (5/31 deadline)
Music on Film Grant (6/3 deadline)
The Disruptors Fellowship (6/7 deadline)
Film Independent Doc Producing Lab (6/11 deadline)
The Georgia List (6/15 deadline)
Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest (6/28 deadline)
Half Initiative Director Shadowing Program (6/30 deadline)
The Disability List (7/1 deadline)
The GLAAD List (7/1 deadline)
The Latine List (7/1 deadline)
The Muslim List (7/1 deadline)
The Desi List (7/1 deadline)
The Cape List (7/1 deadline)
Film Independent Picture Shop Grant (7/15 deadline)
Terri Rogers Film Grant (7/23 deadline)
See more spring + rolling deadlines in our interactive database in the app.
Jobs/Gigs Roundup
Have a job to share? Share it on the app or fill out our form.
Impact Producer. See more details in Portrait member Signe Roselund-Hauglid’s post on Portrait.
Executive Director, Points North Institute.
Head of Production and Development, Sandbox Films, Simons Foundation.
Film Planning Director, Peacock.
VP, Development, Lionsgate.
Senior Vice President, Film, Hartbeat.
Senior Counsel, Content, Conde Nast.
Scripted Producer, BYU Broadcasting.
Film Competition Screener, Austin Film Festival.
Lead Animator, In-Game Cinematics | Diablo IV | Albany, NY, Blizzard.
Art Director, Current Global.
Executive, Program Operations (6 Months Fixed Term Contract), Warner Bros.
Unscripted Producer, BYU Broadcasting.
Animation Director, Hasbro.
WTVD Executive Producer, Disney Entertainment Television.
Cinematographer, SomiSomi.
See more jobs/gigs in our interactive, filterable database in the app.
End Credits: Portrait Post of the Week
Until next week, friends. See you on Portrait.
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