French director Rebecca Zlotowski, whose film "An Easy Girl", won the Directors' Fortnight section at the Cannes film festival. AFP Photo CANNES — A film starring a former under-age escort at the heart of a scandal that shook the French football team won one of the top prizes at the Cannes film festival on Thursday. An Easy Girl was named the best film in the Directors' Fortnight section with the judges lavishing particular praise on the big screen debut of Zahia Dehar, who made headlines when she was allegedly paid for sex when she was 17 by French soccer stars Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema. The players were acquitted of all criminal charges in 2014 when a Paris court ruled that they had been unaware of her age. Zahia, now 27, plays a "glamazon" party girl who leads her 16-year-old cousin through a summer of sexual and political awakening amid the nouveau riche jet set on the French Riviera. Critics had heaped praise on the Algerian actress's performance, … [Read more...] about Football scandal girl film wins a top Cannes award
Scandal 1989 movie
Story of 1MDB scandal to be made into a movie by actress Michelle Yeoh and Crazy Rich Asians producers
The film rights to a book about Malaysia's 1MDB scandal have been bought by the producers of the recent box office hit Crazy Rich Asians. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (right) and Malaysian financier Jho Low. (Photos: Facebook/Jho Low/AFP/Mohd Rasfan) Co-written by the Wall Street Journal's Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, Billion Dollar Whale is the story of how Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, allegedly siphoned billions of dollars out of the Malaysian government investment fund 1MDB. Speaking on Channel NewsAsia's Asia Business First podcast, Wright said: "We just announced yesterday that Ivanhoe Pictures, which made Crazy Rich Asians, is going to make the movie. So we are very excited.” The Hollywood Reporter said that the rights have been picked up by SK Global, which was formed following a merger between Ivanhoe Pictures and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment in 2017. Co-producing the movie is Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh who recently signed a … [Read more...] about Story of 1MDB scandal to be made into a movie by actress Michelle Yeoh and Crazy Rich Asians producers
Ex president Kirchner charged in Argentina corruption scandal
Former Argentina president Cristina Kirchner vehemently denies any wrongdoing in the notorious "corruption notebooks" scandal AFP/LUCIANO INGARAMO She is accused of having accepted tens of millions of dollars in bribes in the notorious "corruption notebooks" scandal that has rocked Argentina's political and business elites. As a senator, Kirchner is protected by lawmakers' immunity from imprisonment, although not from prosecution. Unless that immunity is lifted, which is highly unlikely, she cannot be jailed, even if found guilty. However, last month the Senate did vote to partially lift her immunity so that investigators could search her three luxury homes. Kirchner is accused of heading an "illicit association". She has already been called in for questioning twice by Claudio Bonadio, the judge leading the wide-ranging corruption investigation, and is due to appear again on Tuesday. During her first two hearings she refused to answer Bonadio's questions, instead submitting a … [Read more...] about Ex president Kirchner charged in Argentina corruption scandal
Scandal, protesting stars and bans as Cannes festival opens
Viet Nam News CANNES — The most political Cannes film festival in years opens Tuesday with female stars vowing to protest on the red carpet, two top directors barred from attending and bans hanging over other movies. With the industry still reeling from the Harvey Weinstein scandal, and Cannes under fire for its dearth of women directors, Cate Blanchett and Kristen Stewart are likely to join actresses and women directors Saturday in a protest in support of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. The new Star Wars spin-off, Solo, is the only Hollywood blockbuster in a slightly less starry line-up than usual. But with no less than a dozen films with LGBT themes, and others tackling child abuse, male prostitution and an eye-watering DIY sex change, it has all the makings of a vintage year for scandal and controversy. A new documentary about the tragic singer Whitney Houston by Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald reportedly includes a devastating revelation about the demons that … [Read more...] about Scandal, protesting stars and bans as Cannes festival opens
Oscars so scandalous: leading movies hit with backlash
While recent years have seen the Oscars attacked for under-representing women or people of color, this year's contenders have been plagued by backlash and scandals ranging from accusations of plagiarism, sexual misconduct, and criticism from gay and African-American communities. "That's the nature of art, is that it's designed to push buttons and to elicit a response," said The Hollywood Reporter's Editorial Director Matthew Belloni. "But ultimately when people are voting for best picture, I don't think those things come into play." Fantasy "The Shape of Water," which has a leading 13 nominations, was hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit last week alleging that its plot about a mute cleaner who falls for a mysterious river creature was lifted, without credit, from a 1969 play by late American playwright Paul Zindel. Studio Fox Searchlight said the claims are "baseless (and) wholly without merit." Press freedom movie "The Post" has seen sniping over misperceptions that The … [Read more...] about Oscars so scandalous: leading movies hit with backlash
Watching a 3D movie save a life
VietNamNet Bridge – At half-past 10 in the morning, the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB pump) started running, making a steady sound.My heart was pounding, though, and I was half-afraid I would faint. I had never seen an operation first-hand before, and I was no medical student inured to the graphics of flesh, bone and blood.The room’s was filled with the clean hospital-aseptic tang and other odours, the iodine used to sterilise the skin, the subtler notes of the fluids.A state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgery was about to take place, I reminded myself to get rid of the nervousness.Dr Pham Thanh Dat, the surgeon, had just finished establishing the CPB for the heart surgery. The patient, Nguyen Van Hao, 59, lay still on a stainless steel table, draped in a green sheet.A gloved palm went out and Doan Thi Yen, the scrub nurse, placed a scalpel on it. Dat made an incision of five centimeters on the patient’s thoracic. A soft retractor was then inserted into the … [Read more...] about Watching a 3D movie save a life
‘Three Billboards’ wins big as Golden Globes power through sex scandal
Dark drama "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" was the big winner with four Golden Globes awards on Sunday on a night marked by scathing jokes about sexual harassment and passionate odes to those breaking their silence. Mother-daughter comedy "Lady Bird" was named best comedy film and the indie A24 movie's star Saoirse Ronan won for comedy actress. Gary Oldman was named best drama movie actor for his role as British wartime leader Winston Churchill in Focus Features' "Darkest Hour" and Frances McDormand took home the award for drama actress for her role as an angry mother seeking vengeance in Fox Searchlight's "Three Billboards." James Franco won the comedy actor award for his cult movie homage "The Disaster Artist," also from A24. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro won best director for magical fantasy "The Shape of Water." However, the night was dominated not by who took home prizes but by jokes and speeches about the sexual misconduct scandal that has rocked … [Read more...] about ‘Three Billboards’ wins big as Golden Globes power through sex scandal
Vietnamese actress climbs to International Movie Database top 50 popular celebs
The STARmeter ranking is determined by millions of IMDb users, based on their interest in the actors and their movie projects. The ranking is determined by the number of visits users make to each celeb's page on its database. Last year Van landed small roles in the blockbuster “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and Netflix action-fantasy “Bright”. She made her Hollywood debut earlier in 2016 as an assassin in the Chinese-language sequel “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny”.As one of the most popular actresses in Vietnam, Van has had a fruitful year in the country too, with the success of the movie “Co Ba Sai Gon” (The Tailor) that she produced and starred in. She is best known for badass female roles in local action movies including Dong Mau Anh Hung (The Rebel), Clash and Lua Phat (Once upon a Time in Vietnam). … [Read more...] about Vietnamese actress climbs to International Movie Database top 50 popular celebs
Golden Globes 2018: Sexual harassment scandal dominates ceremony
Powerful speeches and statements of unity have dominated the 75th Golden Globe awards.It was the first major Hollywood awards ceremony since the film industry was hit by sexual harassment scandals, with stars wearing black to honour victims.Oprah Winfrey summed up the mood, saying "a new day is on the horizon" as she collected an honorary award.The big film winner of the night was Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which took home four awards.The Oscar-winning actress stars as a grieving mother who challenges police over the fact her daughter's killer has not been found.Big Little Lies won the most awards in the television categories, including honours for its stars Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgard. It was also named best limited TV series. 'Power of women'Kidman won the first award of the night for her role as a victim of domestic violence.The main focus on the night was on the current atmosphere in Hollywood and campaigns like Me Too and Time's Up, which are … [Read more...] about Golden Globes 2018: Sexual harassment scandal dominates ceremony
Golden Globes celebrate the year of the genre movie
In a year of devastating hurricanes, ubiquitous sex assault scandals and a strikingly candid presidential Twitter account, it is little wonder that cinemagoers are turning to escapist fantasy. With fairy tale romance "The Shape of Water" leading the nominations for the Golden Globes, dark farce "Get Out" topping critics' lists and horror movies making $1 billion at the box office, 2017 may come to be seen as the year of the genre movie. Jordan Peele's "Get Out," which satirizes suburban white guilt over racial inequality in the United States, is emblematic of the rise of genre films in this year's awards season. It has been almost a year since its release, and most movies brought out that far ahead of Hollywood's various prize-giving ceremonies are long forgotten by the time the trophies are being polished. Yet "Get Out" is up for two Globes on Sunday and entertainment website Eonline.com has been extolling its virtues as a genuine contender. Guillermo del Toro's "The Shape of Water," … [Read more...] about Golden Globes celebrate the year of the genre movie