This kids’ adventure story with a faux medievalist vibe has a cute conceit and some fun sequences but the inexperience of the cast and director shows
If you’ve ever tried to make a home movie with young children, you quickly come to appreciate how hard it is to get the little monsters to remember their lines and hit their marks, let alone give good performances. It’s an education in the difference between good and bad direction, the raw, primary-teacher skill in herding cats while also managing tone, quality control and all that storytelling stuff. Just try it for yourself and you’ll realise just how good a job directors such as Garth Jennings or Taika Waititi did with child-led films like Son of Rambow or Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
At the very least, this awareness will help you be a bit more forgiving of a film like Riddle of Fire.
If you’ve ever tried to make a home movie with young children, you quickly come to appreciate how hard it is to get the little monsters to remember their lines and hit their marks, let alone give good performances. It’s an education in the difference between good and bad direction, the raw, primary-teacher skill in herding cats while also managing tone, quality control and all that storytelling stuff. Just try it for yourself and you’ll realise just how good a job directors such as Garth Jennings or Taika Waititi did with child-led films like Son of Rambow or Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
At the very least, this awareness will help you be a bit more forgiving of a film like Riddle of Fire.
- 4/29/2024
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Champ Marshawn Lynch (Bottoms), Mustafa Shakir, Cam Gigandet, André Eriksen, and Lio Tipton are boarding 87North and Universal’s original action movie With Love.
They join previously cast Oscar winner winners Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose, as well as Daniel Wu in the pic set for release on Feb. 7, 2025. For Quan, it’s his first major leading man role post Everything, Everywhere All at Once.
The movie hails from vet stunt and fight coordinator Jonathan Eusebio who is making his feature directorial debut. Eusebio’s credits include Black Panther, The Avengers, the John Wick films, The Matrix Resurrections, Violent Night, Deadpool 2, The Fate of the Furious, Doctor Strange, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Wolverine, The Bourne Legacy and 87North’s upcoming summer kickoff title,...
They join previously cast Oscar winner winners Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose, as well as Daniel Wu in the pic set for release on Feb. 7, 2025. For Quan, it’s his first major leading man role post Everything, Everywhere All at Once.
The movie hails from vet stunt and fight coordinator Jonathan Eusebio who is making his feature directorial debut. Eusebio’s credits include Black Panther, The Avengers, the John Wick films, The Matrix Resurrections, Violent Night, Deadpool 2, The Fate of the Furious, Doctor Strange, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Wolverine, The Bourne Legacy and 87North’s upcoming summer kickoff title,...
- 4/19/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The three immortal reptiles commence a journey to bake a blueberry pie for their mother in director Western Razooli’s Riddle of Fire. The scenic rural Wyoming is almost a fairyland when you see it through Razooli’s Kodak 16mm lens. This movie thrives on its sheer aesthetic, and at times it’s almost Wes Anderson-esque. The hardships the reptiles face to acquire their precious speckled egg are truly heartwarming.
Spoilers Ahead
What happens in the movie?
Hazel, Jodie, and Alice ride their motorbikes armed with paintball guns. They steal a game from the warehouse successfully, but they can’t play because their mum has set a password on the TV. With only a couple of days left for their summer vacation, Hazel and Jodie ask their sick mother Julie to tell them the password. After a long negotiation, Julie agrees to let the kids play the game for...
Spoilers Ahead
What happens in the movie?
Hazel, Jodie, and Alice ride their motorbikes armed with paintball guns. They steal a game from the warehouse successfully, but they can’t play because their mum has set a password on the TV. With only a couple of days left for their summer vacation, Hazel and Jodie ask their sick mother Julie to tell them the password. After a long negotiation, Julie agrees to let the kids play the game for...
- 4/19/2024
- by Aniket Mukherjee
- Film Fugitives
Cannes parallel section Directors’ Fortnight has unveiled the line-up for its 56th edition running from May 15 to 23, at a press conference in Paris’ Forum des Images cultural center.
The section, launched in 1969 and overseen by the French Directors Guild, will present 21 feature films and 10 short films.
It is the second line-up overseen by Delegate General Julien Rejl, who took up the role last year.
Discoveries of his inaugural edition included Georgian director Elene Naveriani’s late coming-of-age drama Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry; U.S. indie film Riddle Of Fire by Weston Razooli, as well as Vietnamese filmmaker Phạm Thiên Ân’s 2023 Cannes Caméra d’Or winner Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell.
The 2024 edition will open with late director Sophie Fillières’ final feature This Life of Mine, starring Agnès Jaoui as a woman whose sense of self starts to unravel as she turns 55.
Fillières died shortly after completing the shoot and her...
The section, launched in 1969 and overseen by the French Directors Guild, will present 21 feature films and 10 short films.
It is the second line-up overseen by Delegate General Julien Rejl, who took up the role last year.
Discoveries of his inaugural edition included Georgian director Elene Naveriani’s late coming-of-age drama Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry; U.S. indie film Riddle Of Fire by Weston Razooli, as well as Vietnamese filmmaker Phạm Thiên Ân’s 2023 Cannes Caméra d’Or winner Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell.
The 2024 edition will open with late director Sophie Fillières’ final feature This Life of Mine, starring Agnès Jaoui as a woman whose sense of self starts to unravel as she turns 55.
Fillières died shortly after completing the shoot and her...
- 4/16/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Director Weston Razooli made waves at the Toronto International Film Festival last year with Riddle of Fire, which our own Joe Lipsett gave 4/5 stars in his review.
Joe wrote, “Riddle of Fire has all of the hallmarks of a classic ’80s children adventure film, mixed with the quaintness of a British fairytale.” His review continued, “In short: think Goonies meets Adventures in Babysitting with a touch of The Princess Bride‘s aesthetic.”
In this truly one-of-a-kind slice of visionary cinema, “Three mischievous children embark on a woodland odyssey when their mother sends them on an errand.”
When will you be able to see it? Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned that Yellow Veil Pictures & Vinegar Syndrome will bring Riddle of Fire to at-home VOD on April 12.
You can pre-order the movie via Apple TV now.
After premiering in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival, the film went on...
Joe wrote, “Riddle of Fire has all of the hallmarks of a classic ’80s children adventure film, mixed with the quaintness of a British fairytale.” His review continued, “In short: think Goonies meets Adventures in Babysitting with a touch of The Princess Bride‘s aesthetic.”
In this truly one-of-a-kind slice of visionary cinema, “Three mischievous children embark on a woodland odyssey when their mother sends them on an errand.”
When will you be able to see it? Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned that Yellow Veil Pictures & Vinegar Syndrome will bring Riddle of Fire to at-home VOD on April 12.
You can pre-order the movie via Apple TV now.
After premiering in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival, the film went on...
- 3/29/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
A Tale of Whimsy and Adventure The film ‘Riddle of Fire’ is an enchanting coming-of-age tale that intertwines the simplicity of childhood with the allure of a modern fairy tale. The narrative revolves around siblings Hazel, Alice, and Jodie whose quest for a blueberry pie spirals into an unforgettable escapade. Director Weston Razooli’s vision for ‘Riddle of Fire’ was to evoke the nostalgia of bygone eras, specifically aiming for a feel reminiscent ‘of the forgotten live-action Disney films from the ’60s and ’70s – dark yet vivid contrasts. The chosen medium, Super 16mm film, played a pivotal role in achieving
The post ‘Riddle of Fire’ Weaves a Whimsical Coming-of-Age Journey first appeared on TVovermind.
The post ‘Riddle of Fire’ Weaves a Whimsical Coming-of-Age Journey first appeared on TVovermind.
- 3/26/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Long before she was a movie star, a teenage Nicole Kidman appeared in the early-’80s action comedy “BMX Bandits,” a rowdy Australian kidpic full of bicycle stunts and Scooby-Doo crime-stopping shenanigans. It’s too early to say whether any of the adorable young leads in “Riddle of Fire” will go on to have successful acting careers. Still, it’s amusing to think that two decades into the 21st century, writer-director Weston Razooli has taken inspiration from such questionable classics, along with vintage live-action Disney fare — like “Escape from Witch Mountain” and the Herbie movies, which the studio sold in puffy white VHS cases — for his own retro-spirited debut.
Spun from equal parts imagination and nostalgia, “Riddle of Fire” comes as close as any film since “Spy Kids” or “Kisses” to mirroring the kind of cinematic adventures we made in our heads as kids. Razooli remembers how it feels to...
Spun from equal parts imagination and nostalgia, “Riddle of Fire” comes as close as any film since “Spy Kids” or “Kisses” to mirroring the kind of cinematic adventures we made in our heads as kids. Razooli remembers how it feels to...
- 3/25/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Q&a’s are a staple of indie opening weekends since they tend to sell tickets but Bob and Jeanne Berney’s Picturehouse has raised that bar, offering audiences seven-minute live burlesque revues before selected screenings of documentary Carol Doda Topless At The Condor. The ode to the woman, and to 1960s San Francisco where she broke out topless, opens in limited release in New York, LA, San Francisco and San Rafael. Dancers in what Bob Berney called a “Doda-esqe burlesque” will not be topless,” he said — “but pretty close.”
Dancers start in the audience then move to the front of the theater against a specially designed backdrop of image and sound on screen. “It brings you into that world immediately. You are there before the film starts,” he said.
“Eventizing” a film is great if you can do it. The box office is much better but still a bit weird since Covid.
Dancers start in the audience then move to the front of the theater against a specially designed backdrop of image and sound on screen. “It brings you into that world immediately. You are there before the film starts,” he said.
“Eventizing” a film is great if you can do it. The box office is much better but still a bit weird since Covid.
- 3/22/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Weston Razooli knows that he broke all the rules on his first movie. While some directors ease themselves into feature filmmaking by telling intimate stories that can be confined to one location and a handful of experienced actors, Razooli swung for the fences with “Riddle of Fire.”
The anachronistically nostalgic adventure saga follows three pals who spend a summer afternoon searching for the perfect blueberry pie ingredients in a world filled with witches, fairies, and scheming huntsmen — all with the hope of convincing a bedridden mother to let them get back to playing video games.
The film captures the whimsy of a childhood summer adventure on a scale that manages to feel epic to its pint-sized protagonists and charmingly intimate to adult audiences. But Razooli’s distinct vision forced him to navigate the kinds of logistical challenges that could derail a massive studio production — like shooting on 16mm film with...
The anachronistically nostalgic adventure saga follows three pals who spend a summer afternoon searching for the perfect blueberry pie ingredients in a world filled with witches, fairies, and scheming huntsmen — all with the hope of convincing a bedridden mother to let them get back to playing video games.
The film captures the whimsy of a childhood summer adventure on a scale that manages to feel epic to its pint-sized protagonists and charmingly intimate to adult audiences. But Razooli’s distinct vision forced him to navigate the kinds of logistical challenges that could derail a massive studio production — like shooting on 16mm film with...
- 3/22/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Plot: Three mischievous children embark on a woodland odyssey when their mother sends them on an errand.
Review: Magical realism is a tough challenge for even the most skilled of filmmakers. There’s a fine line to walk in order to anchor anything fantastical to a layer of reality. Writer/Director Weston Razooli makes the choice to set the film in modern day, while avoiding most modern technology. Even the leads have a timelessness to them that could put this film in any decade going back a century. All of these elements add up to make Riddle of Fire one of the more interesting independent features of the year.
Taking place in the mountains of Wyoming, Riddle of Fire follows three children Hazel, Alice, and Jodie as they go on an adventure. They’re on a mission to get the ingredients for a blueberry pie, to make their ailing mother feel better.
Review: Magical realism is a tough challenge for even the most skilled of filmmakers. There’s a fine line to walk in order to anchor anything fantastical to a layer of reality. Writer/Director Weston Razooli makes the choice to set the film in modern day, while avoiding most modern technology. Even the leads have a timelessness to them that could put this film in any decade going back a century. All of these elements add up to make Riddle of Fire one of the more interesting independent features of the year.
Taking place in the mountains of Wyoming, Riddle of Fire follows three children Hazel, Alice, and Jodie as they go on an adventure. They’re on a mission to get the ingredients for a blueberry pie, to make their ailing mother feel better.
- 3/22/2024
- by Tyler Nichols
- JoBlo.com
A beguiling “neo-fairy tale” that effectively splits the difference between the high fantasy of “Legend” and the lo-fi drift of “L for Leisure,” Weston Razooli’s “Riddle of Fire” tries to capture the magic inherent to even modern childhood by stretching a simple fetch quest into an epic adventure. Perhaps a little too epic, it turns out.
Despite kicking off with a heist sequence that crystallizes the miscreant fun of a late summer afternoon and tees up a Tolkien-worthy plot in the clearest possible terms, Razooli’s increasingly languorous debut soon proves to be easier to appreciate than it is to enjoy. It’s a light and singular concoction of sick-ass vibes in dire need of something — anything — to weigh them down. I couldn’t wait for it to end, but that’s partially because I’m already so impatient to see what Razooli does next.
Set in rural Wyoming...
Despite kicking off with a heist sequence that crystallizes the miscreant fun of a late summer afternoon and tees up a Tolkien-worthy plot in the clearest possible terms, Razooli’s increasingly languorous debut soon proves to be easier to appreciate than it is to enjoy. It’s a light and singular concoction of sick-ass vibes in dire need of something — anything — to weigh them down. I couldn’t wait for it to end, but that’s partially because I’m already so impatient to see what Razooli does next.
Set in rural Wyoming...
- 3/21/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
In the recent decades of Hollywood exporting slapped-together “children’s movies” to appease parents just looking to take their kids to anything that can pass the time, any film with an actual sense of youthful wonder in cinema feels like a lost artifact. For his directorial debut Riddle of Fire, director Weston Razooli creates such a utopia, following a group of mischievous children who embark on a woodland odyssey to deliver a pie, battle a witch, outwit a huntsman, befriend a fairy, and become best friends forever.
Though filmed in the Sundance headquarters of Park City, where Razooli grew up, the film premiered at Cannes Directors Fortnight last year and stopped by TIFF Midnight Madness. Ahead of the theatrical opening this Friday, I spoke with Razooli about capturing his neo-fairytale set on 16mm, being influenced by Hayao Miyazaki and Zelda, finding the right tone, what it was like working primarily with child actors,...
Though filmed in the Sundance headquarters of Park City, where Razooli grew up, the film premiered at Cannes Directors Fortnight last year and stopped by TIFF Midnight Madness. Ahead of the theatrical opening this Friday, I spoke with Razooli about capturing his neo-fairytale set on 16mm, being influenced by Hayao Miyazaki and Zelda, finding the right tone, what it was like working primarily with child actors,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome have released the hypnotic and beautifully meditative trailer for Riddle of Fire, a movie that was included in the lineup at last year’s Fantastic Fest and Midnight Madness at TIFF. The trailer plays like a fever dream as writer and director Weston Razooli takes you on a unique journey through the eyes of children as they make their way through the forest and encounter many threatening figures, which plays out like a dark fairy tale.
The official synopsis reads,
“This neo-fairytale set in Wyoming, USA follows three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand. On the hunt to obtain her favourite blueberry pie, the children are kidnapped by poachers, battle a witch, outwit a huntsman, befriend a fairy, and bond together to become best friends forever.”
Skyler Peters, Phoebe Ferro, Charlie Stover and...
The official synopsis reads,
“This neo-fairytale set in Wyoming, USA follows three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand. On the hunt to obtain her favourite blueberry pie, the children are kidnapped by poachers, battle a witch, outwit a huntsman, befriend a fairy, and bond together to become best friends forever.”
Skyler Peters, Phoebe Ferro, Charlie Stover and...
- 3/1/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
The spice must flow, and take over most theaters. While Denis Villeneuve’s gargantuan-sized blockbuster will suck up much of the oxygen when it comes to discussions around March’s releases, there’s plenty more to uncover. From adventurous festival favorites to micro-sized productions to a would-be blockbuster relegated to streaming, here are my picks for what to see next month.
15. Road House (Doug Liman; March 21)
While his recent output hasn’t touched the entertainment value of Edge of Tomorrow, The Bourne Identity, or Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Doug Liman seems quite confident in the crowdpleaser appeal of his Jake Gyllenhaal-led Road House remake. While he won’t be getting the theatrical release he believes he deserves, those at SXSW will at least be able to experience it in a crowd before it lands on Prime Video soon after.
14. Yuni (Kamila Andini; March 22)
One of our favorite undistributed films...
15. Road House (Doug Liman; March 21)
While his recent output hasn’t touched the entertainment value of Edge of Tomorrow, The Bourne Identity, or Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Doug Liman seems quite confident in the crowdpleaser appeal of his Jake Gyllenhaal-led Road House remake. While he won’t be getting the theatrical release he believes he deserves, those at SXSW will at least be able to experience it in a crowd before it lands on Prime Video soon after.
14. Yuni (Kamila Andini; March 22)
One of our favorite undistributed films...
- 2/28/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"I'm gonna get your kids!" Yellow Veil Pictures has launched the full official trailer for an indie gem titled Riddle of Fire, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Weston Razooli. This first premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, with stops at tons of other festivals. Now set for a US theatrical release this March. It's about a trio of kids on an adventure. Here's the Fantastic Fest one-liner intro: "Three children go on an epic quest to uncover the password for their TV, finding themselves in their own video game-like adventure in the real world." A neo-fairytale thriller shot in Wyoming, following three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand to to get the TV password. On the hunt to obtain her favorite blueberry pie, the children are kidnapped by poachers, battle a witch, outwit a huntsman, befriend a fairy,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
When you see an indie film focusing on the friendship between young kids, you automatically think you have it figured out—this is clearly a coming-of-age tale that we’ve seen a million times over. Well, “Riddle of Fire” might be a film about three young children growing up in Wyoming, but nothing about it is typical.
Read More: ‘Riddle Of Fire’ Review: Weston Razooli’s Whimsical Fantasy Feature Debut Struggles To Sustain Its Magic [TIFF]
As seen in the trailer, “Riddle of Fire” follows three kids as they go run an errand for their mother.
Continue reading ‘Riddle Of Fire’ Trailer: Three Kids Go On A Quest In Weston Razooli’s Neo-Fairytale at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Riddle Of Fire’ Review: Weston Razooli’s Whimsical Fantasy Feature Debut Struggles To Sustain Its Magic [TIFF]
As seen in the trailer, “Riddle of Fire” follows three kids as they go run an errand for their mother.
Continue reading ‘Riddle Of Fire’ Trailer: Three Kids Go On A Quest In Weston Razooli’s Neo-Fairytale at The Playlist.
- 2/12/2024
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
A selection at Cannes Directors Fortnight and TIFF Midnight Madness last year, Weston Razooli’s singular debut Riddle of Fire follows a group of mischievous children who embark on a woodland odyssey to deliver a pie, battle a witch, outwit a huntsman, befriend a fairy, and become best friends forever. Picked up by Yellow Veil and Vinegar Syndrome, the first trailer has now arrived for the 16mm-shot fantasy film, set for a theatrical release on March 22.
Ankit Jhunjhunwala said in his review, “Films with child protagonists present a unique tonal challenge. If overly saccharine whimsy can alienate an adult audience, having precocious kids delivering mannered performances can seem too stylized and divorced from reality––what, say, Wes Anderson has a skill for, many others do not possess. With his debut feature Riddle of Fire, director Weston Razooli tries locating the balance between extremes to uneven results. On paper, this is a kids’ fantasy,...
Ankit Jhunjhunwala said in his review, “Films with child protagonists present a unique tonal challenge. If overly saccharine whimsy can alienate an adult audience, having precocious kids delivering mannered performances can seem too stylized and divorced from reality––what, say, Wes Anderson has a skill for, many others do not possess. With his debut feature Riddle of Fire, director Weston Razooli tries locating the balance between extremes to uneven results. On paper, this is a kids’ fantasy,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
One of the surprise breakout hits of the 2023 film festival circuit, Weston Razooli’s directorial debut “Riddle of Fire” charmed audiences around the world by blending the aesthetics of classic family adventure movies with a modern midnight movie sensibility. After premiering in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival, the film went on to close the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival and screen at Fantastic Fest. Now, thanks to Yellow Veil Pictures and the legendary boutique Blu-ray label Vinegar Syndrome, the film will receive a domestic theatrical release this spring.
The official synopsis for “Riddle of Fire” reads: “This neo-fairytale set in Wyoming, USA follows three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand. On the hunt to obtain her favorite blueberry pie, the children are kidnapped by poachers, battle a witch, outwit a huntsman,...
The official synopsis for “Riddle of Fire” reads: “This neo-fairytale set in Wyoming, USA follows three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand. On the hunt to obtain her favorite blueberry pie, the children are kidnapped by poachers, battle a witch, outwit a huntsman,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Mister Smith Entertainment has clinched first key international sales on Weston Razooli’s “Riddle of Fire.”
Among major territories, Mister Smith has closed Japan (Klockworx), France (ASC Distribution) and Spain (Flamingo Films). Deals build on a co-u.S acquisition by Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome, which plan a domestic theatrical bow in early 2024, releasing the film on 35mm.
“Riddle of Fire” has also been sold to Portugal (Leopardo Filmes), Greece (Odeon) and Femeway/The Film Group and Front Row Filmed Entertainment for the Middle East, Singapore (the Shaw Organization), ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz Film) and worldwide airlines and ships (Anuvu).
Razooli’s first feature made its debut in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight and its North American premiere as the Toronto Festival’s Midnight Madness closing-night film.
A highlight on Mister Smith’s AFM slate, “Riddle of Fire” has additional territories in negotiations, which Mse will attempt to close in Santa Monica.
Shot...
Among major territories, Mister Smith has closed Japan (Klockworx), France (ASC Distribution) and Spain (Flamingo Films). Deals build on a co-u.S acquisition by Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome, which plan a domestic theatrical bow in early 2024, releasing the film on 35mm.
“Riddle of Fire” has also been sold to Portugal (Leopardo Filmes), Greece (Odeon) and Femeway/The Film Group and Front Row Filmed Entertainment for the Middle East, Singapore (the Shaw Organization), ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz Film) and worldwide airlines and ships (Anuvu).
Razooli’s first feature made its debut in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight and its North American premiere as the Toronto Festival’s Midnight Madness closing-night film.
A highlight on Mister Smith’s AFM slate, “Riddle of Fire” has additional territories in negotiations, which Mse will attempt to close in Santa Monica.
Shot...
- 11/1/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
In less than a week our amigos y familia at Morbido will be hosting the sixteenth edition of their famed genre film festival. This year genre icons Eli Roth and Ted Raimi will be attending the festival to present their films, Thanksgiving and Failure! respectively. Festival alumni Gigi Saul Guerrero will be in town to present V/H/S/85 and LG White will be back to present her doc, Tripping the Dark Fantastic, the documentary about composer Simon Boswell with performance footage and interviews with the likes of Argento and Jorodowsky. Carlota Pereda's new film, The Chapel, is a must-see part of the program as is Demian Rugna's When Evil Lurks. Don't miss Weston Razooli's Riddle of Fire either. Morbido Film Fest Celebrates 16 years...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/25/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Films with child protagonists present a unique tonal challenge. If overly saccharine whimsy can alienate an adult audience, having precocious kids delivering mannered performances can seem too stylized and divorced from reality––what, say, Wes Anderson has a skill for, many others do not possess. With his debut feature Riddle of Fire, director Weston Razooli tries locating the balance between extremes to uneven results. On paper, this is a kids’ fantasy, action-adventure film, yet it’s difficult to discern the precise audience to whom it may appeal.
Rabble-rousing rascals Hazel (Charlie Stover), Alice (Phoebe Ferro), and Jodie (Skyler Peters) spend their summer vacation zooming around Ribbon, Wyoming, on dirt bikes. They carry paintball guns and beaded necklaces as members of their self-created “Reptiles” gang. One day they steal a new video game console from a local factory but are unable to run it because Hazel and Jodie’s mom has password-protected the TV.
Rabble-rousing rascals Hazel (Charlie Stover), Alice (Phoebe Ferro), and Jodie (Skyler Peters) spend their summer vacation zooming around Ribbon, Wyoming, on dirt bikes. They carry paintball guns and beaded necklaces as members of their self-created “Reptiles” gang. One day they steal a new video game console from a local factory but are unable to run it because Hazel and Jodie’s mom has password-protected the TV.
- 9/25/2023
- by Ankit Jhunjhunwala
- The Film Stage
There’s something ethereal about Weston Razooli’s Toronto Midnight Madness closer, Riddle of Fire. It’s whimsical, but in a rough-hewn sort of way that puts it somewhere in the aesthetic neighborhood of Avalon Fast’s 2022 Slamdance discovery, Honeycomb. Both films exist in a world parallel to ours, but not unfamiliar or unrecognizable. While Honeycomb chooses a darker direction when compared to Riddle of Fire’s Little Rascals-esque childish escapades, they both occupy a world in which adults exist, but more as impediments to adventure instead of figures of authority. Razooli’s film exudes joy from every delicate 16mm frame, making it the perfect gateway for those weirdo young children looking for representation in a world of high gloss influencers and YouTube celebs. Right from the jump, Riddle of...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/17/2023
- Screen Anarchy
There’s nothing quite like a throwback film – whether it’s driven by nostalgia or executed as a creative exercise, it’s fun to see how creatives handle the material.
Weston Razooli’s Riddle of Fire has all of the hallmarks of a classic ’80s children adventure film, mixed with the quaintness of a British fairytale. This is evident from the film’s opening scene, which features ethereal folk music, heavily stylized cursive font, and fairytale language: “Are ye a knight or are ye a squire? Can ye solve the Riddle of Fire?”
Like the best examples from the ’80s, however, there’s a persistent undercurrent of peril as the child characters are repeatedly put in danger with antagonists who won’t hesitate to harm or even murder them. In short: think Goonies meets Adventures in Babysitting with a touch of The Princess Bride‘s aesthetic.
One of the great...
Weston Razooli’s Riddle of Fire has all of the hallmarks of a classic ’80s children adventure film, mixed with the quaintness of a British fairytale. This is evident from the film’s opening scene, which features ethereal folk music, heavily stylized cursive font, and fairytale language: “Are ye a knight or are ye a squire? Can ye solve the Riddle of Fire?”
Like the best examples from the ’80s, however, there’s a persistent undercurrent of peril as the child characters are repeatedly put in danger with antagonists who won’t hesitate to harm or even murder them. In short: think Goonies meets Adventures in Babysitting with a touch of The Princess Bride‘s aesthetic.
One of the great...
- 9/17/2023
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
The "Coolest debut from Cannes," according to AnOther Magazine, the poster for American indie cult-film-to-be, Riddle Of Fire, exudes rural middleschool cool. The key art is awash in warm peachy tones and early 70s pre-Amblin 'latch-key kids' vibes. Note the mushrooms and the flames, the chunky, almost Druidic font for the title card, and the green pop of colour for the writer-director. Beside the pull quote, genre festival logos adorn the top, while the credit block and production distribution logos are nicely centred at the bottom. Little golden stars indicate the character names, the setting, and the promise of a Neo-Fairytale film. Not many film posters label their sub-genre so explicitly. The Wyoming background looks less like a post card or landscape, and more like a treasure...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/8/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Ah, the years of one’s youth— a topsy-turvy, illogical rollercoaster of emotions, hormones, and boundless wonder. The finest films that capture this spirited chaos often use their child characters as conduits, letting them revel in the sheer essence of being a kid. They turn simple tasks into wild adventures, offering glimpses of the magic and mayhem that is growing up. Enter “Riddle of Fire,” the debut feature from director Weston Razooli.
Continue reading ‘Riddle Of Fire’ Review: Weston Razooli’s Whimsical Fantasy Feature Debut Struggles To Sustain Its Magic [TIFF] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Riddle Of Fire’ Review: Weston Razooli’s Whimsical Fantasy Feature Debut Struggles To Sustain Its Magic [TIFF] at The Playlist.
- 9/8/2023
- by Mike DeAngelo
- The Playlist
Domestic distributor Bleecker Street is in negotiations to acquire rights to “Fackham Hall,” a British spoof of “Downton Abbey” and other costume dramas. Sales outfit The Veterans is pre-selling international territories. And as international buyers face a potential drought of Hollywood product due to strikes, the market is offering other promising presale titles.
WME Independent is pre-selling James Madigan’s “The Beast,” with Samuel L. Jackson in negotiations to star. He’ll play a U.S. president who fights a coup in his battle-ready, bomb-proof limousine with grenades and shotguns. As he rides through a violent wasteland of chaos and unrelenting carnage, he must learn to control The Beast — and the monster inside himself — to save his life, the life of a Secret Service agent (Joel Kinnaman of “Suicide Squad” fame) and his country. Unified Pictures’ Keith Kjarval, Fifth Season, Film 44’s John Logan Pierson and Peter Berg are producing...
WME Independent is pre-selling James Madigan’s “The Beast,” with Samuel L. Jackson in negotiations to star. He’ll play a U.S. president who fights a coup in his battle-ready, bomb-proof limousine with grenades and shotguns. As he rides through a violent wasteland of chaos and unrelenting carnage, he must learn to control The Beast — and the monster inside himself — to save his life, the life of a Secret Service agent (Joel Kinnaman of “Suicide Squad” fame) and his country. Unified Pictures’ Keith Kjarval, Fifth Season, Film 44’s John Logan Pierson and Peter Berg are producing...
- 9/7/2023
- by Gregg Goldstein
- Variety Film + TV
"The prince of the mountain forever grants to those with hearts rich." An early festival promo trailer is out for an indie genre film titled Riddle of Fire, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Weston Razooli. This originally premiered in the Directors' Fortnight sidebar of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, and it's now set to play at the big three genre fests this fall: Toronto, Fantastic Fest, and the Sitges Film Festival in Spain. It's about some kids on an adventure. Here's the Fantastic Fest one-liner intro: "Three children go on an epic quest to uncover the password for their TV, finding themselves in their own video game-like adventure in the real world." Over at TIFF, they also describe it as: "Three rascal children run afoul of an enigmatic coven in Weston Razooli’s whimsical neo-fairytale, which evokes a menagerie of esoteric genres and dreamy cult-film vibes." This stars Lio Tipton,...
- 8/16/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi, 2023).The lineup is being unveiled for the 2023 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, starting with 60 selections from the Gala and Special Presentations programs. The festival takes place from September 7–17, 2023.Gala PRESENTATIONSConcrete Utopia (Um Tae-Hwa)Dumb Money (Craig Gillespie)Fair Play (Chloe Domont)Flora and Son (John Carney)Hate to Love: Nickelback (Leigh Brooks)Lee (Ellen Kuras)Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi)Nyad (Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin)Punjab ’95 (Honey Trehan)Solo (Sophie Dupuis)The End We Start From (Mahalia Belo)The Movie Emperor (Ning Hao)The New Boy (Warwick Thornton) The Royal Hotel (Kitty Green)The Holdovers.Special Presentationsa Difficult Year (Éric Toledano, Olivier Nakache)A Normal Family (Hur Jin-ho)American Fiction (Cord Jefferson)Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet)Close to You (Dominic Savage)Days of Happiness (Chloé Robichaud)The Rescue (Daniela Goggi)Ezra (Tony Goldwyn)Fingernails (Christos Nikou)Four Daughters (Kaouther Ben Hania...
- 8/14/2023
- MUBI
Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome announced have co-acquired North American rights for “Riddle of Fire,” the feature debut of writer and director Weston Razooli. The movie follows three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand.
The film was also an official selection at this year’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and will screen on the closing night of the Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section. It stars Lio Tipton, Charles Halford, Charlie Stover, Skyler Peters, Phoebe Ferro, and Lorelei Olivia Mote. The film is produced by David Atrakchi, Sohrab Mirmont, Razooli and Tipton. Executive producers are Marlow Griffin Lyddon, Brendon Griffin Lyddon, David Wiener, Kate Wiener, Jay Van Hoy, Sophie Meister, and Donna Gruneich. Mister Smith Entertainment is handling worldwide sales.
This is the first time that the two distributors have partnered. Yellow Veil and Vinegar Syndrome are planning...
The film was also an official selection at this year’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and will screen on the closing night of the Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section. It stars Lio Tipton, Charles Halford, Charlie Stover, Skyler Peters, Phoebe Ferro, and Lorelei Olivia Mote. The film is produced by David Atrakchi, Sohrab Mirmont, Razooli and Tipton. Executive producers are Marlow Griffin Lyddon, Brendon Griffin Lyddon, David Wiener, Kate Wiener, Jay Van Hoy, Sophie Meister, and Donna Gruneich. Mister Smith Entertainment is handling worldwide sales.
This is the first time that the two distributors have partnered. Yellow Veil and Vinegar Syndrome are planning...
- 8/7/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Toronto — The Toronto International Film Festival® is thrilled to announce the 2023 selections for the Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes. The infamous Midnight Madness lineup features 10 titles, 7 of which are World Premieres. The Discovery lineup, which primarily boasts World and International Premieres, includes 26 titles. Notably, 13 female filmmakers representing 50% of the total programme are featured in this year’s Discovery programme.
Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favourite, iconoclastic programme highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery programme offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.
“We’re excited to be showcasing new voices, audacious vision, and genre-bending cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes for 2023 will once again prove to be the ultimate destination for tastemakers and experience seekers.
Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favourite, iconoclastic programme highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery programme offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.
“We’re excited to be showcasing new voices, audacious vision, and genre-bending cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes for 2023 will once again prove to be the ultimate destination for tastemakers and experience seekers.
- 8/3/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
A bit of Cannes (Weston Razooli‘s Riddle of Fire and Jason Yu‘s Sleep), one significant title heading over to Venice in Harmony Korine‘s Aggro DR1FT plus the world premieres to the long-awaited A24 Larry Charles‘ film in the newly titled Dicks: The Musical and a title we though was heading to next year’s Sundance in Hell of a Summer – the debut by actor Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk are among the ten titles selected for the Midnight Madness programme. Here is the 10-film line-up:
Aggro DR1FT Harmony Korine | USA (North American Premiere)
Boy Kills World Moritz Mohr | Germany/South Africa/USA
Dicks: The Musical Larry Charles | USA – Opening Film
Hell of a Summer Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk | USA/Canada
Kill Nikhil Nagesh Bhat | India
Naga Meshal Aljaser | Saudi Arabia – World Premiere
Riddle of Fire Weston Razooli | USA (North American Premiere) – Closing Film
Sleep Jason Yu | South...
Aggro DR1FT Harmony Korine | USA (North American Premiere)
Boy Kills World Moritz Mohr | Germany/South Africa/USA
Dicks: The Musical Larry Charles | USA – Opening Film
Hell of a Summer Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk | USA/Canada
Kill Nikhil Nagesh Bhat | India
Naga Meshal Aljaser | Saudi Arabia – World Premiere
Riddle of Fire Weston Razooli | USA (North American Premiere) – Closing Film
Sleep Jason Yu | South...
- 8/3/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
TIFF announces the lineups for its 2023 Midnight Madness and Discovery programs today, following documentary, Platform, as well as gala and special presentation titles. 10 films make up the Midnight Madness roster this year, featuring seven world premieres. Larry Charles’s Dicks: The Musical will serve as the opening night film, while Weston Razooli’s Riddle of Fire, which we covered out of Cannes, will close out the program. This year’s Discovery slate is comprised of 26 films, 23 of which are world premieres, across 25 different countries. The opening night Discovery title will be actress Patricia Arquette’s directorial debut Gonzo Girl. […]
The post TIFF Reveals 2023 Midnight Madness and Discovery Lineups first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post TIFF Reveals 2023 Midnight Madness and Discovery Lineups first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 8/3/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
TIFF announces the lineups for its 2023 Midnight Madness and Discovery programs today, following documentary, Platform, as well as gala and special presentation titles. 10 films make up the Midnight Madness roster this year, featuring seven world premieres. Larry Charles’s Dicks: The Musical will serve as the opening night film, while Weston Razooli’s Riddle of Fire, which we covered out of Cannes, will close out the program. This year’s Discovery slate is comprised of 26 films, 23 of which are world premieres, across 25 different countries. The opening night Discovery title will be actress Patricia Arquette’s directorial debut Gonzo Girl. […]
The post TIFF Reveals 2023 Midnight Madness and Discovery Lineups first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post TIFF Reveals 2023 Midnight Madness and Discovery Lineups first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 8/3/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
This year’s edition of the Toronto International Film Festival is set to take place from September 7th through the 17th, and yesterday they invited film fans to guess which ten movies they’ll be screening in their Midnight Madness lineup this year. The hints were the titles of ten movies that could be compared to the films in the lineup in some way. They were Trey Parker’s Orgazmo, Geoff Murphy’s Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, Jimmy Wang Yu’s Fantasy Mission Force, Charles Martin Smith’s Trick or Treat, Stan Brakhage’s Dog Star Man, Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, Lucio Fulci’s City of the Living Dead, Paul Schrader’s Blue Collar, Ingmar Bergman’s Hour of the Wolf, and Theodore J. Flicker’s Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang. Now TIFF has announced the full lineup for both their Midnight Madness and Discovery programmes, and...
- 8/3/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The Toronto International Film Festival announced today the 2023 selections for the highly regarded Midnight Madness program.
The infamous Midnight Madness lineup features 10 titles, 7 of which are World Premieres, and highlight the weird and the wicked of film.
“Sides will be split — both figuratively and literally (on screen) — as Midnight Madness returns to the Royal Alexandra Theatre with another stimulating concoction of unpredictable shock and ‘y’arr!’ cinema,” said Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International Programmer, Midnight Madness. “Featuring two timely satiric provocations from Saudi Arabia (Naga) and Serbia (Working Class Goes to Hell) — nations that are making their section debut — this year’s madness infectiously ignites with 11 o’clock numbers that go all the way to midnight courtesy of Larry Charles’ bonkers and bawdy Dicks: The Musical. A menagerie of tastes will be sated, so bottoms up!
“There are so many fantastic genre films playing the festival circuit that it is always...
The infamous Midnight Madness lineup features 10 titles, 7 of which are World Premieres, and highlight the weird and the wicked of film.
“Sides will be split — both figuratively and literally (on screen) — as Midnight Madness returns to the Royal Alexandra Theatre with another stimulating concoction of unpredictable shock and ‘y’arr!’ cinema,” said Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International Programmer, Midnight Madness. “Featuring two timely satiric provocations from Saudi Arabia (Naga) and Serbia (Working Class Goes to Hell) — nations that are making their section debut — this year’s madness infectiously ignites with 11 o’clock numbers that go all the way to midnight courtesy of Larry Charles’ bonkers and bawdy Dicks: The Musical. A menagerie of tastes will be sated, so bottoms up!
“There are so many fantastic genre films playing the festival circuit that it is always...
- 8/3/2023
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Toronto Film Festival pulled the curtain off its lineup for this year’s Discovery and Midnight Madness sections with notable titles respectively teeing off both programs’ opening nights: Patricia Arquette’s Gonzo Girl and Borat director Larry Charles’ Dicks: The Musical from A24.
The Midnight Madness section counts 10 features, seven of which are world premieres. The Discovery lineup, which primarily boasts world and international premieres, includes 26 titles. Notably, 13 female filmmakers representing 50% of the total program are featured in this year’s Discovery; that lineup is known for being a window to contemporary world cinema with first and second movies from frosh filmmakers. With Midnight Madness films, it’s anything goes.
“We’re excited to be showcasing new voices, audacious vision, and genre-bending cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s Discovery and Midnight Madness programs for 2023 will once again prove to be the ultimate destination for tastemakers and experience seekers.
The Midnight Madness section counts 10 features, seven of which are world premieres. The Discovery lineup, which primarily boasts world and international premieres, includes 26 titles. Notably, 13 female filmmakers representing 50% of the total program are featured in this year’s Discovery; that lineup is known for being a window to contemporary world cinema with first and second movies from frosh filmmakers. With Midnight Madness films, it’s anything goes.
“We’re excited to be showcasing new voices, audacious vision, and genre-bending cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s Discovery and Midnight Madness programs for 2023 will once again prove to be the ultimate destination for tastemakers and experience seekers.
- 8/3/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Patricia Arquette’s Gonzo Girl and Larry Charles’ Dicks: The Musical open the sections.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has unveiled the titles in its Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes, with the line-ups including Harmony Korine’s Aggro Dr1ft, Patricia Arquette’s Gonzo Girl and Molly Manning Walker’s How To Have Sex.
The Discovery line-up, designed to open a window on contemporary international cinema with first and second features from new filmmakers, comprises 26 titles from 25 countries, most of them world or international premieres.
As well as Arquette’s directing debut Gonzo Girl, with the actor also starring alongside Willem Dafoe,...
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has unveiled the titles in its Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes, with the line-ups including Harmony Korine’s Aggro Dr1ft, Patricia Arquette’s Gonzo Girl and Molly Manning Walker’s How To Have Sex.
The Discovery line-up, designed to open a window on contemporary international cinema with first and second features from new filmmakers, comprises 26 titles from 25 countries, most of them world or international premieres.
As well as Arquette’s directing debut Gonzo Girl, with the actor also starring alongside Willem Dafoe,...
- 8/3/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
The Toronto International Film Festival announced the 2023 selections for the Discovery and Midnight Madness program this morning. The Midnight Madness lineup features 10 titles, seven of which are World Premieres. The Discovery lineup, which primarily boasts World and International Premieres, includes 26 titles. Notably, 13 female filmmakers representing 50% of the total are featured in this year’s Discovery program.
Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favorite, iconoclastic program highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery program offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.
“We’re excited to be showcasing new voices, audacious vision, and genre-bending cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s Discovery and Midnight Madness program for 2023 will once again prove to be the ultimate destination for tastemakers and experience seekers.”
Midnight...
Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favorite, iconoclastic program highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery program offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.
“We’re excited to be showcasing new voices, audacious vision, and genre-bending cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s Discovery and Midnight Madness program for 2023 will once again prove to be the ultimate destination for tastemakers and experience seekers.”
Midnight...
- 8/3/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
New films from Patricia Arquette, Larry Charles, Harmony Korine and Finn Wolfhard will screen in the Midnight Madness and Discovery sections of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF organizers announced on Thursday.
Korine’s “Aggro DR1FT” and Charles’ “Dicks: The Musical” will screen in the Midnight Madness section, along with eight other films that also include Jason Yu’s “Sleep” and Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s “Hell of a Summer.”
“Dicks: The Musical,” which TIFF Midnight Madness programmer Peter Kuplowsky called “bonkers and bawdy” in the press release announcing the lineups, will open the Midnight Madness section, while Weston Razooli’s “Riddle of Fire” will be the closing-night attraction.
The Discovery section will showcase 26 films from up-and-coming directors around the world. It will open with Arquette’s “Gonzo Girl,” which stars Willem Dafoe and Camilla Morrone (“Daisy Jones & the Six”) and is one of many TIFF titles from actors who have turned to directing.
Korine’s “Aggro DR1FT” and Charles’ “Dicks: The Musical” will screen in the Midnight Madness section, along with eight other films that also include Jason Yu’s “Sleep” and Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s “Hell of a Summer.”
“Dicks: The Musical,” which TIFF Midnight Madness programmer Peter Kuplowsky called “bonkers and bawdy” in the press release announcing the lineups, will open the Midnight Madness section, while Weston Razooli’s “Riddle of Fire” will be the closing-night attraction.
The Discovery section will showcase 26 films from up-and-coming directors around the world. It will open with Arquette’s “Gonzo Girl,” which stars Willem Dafoe and Camilla Morrone (“Daisy Jones & the Six”) and is one of many TIFF titles from actors who have turned to directing.
- 8/3/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Toronto International Film Festival has today announced the lineup for two of its more unpredictable and interesting sections: Discovery and Midnight Madness. Billed as “the infamous,” this year’s Midnight Madness lineup features 10 titles, seven of which are world premieres. The Discovery lineup, which primarily includes world and international premieres, includes 26 titles.
Per TIFF, both “Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favorite, iconoclastic program highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery program offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.” The festival’s announcement also notes that 13 female filmmakers, representing 50 percent of the total program, are featured in this year’s Discovery lineup.
Those films include new offerings from Harmony Korine and Larry Charles, plus — as Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International Programmer, Midnight Madness,...
Per TIFF, both “Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favorite, iconoclastic program highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery program offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.” The festival’s announcement also notes that 13 female filmmakers, representing 50 percent of the total program, are featured in this year’s Discovery lineup.
Those films include new offerings from Harmony Korine and Larry Charles, plus — as Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International Programmer, Midnight Madness,...
- 8/3/2023
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Finn Wolfhard, Larry Charles, Harmony Korine Films Set for Midnight Madness at Toronto Film Festival
The Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness sidebar will open with Borat director Larry Charles’ latest movie Dicks: The Musical getting a world premiere.
Charles’ latest film, from A24 and in theaters from Sept. 29, stars Megan Mullally, Megan Thee Stallion, Bowen Yang as God and Nathan Lane, as the comedy duo of Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp (who also wrote the film’s script) play self-obsessed businessmen who discover they’re long-lost identical twins and come together to plot the reunion of their eccentric and divorced parents.
“This year’s madness infectiously ignites with 11 o’clock numbers that go all the way to midnight courtesy of Larry Charles’ bonkers and bawdy Dicks: The Musical. A menagerie of tastes will be sated, so bottoms up!” Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International programmer of Midnight Madness, said in a statement on Thursday.
The latest additions to the Toronto Film Festival also include the lineup...
Charles’ latest film, from A24 and in theaters from Sept. 29, stars Megan Mullally, Megan Thee Stallion, Bowen Yang as God and Nathan Lane, as the comedy duo of Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp (who also wrote the film’s script) play self-obsessed businessmen who discover they’re long-lost identical twins and come together to plot the reunion of their eccentric and divorced parents.
“This year’s madness infectiously ignites with 11 o’clock numbers that go all the way to midnight courtesy of Larry Charles’ bonkers and bawdy Dicks: The Musical. A menagerie of tastes will be sated, so bottoms up!” Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International programmer of Midnight Madness, said in a statement on Thursday.
The latest additions to the Toronto Film Festival also include the lineup...
- 8/3/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSConann.The lineup for the 76th Locarno Film Festival is now online, and it includes new films from Radu Jude, Eduardo Williams, Bertrand Mandico (a feature and two shorts), Leonor Teles, Lav Diaz, and Denis Côté, plus many more. The festival runs from August 2 through 12.Following Barbie, which releases later this month, Greta Gerwig will next direct two Chronicles of Narnia adaptations for Netflix. This news comes as a side detail in a wide-reaching New Yorker piece on Mattel Films by Alex Barasch, which details the toy company’s plans to develop more than 45 films using its properties, including a Hot Wheels film by J.J. Abrams and a Daniel Kaluuya-led, "surrealistic" reboot of the children's show Barney.REMEMBERINGThe great comic actor Alan Arkin died last week at age 89. For the New York Times,...
- 7/5/2023
- MUBI
Mubi Podcast host Rico Gagliano traveled to the Cannes Film Festival, camera crew in tow, to chat it up with a cross-section of filmmakers debuting their movies there. Our Cannes Conversation mini-season continues this week with two new conversations.Episode Four: Weston RazooliLos Angeles filmmaker Weston Razooli’s debut feature Riddle of Fire is like if The Goonies were directed by Francois Truffaut—a tale of three modern kids on an old-fashioned adventure in the woods, facing down a family of witches.Razooli tells host Rico Gagliano about his D&d-soaked childhood in Utah, how he cast the kids…and the Cannes premiere’s afterparty.Episode Five: Elene NaverianiIn their sophomore feature Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry, Georgian-born filmmaker Elene Naveriani tells the story of a middle-aged virgin in a small Georgian town who dares to start living the life she feels like leading—gossips and the patriarchy be damned.Naveriani speaks...
- 6/22/2023
- MUBI
Making the pie should have been easy. The recipe calls for the usual ingredients: flour, sugar, lemon (both zest and juice), blueberries and an egg. But the parenthetical after the egg complicates matters. “Preferably speckled,” it reads. In truth, any egg would have been fine. But Jodie (Skyler Peters), Alice (Phoebe Ferro) and Hazel (Charlie Stover), the precocious trio at the heart of Weston Razooli’s fanciful debut feature Riddle of Fire, are not only novice bakers — they’re also children. So what should have been a suggestion becomes a mandate.
The search for the speckled egg is the crux of Razooli’s film, which renders the American West (it’s set in Wyoming but was shot in Utah) as a landscape baited with obstacles. There’s a painterly quality to the director’s depiction of the Great Plains state: Billowing white clouds drift across the powder-blue sky, their path...
The search for the speckled egg is the crux of Razooli’s film, which renders the American West (it’s set in Wyoming but was shot in Utah) as a landscape baited with obstacles. There’s a painterly quality to the director’s depiction of the Great Plains state: Billowing white clouds drift across the powder-blue sky, their path...
- 5/26/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Weston Razooli’s debut feature, Riddle of Fire, premiering in the Cannes Film Festival’s Director’s Fortnight, begins with a charming and clever premise. After we watch a trio of masked kid adventurers steal a video game console from a warehouse, escaping from the pursuing security guard on their dirt bikes, they’re unable to play it. One of their moms has placed a parental lock on the TV, and, recovering from an illness, she’ll only give them the password if they get her a blueberry pie — something her own mom used to give her when she was sick as a child. […]
The post “I Wanted You To Feel Like These Kids Need a Tetanus Shot By the End of It”: Weston Razooli on His Cannes-Premiering Neo-Fairy-Tale Adventure, Riddle of Fire first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “I Wanted You To Feel Like These Kids Need a Tetanus Shot By the End of It”: Weston Razooli on His Cannes-Premiering Neo-Fairy-Tale Adventure, Riddle of Fire first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/26/2023
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Weston Razooli’s debut feature, Riddle of Fire, premiering in the Cannes Film Festival’s Director’s Fortnight, begins with a charming and clever premise. After we watch a trio of masked kid adventurers steal a video game console from a warehouse, escaping from the pursuing security guard on their dirt bikes, they’re unable to play it. One of their moms has placed a parental lock on the TV, and, recovering from an illness, she’ll only give them the password if they get her a blueberry pie — something her own mom used to give her when she was sick as a child. […]
The post “I Wanted You To Feel Like These Kids Need a Tetanus Shot By the End of It”: Weston Razooli on His Cannes-Premiering Neo-Fairy-Tale Adventure, Riddle of Fire first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “I Wanted You To Feel Like These Kids Need a Tetanus Shot By the End of It”: Weston Razooli on His Cannes-Premiering Neo-Fairy-Tale Adventure, Riddle of Fire first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/26/2023
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Weston Razooli is far more than just a writer, producer and director. He’s a world-builder, as evidenced by his feature debut, “Riddle of Fire.” The faux-’70s children’s fantasy adventure, which premieres May 20 in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight program, follows three tweens on a quest for ingredients to bake a blueberry pie, all to coax the boys’ mother into letting them play a stolen video game. Danger arrives when they meet the “Enchanted Blade Gang” led by a witch (Lio Tipton). Its deadpan comedy and surreal feel — somewhere between “Escape to Witch Mountain,” “Scooby-Doo” and “Napoleon Dynamite” — make it equally appealing to kids, Gen Xers, stoners, Adult Swim watchers and fans of cult indie cinema.
“There’s this tone that I call a ‘dark ’70s sci-fi fantasy vibe’ in children’s films that get a bit scary, which I think is important for an adventure film,” Razooli says.
“There’s this tone that I call a ‘dark ’70s sci-fi fantasy vibe’ in children’s films that get a bit scary, which I think is important for an adventure film,” Razooli says.
- 5/19/2023
- by Gregg Goldstein
- Variety Film + TV
The stars are out at this year’s Cannes, and not just on the red carpet that leads up to the splashy premieres that make the festival the most glamorous celebration of movies in the world. From Daisy Ridley to Alicia Vikander, Angelina Jolie to Sylvester Stallone, Idris Elba to Jude Law, several A-list actors are attached to projects that are being brought to market at Cannes in what looks like its biggest edition in years. Will all that high-wattage talent lead to one mega-deal after another?
“It’s obviously going to be an outrageously busy market,” says Constantin Film’s Martin Moszkowicz. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen as much product, definitely not for the last couple of years, led by very high-profile movies with big cast, big directors, big budgets.”
Yet, the big question, Moszkowicz adds, is when and how all these projects will get made.
“It’s obviously going to be an outrageously busy market,” says Constantin Film’s Martin Moszkowicz. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen as much product, definitely not for the last couple of years, led by very high-profile movies with big cast, big directors, big budgets.”
Yet, the big question, Moszkowicz adds, is when and how all these projects will get made.
- 5/16/2023
- by John Hopewell, Elsa Keslassy and Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Once upon a time, Todd Haynes’ hot Cannes Competition title “May December” — a psychological drama based on the Mary Kay Letourneau case, starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore — would already have a North American distributor. (A source placed its budget just under $20 million.) However, we no longer live in a world where buyers will overpay for a film before they can gauge its theatrical value: The risk is just too great.
That’s why sellers CAA and UTA opted to not show the film to distributors before the festival. Instead, they’re betting that an enthusiastic response from Cannes media and audiences will boost its sale price.
“People are being skittish about paying top dollar for a movie as easily as they did in the past,” said Sony Pictures Classics co-president Michael Barker. At Cannes, SPC will screen the Pedro Almodovar gay western short “Strange Way of Life” starring Ethan Hawke...
That’s why sellers CAA and UTA opted to not show the film to distributors before the festival. Instead, they’re betting that an enthusiastic response from Cannes media and audiences will boost its sale price.
“People are being skittish about paying top dollar for a movie as easily as they did in the past,” said Sony Pictures Classics co-president Michael Barker. At Cannes, SPC will screen the Pedro Almodovar gay western short “Strange Way of Life” starring Ethan Hawke...
- 5/12/2023
- by Anne Thompson and Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Mister Smith will launch international sales on the title
UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment has boarded Katie Locke O’Brien’s debut feature Hot Mess starring Emma Roberts and will launch international sales in Cannes.
The US comedy is currently in pre-production and is scheduled to start shooting in early 2024.
Rebelle Media is handling North American rights on the title.
After an unsuccessful stint on a dating show, Roberts’ character is forced to move back in with her parents in her hometown and rediscover herself again. The script was penned by Gabrielle D’Amico.
Hot Mess is produced by Debbie Liebling,...
UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment has boarded Katie Locke O’Brien’s debut feature Hot Mess starring Emma Roberts and will launch international sales in Cannes.
The US comedy is currently in pre-production and is scheduled to start shooting in early 2024.
Rebelle Media is handling North American rights on the title.
After an unsuccessful stint on a dating show, Roberts’ character is forced to move back in with her parents in her hometown and rediscover herself again. The script was penned by Gabrielle D’Amico.
Hot Mess is produced by Debbie Liebling,...
- 5/9/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.