Latest news with #SeanBaker
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Venice Strikes Back: Alberto Barbera on His Powerhouse 2025 Festival Lineup
After getting upstaged by Cannes at this year's Oscars — when Sean Baker's Palme d'Or winner Anora took best picture over Brady Corbet's Lido champ The Brutalist — Venice has come roaring back. Venice's 2025 lineup, with its blend of prestige auteurs, big-name debuts and politically charged provocations, reaffirms the Lido as the premiere launchpad for award-season hopefuls. Highlights this year include Julia Roberts in Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt, Dwayne Johnson in Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine and a triple threat from Netflix: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein starring Jacob Elordi, Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly with George Clooney and Kathryn Bigelow's A House of Dynamite with Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson. More from The Hollywood Reporter Jussie Smollett Speaks in Netflix Doc 'The Truth About Jussie Smollett?' Paramount Execs Tell Staff That Africa Offices and Channels May Close Amid Strategy Review (Exclusive) Disability Advocate, AGC Studios Boss, 'Poor Things' Producer, Berlinale Boss Set for Locarno Pro Add in new features from Yorgos Lanthimos, Jim Jarmusch, Park Chan-wook, François Ozon, Paolo Sorrentino, Mona Fastvold, Gus van Sant, Julian Schnabel, Mamoru Hosoda and Laszlo Nemes, and the political heft of Kaouther Ben Hania's Gaza drama The Voice of Hind Rajab and Olivier Assayas' The Wizard of the Kremlin [with Jude Law as Vladimir Putin], and you have, on paper, one of the best Venice festivals in years. That's saying something. Shortly after unveiling this year's program, Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the fierce but friendly rivalry between the major festivals, the challenge of programming two-to-three-hour epics and why politics are back on screen in a big way. This is going to sound like I'm a broken record, because I say it every year, but you have another phenomenal lineup. We in the press always pit the big festivals — Cannes, Venice, Toronto — against one another, but how much is competition, a desire to beat the other big festivals, a drive for you? I'm a good friend of [Cannes festival director] Thierry [Fremaux] and [Toronto Film Festival CEO] Cameron [Bailey]. We're colleagues. We meet each other at each other's festivals. I've got a wonderful relationship with them. But of course, it is a competition. That's just a fact. There is competition between festivals, and each of us tries to get the best films from what the market gives us. We are lucky in that we're maybe in a better position, coming at the beginning of the new season, where Cannes is at the end of the old one. And we're a week, 10 days, ahead of Toronto, so we are often lucky to get a lot of world premieres. I know Toronto tries to get as many world premieres as possible, and they don't always succeed in competing with us on certain films. But this competition is a way to push you to do your best, to get the best out of the submitted films. How do you measure success for a festival lineup? The first element is the way the film is accepted during the festival, the response of both the critics and the audience to the film. That's the first moment when you realize if you made a good choice or if you were wrong. Because when you invite one film, it means you give up the chance to invite another. And it always happens that this or the other film doesn't meet the expectations that were created when we announced the lineup. That first moment when the film screens is when I realize if I did a good job or not. Then, of course, if the film travels to other festivals or gets awards, if it goes to or wins the Oscars, which happens a lot, that helps to confirm and establish the position of the festival, of our position in the international calendar of festivals, and gives us the chance the following year to get access to the most interesting and important films of the season. In your presentation, you suggested you would have liked to have put Luca Guadagnino's in competition. Was it Amazon MGM that wanted it to run out of competition? That was a decision by Amazon MGM. From the beginning, when they showed the film to us, they told us 'We don't want to be in competition. This is a film we believe in. It's our candidate for the Oscars. It doesn't need to be in competition.' So I accepted that. I respect the decision of producers. Most of the time. star Julia Roberts will make her Venice debut this year, as will Dwayne Johnson, star of Benny Safdie's competition film . Any advice for the Lido newbies on navigating the Venice red carpet? I'm sure they know how to behave. They are great professionals, both of them. And they are delivering exceptional performances in the two films that we'll see. Both Julia Roberts and Dwayne Johnson are really outstanding. So I'm very happy to have them in Venice. As you know, we have a wonderful new audience, very warm, very gentle. I think the experience here is easier for talents than at other festivals — that's what they tell me. Partially due to the success that you've had over the years, more and more people are coming to Venice. How much pressure is that putting on the festival's infrastructure? A lot. Well, not on the festival itself, because we have a lot of seats, a lot of theaters, to accommodate everybody. The pressure is put on the infrastructure outside the festival, on the hotels, the restaurants, and so on. Venice is one of the most touristic places in the world, with a lot of events at the end of August and the beginning of September. There are a lot of people coming in, also for other events. It's difficult to find hotels, and it's becoming more and more expensive to attend. This is the main issue we have. We don't have enough hotels on the Lido, actually, just one five-star hotel, The Excelsior. The good news is that they are going to renovate the Grand Hotel Des Bains. It will take 4-5 years, but it should come back as beautiful as it was in the past. So I'm quite confident and optimistic about that, because it's from people from Dubai [Abu Dhabi's Eagle Hills is backing the $230 million renovation] who have a lot of money. So it should work, right? I've written a few times who struggle with the cost of going to Venice and also with access to the talent that they need to justify coming. Is there anything that you or the festival can do to address this problem? It's extremely difficult to do something regarding the hotels, the cost of the rooms, the restaurants and so on. The infrastructure is just not there. I know there is an issue for some independent journalists to get access to interviews with stars and so on, but again, this is out of our control. It's the decision of the production team or the press agent for each film. I try to convince them to be more open and available, but they often only stay 48 hours, 72 hours in Venice, because of the cost of staying here, so it's difficult to meet all the requests they get from journalists. It's a major problem, but I don't know what we can do to solve it. You also mentioned in your presentation how submitted films are getting longer and longer. How big a problem is that when it comes to programming? It's a big issue because we usually have four [competition] films a day, in the main theater, two in the afternoon and two in the evening. If every film is two hours long or more, it means the last film won't start until very late in the evening. It's a huge problem for everybody. From tomorrow, I'll start working on the screening schedule, and I'll see how things look, but I'm a little worried. We'll find a solution, of course, but it's not easy. This is a trend that started one to two years ago and has become a really major trend. Most of the films are more than two hours long, and many are two hours and 30 minutes long or longer. It's a problem. Venice has never avoided political films, but current events seem at the center of a lot of movies in this year's lineup, from Kathryn Bigelow's to Kaouther Ben Hania's to Olivier Assayas' . Why did you think it was important to program these movies? They are all very strong films in of themselves. Not only very emotional but excellent films dealing with contemporary issues. Most of the films this year are dealing with contemporary problems. Whether it's the use of atomic weapons [A House of Dynamite], to the horrors of the wars in Ukraine or Gaza, or looking at dictatorships in many countries in the world. It's the comeback of the cinema of reality, and I think it's important that the festival is open to the contemporary world and not closed off inside the universe of films and cinema, that cinema of dreams. There will still be a lot of entertaining films, spectacular films, at the festival, but most of the films are strongly connected to contemporary problems and issues. Some are very strong and emotional. I get emotional talking about The Voice of Hind Rajab. I was so impressed when I watched that film. Every time I think about it, I get emotional again. I think it will be one of the films that will get the most intense response from everybody, from the press and from the audience, for obvious reasons, not only political reasons but for emotional, human reasons. Netflix is also back in force this year, after . Yes, they couldn't come last year because they didn't have any films to offer, but they have three very strong films this year, from Kathryn Bigelow, from Noah Baumbach and from Guillermo de Toro. We worried if it was a good idea to have three films from Netflix in the main competition, but they are all so good, they all deserve to be in there. Do you ever worry that your streak at Venice will end, that this could be your last good year? Every time. After every festival, I tell myself, I won't be able to do as strong a lineup next year. And then we are lucky enough to get access to the most interesting films of the season. And this is the case again. For this year at least. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Greatest Needle Drops in Film History The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best Solve the daily Crossword
Toronto Sun
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Sean Baker reflects on becoming a 'weird spokesperson' for theatregoing
Published Jul 09, 2025 • 4 minute read Sean Baker arrives at the 77th Directors Guild of America Awards on Feb. 8, 2025, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Photo by Chris Pizzello / Invision/AP During his best director acceptance speech at this year's Academy Awards, Sean Baker zealously spoke about the importance of theatregoing, particularly the increasingly threatened independently-owned cinemas. Baker was accepting the award for 'Anora,' which won five of the six Oscars it was nominated for that night. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account On the other side of that awards campaign, the independent filmmaker is continuing his evangelism for seeing films on the big screen by teaming up with Pluto TV for 'Free Movie Weekend,' which highlights independent and family-owned theatres across the country throughout the summer, including the Music Box Theatre in Chicago this weekend. The initiative kicked off with Baker's pick near Los Angeles _ the Gardena Cinema. Complimentary tickets will also be offered to the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, as well as Detroit's Redford Theater in the coming weeks. In an exclusive interview, Baker spoke with The Associated Press about why he feels like a 'weird spokesperson' for theatregoing and how he hopes his next film will differ from his previous work. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. AP: You are an outspoken advocate for independent and family-owned movie theaters. Why are they so important to you? BAKER: I'm Gen X. Growing up, the theatres that we primarily went to were independently owned and usually family owned. Multiplexes kicked in in the late 80s. I love multiplexes. They're great, but there is something that's a little more intimate and has that family warmth. It's not a corporate environment. For a very long time, that's how I discovered and fell in love with the movies. And then I actually worked in an independently-owned theatre. It was the craziest thing. It was called the Roberts Cinema in New Jersey, and I applied for a job as the ticket ripper. It was a small business, so next thing you know, they are training me on the projectors. Next thing, they're like, 'We need a manager.' So, at 17 years old, I was managing, projecting and ticket ripping at a theatre in Manville, New Jersey, that's no longer there. They played mostly Disney films during the day and foreign films at night. It was my first real job and I look back fondly on that time. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. And then I went to film school and I started making movies. It's always been with the intention of making feature films for theatres. A dream of mine is to someday maybe even own a theatre. AP: I think there are a lot of people who think big movies with big movie stars are the secret to getting people into theatres. BAKER: That's something that I've been personally battling with. I am preaching that this sort of entertainment is meant first and foremost for theatres, so come out and see them. And then at the same time, I make films that are a little bit difficult and not exactly friendly for a wide audience. But I hope that, since my films lean into a little more into that prestige world, maybe people will come out looking for that sort of thing. 'This film won the Palme d'Or and then eventually an Academy Award. Maybe this is something we should see in the theatre, even though it doesn't fit the mold of what we normally are going to see, which are the blockbuster popcorn movies.' Those are the movies that keep cinemas alive, not my films. Maybe someday. But it's the 'Barbies' that are keeping the cinemas alive, not the 'Anoras,' even though 'Anora' did amazingly well in the hands of Neon. I do sometimes feel like a weird spokesperson for this because I'm not exactly delivering what I'm preaching on. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. AP: The Oscars this year were sort of like a PSA for theatregoing. I wonder if you subscribe to the idea that that message would be received better if the Academy recognized movies like 'Wicked' or 'Dune: Part Two' more. BAKER: They do. I mean, those films were nominated. But maybe. Maybe we do need that one extra category for box office success. Why not celebrate that too? I mean that's something that other awards shows around the world celebrate and there's no reason not to celebrate when a film hits the zeitgeist. That's an important cultural milestone. So why not celebrate that publicly? That's what the Oscars are for in many ways. AP: We've talked before about the success of 'Anora' and how you are thinking about how it will inform your next film. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. BAKER: I think the new thing that I'm dealing with is just the pressure of how do I follow up 'Anora?' I don't want to disappoint people, but I want to give something a little new and different. It's just scary. I don't know how else to say it. I just woke up. It's scary. But hopefully I'm working with the same people again, not only making the film, but also distributing the film. And hopefully we make another film that connects. My favourite filmmakers are filmmakers that do mix it up. They stay in their wheelhouse because that's their voice. But there's always a new thing. And hopefully my new thing is just leaning a little more into comedy. For a long time, I've made films that I would consider to be dramas or tragedies with comedic elements and I kind of want to push it into the comedy with dramatic or tragic elements. That might be my change. Uncategorized Sunshine Girls Columnists NHL Crime
Tom's Guide
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix just got a must-watch crime comedy from the Oscar-winning director of ‘Anora' — and it's 96% on Rotten Tomatoes
Sean Baker was the toast of Tinseltown earlier this year when his phenomenal comedy-drama 'Anora' scooped five Oscars, including the Academy's biggest prizes, Best Picture and Best Director. But the Mikey Madison star-making movie was far from Baker's first time creating a darkly funny flick that critics and viewers adored. 2015 saw the release of 'Tangerine,' a bitingly sharp crime comedy that sees a sex worker set out on a quest to even the score after learning that her boyfriend (who also happens to be her pimp) was unfaithful to her while she was locked-up in jail for a month. Filmed on three iPhone 5S phones — at a time when the idea of filming even an indie movie on a smartphone was considered pretty novel, let alone an S model — 'Tangerine' is a brilliant underdog story, and it's just arrived on Netflix as part of the service's July slate. If you enjoyed 'Anora,' then it makes for the perfect follow-up, and if you don't want to take my word for it, its critical reception should convince you to add it to your Netflix watchlist. Transgender sex worker Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) has just got out of jail after serving a 28-day sentence. Meeting up with her friend, and fellow sex worker, Alexandra (Mya Taylor), she is shocked to learn her boyfriend, Chester (James Ransone), has been cheating on her while she was incarcerated. Setting out into the hazy heat of Hollywood on a warm Christmas Eve evening, Sin-Dee vows to find Chester and get to the bottom of the situation. What follows is an odyssey through Los Angeles, exploring a side of the city that is ever present but often hidden. Much like 'Anora,' 'Tangerine" was a real critical darling. The 2015 movie holds a very impressive 96% score on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, and this rating comes from almost 170 reviews, so it's not a small sample size. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In fact, 'Tangerine's' RT score is higher than 'Anora's,' though the latter currently holds a strong 93% rating, so we're talking about two great movies. Writing for the Observer, legendary U.K. film critic Mark Kermode said, 'Fired by zesty performances that crackle and burn with energy, 'Tangerine' is a bittersweet affair underpinned by a winning sense of empathy and affection.' Jake Wilson of the Sydney Morning Herald described it as 'raucously entertaining.' 'The chemistry of the leads and their authentic, crackling dialogue make it a pleasure to tag along for the day,' said Rebecca Keegan of the Los Angeles Times. Meanwhile, Matt Zoller Seitz labeled the Sean Baker movie 'assured and immensely likable.' David Lewis of the San Francisco Chronicle was similarly impressed. 'This is sublime filmmaking, a textbook example of how indies can tell groundbreaking stories in a way that Hollywood simply can't match,' wrote Lewis in an extremely positive review. Plenty of critics also praised 'Tangerine' for its (at the time) innovative style due to being shot on an iPhone 5S. This gives the movie a gritty and guerrilla look, and makes you, as a viewer, feel like you're alongside Sin-Dee and Alexandra for a wild ride through L.A. If you enjoyed Sean Baker's work in 'Anora,' then you don't want to skip 'Tangerine.' It's a little rougher around the edges, at least from a stylistic point of view, but it's no less bursting with snappy dialogue and thoughtful commentary on the world around. And it's far from the only worthwhile new addition to the streaming service this month. Check out our guide to everything new on Netflix in July 2025 for even more viewing recommendations, including must-watch movies and seriously bingeable TV shows. Watch "Tangerine" on Netflix now
Washington Post
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Sean Baker reflects on becoming a 'weird spokesperson' for theatergoing
LOS ANGELES — During his best director acceptance speech at this year's Academy Awards, Sean Baker zealously spoke about the importance of theatergoing, particularly the increasingly threatened independently-owned cinemas . Baker was accepting the award for 'Anora,' which won five of the six Oscars it was nominated for that night.
The Independent
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Sean Baker reflects on becoming a 'weird spokesperson' for theatergoing
During his best director acceptance speech at this year's Academy Awards, Sean Baker zealously spoke about the importance of theatergoing, particularly the increasingly threatened independently-owned cinemas. Baker was accepting the award for ' Anora,' which won five of the six Oscars it was nominated for that night. On the other side of that awards campaign, the independent filmmaker is continuing his evangelism for seeing films on the big screen by teaming up with Pluto TV for 'Free Movie Weekend,' which highlights independent and family-owned theaters across the country throughout the summer, including the Music Box Theatre in Chicago this weekend. The initiative kicked off with Baker's pick near Los Angeles — the Gardena Cinema. Complimentary tickets will also be offered to the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, as well as Detroit's Redford Theater in the coming weeks. In an exclusive interview, Baker spoke with The Associated Press about why he feels like a 'weird spokesperson' for theatergoing and how he hopes his next film will differ from his previous work. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: You are an outspoken advocate for independent and family-owned movie theaters. Why are they so important to you? BAKER: I'm Gen X. Growing up, the theaters that we primarily went to were independently owned and usually family owned. Multiplexes kicked in in the late 80s. I love multiplexes. They're great, but there is something that's a little more intimate and has that family warmth. It's not a corporate environment. For a very long time, that's how I discovered and fell in love with the movies. And then I actually worked in an independently-owned theater. It was the craziest thing. It was called the Roberts Cinema in New Jersey, and I applied for a job as the ticket ripper. It was a small business, so next thing you know, they are training me on the projectors. Next thing, they're like, 'We need a manager.' So, at 17 years old, I was managing, projecting and ticket ripping at a theater in Manville, New Jersey, that's no longer there. They played mostly Disney films during the day and foreign films at night. It was my first real job and I look back fondly on that time. And then I went to film school and I started making movies. It's always been with the intention of making feature films for theaters. A dream of mine is to someday maybe even own a theater. AP: I think there are a lot of people who think big movies with big movie stars are the secret to getting people into theaters. BAKER: That's something that I've been personally battling with. I am preaching that this sort of entertainment is meant first and foremost for theaters, so come out and see them. And then at the same time, I make films that are a little bit difficult and not exactly friendly for a wide audience. But I hope that, since my films lean into a little more into that prestige world, maybe people will come out looking for that sort of thing. 'This film won the Palme d'Or and then eventually an Academy Award. Maybe this is something we should see in the theater, even though it doesn't fit the mold of what we normally are going to see, which are the blockbuster popcorn movies.' Those are the movies that keep cinemas alive, not my films. Maybe someday. But it's the 'Barbies' that are keeping the cinemas alive, not the 'Anoras,' even though 'Anora' did amazingly well in the hands of Neon. I do sometimes feel like a weird spokesperson for this because I'm not exactly delivering what I'm preaching on. AP: The Oscars this year were sort of like a PSA for theatergoing. I wonder if you subscribe to the idea that that message would be received better if the Academy recognized movies like 'Wicked' or 'Dune: Part Two' more. BAKER: They do. I mean, those films were nominated. But maybe. Maybe we do need that one extra category for box office success. Why not celebrate that too? I mean that's something that other awards shows around the world celebrate and there's no reason not to celebrate when a film hits the zeitgeist. That's an important cultural milestone. So why not celebrate that publicly? That's what the Oscars are for in many ways. AP: We've talked before about the success of 'Anora' and how you are thinking about how it will inform your next film. BAKER: I think the new thing that I'm dealing with is just the pressure of how do I follow up 'Anora?' I don't want to disappoint people, but I want to give something a little new and different. It's just scary. I don't know how else to say it. I just woke up. It's scary. But hopefully I'm working with the same people again, not only making the film, but also distributing the film. And hopefully we make another film that connects. My favorite filmmakers are filmmakers that do mix it up. They stay in their wheelhouse because that's their voice. But there's always a new thing. And hopefully my new thing is just leaning a little more into comedy. For a long time, I've made films that I would consider to be dramas or tragedies with comedic elements and I kind of want to push it into the comedy with dramatic or tragic elements. That might be my change.
