Tag: Entertainment – Variety

Beehiiv, the creator platform that has gained traction through associations with independent journalists such as Oliver Darcy and Joanna Stern, unveiled an expansion of its Media Collective, a roster of journalists who have turned to the company to help launch new digital efforts.

The new creators are Peter Greenberg, a longtime travel editor at CBS News; Dana Harris-Birdson, former editor in chief of IndieWire; and tech and politics reporter David Covucci.

Beehiiv launched the Media Collective in 2024, offering support in areas such as legal, healthcare, technology, audience, monetization and other operations, while journalists tend to their work and business.

“We started the Media Collective to solve a problem I kept hearing from journalists: they wanted to bet on themselves, but going independent meant losing the support system they had spent their careers relying on,” said Tyler Denk, co-founder and CEO of Beehiiv, in a statement. “The Media Collective gives them the scaffolding to build something of their own while staying focused on what they do best: reporting. It’s grown faster and been more successful than we anticipated.”

The company said its “collective” now includes more than 30 journalists, who together reach more than 1 million active subscribers. Media Collective members keep 100% of the revenue they earn.

Greenberg will on September 15 launch “The Upgrade,” reporting on things of key interest to travelers, including airline and hotel practices, cruise ship safety, loyalty programs, travel disruptions and the oversight of aircraft maintenance and airworthiness. Greenberg hosts and produces three long-running television programs: “The Royal Tour,” “Hidden,” and “The Travel Detective.”

Harris-Bridson will launch Flamingo Media in January, 2027. Flamingo will cover what Harris-Bridson calls the “Story Economy,” the increasingly interconnected market spanning entertainment, creators, brands, platforms, technology and capital.

Covucci, a former editor with The Daily Dot and Uproxx Media, recently started FOIAball, an independent investigative publication that uses public-records laws to uncover stories tied to college sports, including political influence, surveillance technology, labor rights and wealthy donors.

Toby Kebbell has joined the cast of Prime Video‘s upcoming U.K. crime thriller series “Dirty” from “Bridge of Spies” writer Matt Charman.

The British actor — who’ll next be seen playing Robert Chartoff in Amazon MGM Studio’s “I Play Rocky,” debuting this week at TIFF — joins the already announced Phoebe Dynevor and Samantha Morton in the ongoing series.

“Dirty” follows trainee detective Eva Bennett (Dynevor) who returns to Manchester and joins a new homicide investigation run by her fearsome estranged mother, the legendary detective chief inpector Lois Mercer (Morton). As they navigate their complicated relationship and long-buried truths resurface, Bennett starts to uncover Mercer’s crimes, forcing an impossible choice between justice and blood.

Kebbell is set to play Ashley Rutherford, a property magnate with a portfolio worth millions who stands by Mercer’s side as her partner in life and crimes. But Rutherford has set his sights even higher and wants to use his money and influence to seize control of the city’s corridors of power; the police, the government and beyond.    

“Dirty,” which is set to go into production later this year, is produced by Binocular Productions in association with Amazon MGM Studios. Foz Allan serves as Executive Producer and the series is written by Charman.

Kebbell’s recent TV credits also include Apple TV’s “For All Mankind” and “Servant,” while elsewhere his TV has included the acclaimed “Black Mirror” episode “The Entire History of You.” On film, he most recently starred in the feature “Salvable,” with additional work including “Dead Man’s Shoes,” “Control,” “RocknRolla,” “War Horse,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” “Kong: Skull Island,” “The Female Brain” and “Warcraft.”

Kebbell is repped by Samira Higham at Independent Talent Group, Alissa Vradenburg at Untitled Entertainment, and Huy Nguyen and Steve Warren at Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.

Ellen Burstyn, an Oscar, Tony and Emmy winner for projects like ““Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Same Time, Next Year” and “Political Animals,” marvels that she’s still able to act as a nonagenarian.

“When I was in my 30s and I thought about how long my career would last, I was sure I’d be finished by 40. I didn’t think it would go on much longer than that,” Burstyn said during a press conference for “Place to Be,” a quirky drama that debuts at Venice Film Festival on Wednesday. “The fact that I’m 93 and still working is a miracle of some kind that I’ve attracted into my life. I’m totally amazed, and at the same time, deeply grateful.”

“Place to Be” stars Burstyn and Taika Waititi as a no-nonsense elderly woman and arrogant divorced man who form an unlikely friendship as she ventures from New York to Chicago to return a lost racing pigeon to its owner. Anderson and Murray Bartlett play Brooke’s concerned children, while Edgar Ramirez and Lena Waithe have cameos. Anderson skipped the press conference, which was attended by Burstyn, Waititi and Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó. Burstyn has been using a walker because she recently took a fall, so Waititi gently helped her to her seat before the presser began.

Mundruczó said he developed the role of Brooke for Burstyn and noted that he rewatched much of her filmography as he wrote the part.

“It was very beautiful to create a love story for her,” Mundruczó said of the platonic relationship between Burstyn and Waititi’s characters.

Pigeons play a central role in “Place to Be,” and Mundruczó hopes the film will change the perception around a bird that he feels “get a bad rap.”

“Pigeons are the losers of history. At the beginning, they were so important as messenger birds during war, and [they delivered] a ton of love stories,” Mundruczó said. “And then they became city rats. I found something very touching from these little birds.”

Waititi swears he’s fond of pigeons, but he had one complaint about working with the birds.

“They shit a lot. Every minute. And that’s a scientific fact,” Waititi said. “Physiologically, there’s something not right with them.”

Producer Jomon Thomas revealed the filmmaking team had a meeting, where they considered using diapers for the 30 pigeons that appear in the movie. However, they decided against it because “it was tricky to take them off with visual effects.”

Plus, Waititi chimed in, “nobody wants to take off a pigeon’s diaper…”

“Place to Be” continues a career resurgence for Anderson. The former “Baywatch” star made her Broadway debut in 2022 as Roxie Hart in “Chicago” before earning some of the best reviews of her career for Gia Coppola’s drama “The Last Showgirl.” Anderson parlayed those raves into roles in “The Naked Gun,” “Rosebush Pruning” and “Place to Be.” Burstyn admits she was surprised at first when Pamela Anderson was cast as her daughter in “Place to Be.”

“And then I met her and thought, ‘Oh, for sure, she could be my daughter.’ I felt immediately loving toward her,” Burstyn said. “She’s a wonderful person.”

Burstyn is having a busy festival. The acting legend was in Venice for two movies (the other was Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Marilyn Monroe-inspired short “Flesh Impact”), and she received the prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. At the ceremony for her career honor, Burstyn got emotional and broke down in tears as the audience greeted her with a standing ovation.

“You can’t imagine how meaningful this is to me. It’s one thing to win an Oscar, a Tony or an Emmy — all of which I’ve won,” Burstyn said on Monday at her Golden Lion tribute, prompting laughter from the crowd. “But this … it’s a lot.”

Tokyo market TIFFCOM has struck its first partnership with Frontières, the genre-focused co-production market run by Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival, adding a wave of horror and thriller titles to the 24 feature projects selected for the seventh Tokyo Gap-Financing Market (TGFM).

The selection draws from 24 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, South America and North America. TGFM connects feature projects that have already secured at least 60% of their total budget with industry experts for one-on-one meetings aimed at closing financing gaps. All participating projects must include an Asian element.

“Frontières is thrilled to partner with TGFM at TIFFCOM to present our first showcase in Asia,” said Tania Morissette, deputy director of Frontières. “This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to connect our genre filmmaking communities, open new doors for emerging projects, and build meaningful bridges between our markets.”

The genre lineup has been enriched by projects from Thailand, Nepal and Brazil, among other territories, including Boo Junfeng‘s “Trinity,” a thriller from the Singaporean director and SEAFIC founder-producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon, and Kevin Rahardjo’s “The Land of Jinn,” based on a Kyrgyz legend, from the Indonesian filmmaker and production banner KawanKawan Media. The Frontières Showcase itself comprises five projects, including a body horror film from Brazilian director Gabriela Amaral Almeida, whose earlier work screened in the Tokyo International Film Festival competition, and “The Saddest Stories on Earth” from Vietnamese director Diep Nguyen Hoang, who returns for a second consecutive year following last year’s participation with “1982,” a Busan International Film Festival selection.

This year’s edition also adds a new collaboration with Imagica Group for TGFM’s first open pitch event, scheduled for the afternoon of Oct. 28. 10 of the 24 projects, including five from the Frontières Showcase, will pitch during the session.

Animation accounts for five projects this year, including an omnibus horror title from the team behind “The Violinist,” this year’s top prizewinner at the Annecy Animation Film Festival. Also on the animation slate is “Back to Tomioka,” adapted from a French graphic novel addressing the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident; a project from OLM animator-turned-director Moriyama Ayumi, a former key animator on the “Pokémon” TV series; and a work from studio P.I.C.S.

TIFFCOM’s cooperation with Italy’s Cinecittà enters its third year since launching in 2024, bringing three projects including Italian-Japanese co-productions. Among them is Uchiyama Takuya’s “The Blue Breaks”; the director’s previous film, “Numb,” screened in the Panorama section of this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

Japan has a hand in producing 12 of the 24 selected projects, eight of them originating locally. Japanese participants include directors Matsumoto Yusaku (“Winny”), Yamamoto Hideo (“After the Fever”) and Sakabe Takafumi.

TGFM has built a track record of alumni success at major festivals, with past participants including “The Violinist,” which went on to win the Cristal Award at Annecy this year, and “Filipiñana,” which took the World Cinema Special Jury Award at Sundance. TGFM is organized by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and Unijapan.

TGFM will run Oct. 28-30 as part of TIFFCOM’s 2026 edition, affiliated with the Tokyo International Film Festival.

TGFM PROJECTS 2026

Feature Film – Fiction
“38.83,” dir. Vincci Cheuk (Hong Kong, Japan), Thefool
“Brackish Zone” (working title), dir. Matsumoto Yusaku (Japan), Nagoya Broadcasting Network Co., Ltd.
“Cher,” dir. Songsak Mongkothong (Thailand), Benetone Films
“Dig,” dir. Sakabe Takafumi (Japan), basil Co., Ltd.
TBA, dir. TBA (Japan), Toei Company, Ltd.
“The Land of Jinn,” dir. Kevin Rahardjo (Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan), KawanKawan Media
“Nature Boy,” dir. Matias Mariani (Brazil), Primo Filmes
“Shirjara: Song of Grandmother,” dir. Bikash Subedi (Nepal), Kingdom Network
“Trinity,” dir. Boo Junfeng (Taiwan, France, Singapore, Poland, Greece, Japan, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Indonesia, Philippines), Peanut Pictures, Filmagic Pictures, Gaïjin
“Uncle,” dir. Hao-hsuan Yen (Taiwan), Flash Forward Entertainment
“Where We Bury the Pigeon,” dir. Yamamoto Akira (Japan), LesPros Entertainment Inc.
“Yellow Chrysanthemum,” dir. André Hayato Saito (Brazil, Japan, Germany, France), MyMama Entertainment, Superfilmes Cinematográfica

Feature Films – Animation
“Back to Tomioka,” dir. François-Marc Baillet (France, Poland, Belgium, Hungary), Foliascope
“Formiga,” dir. Bruno Bask (Brazil), Mono Animation
“Mahora,” dir. Moriyama Ayumi (Japan), OLM, Inc.
“Princess Zonof,” dir. YKBX (Japan), P.I.C.S.

Frontières Selection – Feature Film – Fiction
“The Saddest Stories on Earth,” dir. Diep Nguyen Hoang (Vietnam), OKIA Hanoi film production
“She, Crocodile,” dir. Gabriela Amaral Almeida (Brazil, Spain), South
“Vampire and Cop,” dir. Adilkhan Yerzhanov (Kazakhstan), NIET Distribution
“Wild Zero Overdrive,” dir. Takeuchi Tetsuro (Japan, Canada), Takegei Company Ltd.

Frontières Selection – Feature Film – Animation
“A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts,” dir. Spencer Ooi (Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Ireland), Robot Playground Media

Italian Selection – Feature Film – Fiction
“Aeternum,” dir. Jordan River (Italy), Delta Star Pictures
“The Blue Breaks,” dir. Uchiyama Takuya (Japan, Italy), AntropicA
“The Sweet Years,” dir. Igort (Igor Tuveri) (Italy, Japan), Jean Vigo Italia S.r.l.

Sony’s superhero blockbuster “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” retained its box office crown across the U.K. and Ireland for a sixth consecutive weekend, taking £1.6 million ($2.2 million).

The performance propelled the film’s cumulative gross to $130.1 million, elevating it to sixth on the territory’s all-time box office chart. The film now sits within striking distance of “Avatar” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” to break into the all-time top five.

Universal’s epic “The Odyssey” maintained second place in its eighth weekend of release, adding $2 million. The Christopher Nolan-directed feature elevated its total to $111.9 million.

“Insidious: Out of the Further,” distributed by Sony, secured third place in its third session, collecting $1 million to lift its cume to $8.7 million. Disney’s animated blockbuster “Toy Story 5” rebounded into fourth place in its 12th frame, generating $565,417 to advance its running total to $78.6 million.

Warner Bros.’ “The End of Oak Street” followed in fifth position in its fourth week, adding $479,055 to bring its running total to $9.3 million. Universal’s “Minions & Monsters” took sixth place in its 10th frame, grossing $473,318 for a cume of $24.4 million.

True Brit Entertainment’s “The Death of Robin Hood” debuted in seventh position with $427,272 including previews. Disney’s “The Dog Stars” took eighth place in its sophomore frame, adding $411,911 for a cumulative $2.5 million. Altitude’s l”Coyote vs. Acme” placed ninth in its third session with $391,648 and a running total of $2.2 million. Paramount’s “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie” rounded out the top 10 in its fifth week, banking $371,863 to push its cume to $8.2 million.

In specialized release, Mubi’s “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” collected $83,780 over its third frame, lifting its running total to $1.1 million.

Looking ahead to the upcoming theatrical frame, the release calendar is headlined by high-profile event cinema, studio sequels, and wide indie dramas. Rollouts began with Dogwoof launching the sports documentary “Lomu.” Mid-week debuts include Disney’s concert documentary “Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger” releasing into 300+ locations, alongside Studiocanal’s thriller “Pressure” and Lionsgate U.K.’s survival sequel “Fall 2”.

Thursday releases include the 4K re-issue of “The Passion of the Christ” and Dreamz Entertainment’s Indian action title “Sardar 2.”

Wide commercial debuts on Friday opening across 300+ locations are led by Warner Bros.’ fantasy comedy sequel “Practical Magic 2” and Scott Waugh’s action thriller “Runner,” starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson.

Specialized, limited, and international rollouts include Break Out Pictures’ “Everybody Digs Bill Evans” across 25+ sites, Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano’s “Just an Illusion” across 25+ locations, Central City Media’s “Unidentified Murder” across 25+ screens, Tributary’s documentary “Better Go Mad in the Wild,” Dreamz Entertainment’s “Epic,” Miracle Comms and Goldfinch’s music documentary “Eddie Cochran: Don’t Forget Me,” and Peccadillo’s”Blue Film.”

Classic films releasing include the 45th anniversary 4K re-issue of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” the 30th anniversary return of Danny DeVito’s “Matilda,” and BFI Distribution’s new restoration of Claude Chabrol’s “La Femme infidèle (The Unfaithful Wife).” The weekend wraps on Sunday with Anderson Entertainment and Kaleidoscope rolling out the “Space: 1999” 4K restoration double bill.

Are movie stars okay? Between the recent explosion of celebrity spokesperson roles (such as Ben Affleck finally doing Aflac commercials) and a steady growth in star-driven straight-to-streaming fare, actors the general public would consider “successful” seem to be hustling for work — any work — harder than ever. Owen Wilson, for example, has recently appeared in a big-budget Disney movie (“Haunted Mansion”), played a high-profile character within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is soon set to return to his scene-stealing role in the “Fockers” franchise. So why is he in Angel Studios’ “Runner?”

Truth be told, Scott Waugh’s action thriller, co-starring Alan Ritchson (“Reacher”), is actually pretty entertaining, with the good sense to clock in at an efficient 98 minutes. But there’s something dispiriting about the middle-tier existence of a skillful meat-and-potatoes crowdpleaser like this, which is neither polished enough to hold up against proper studio fare, nor scrappy enough to thrive as Roger Corman-style exploitation. Supported by Waugh’s muscular direction, Wilson and Ritchson work well together in a chase film whose thinly sketched premise barely sustains its wall-to-wall action sequences.

Ritchson plays Hank Malone, a “big American war hero” turned courier in Brisbane, Australia who just collected his AA coin for a year of sobriety and is teaching himself French in his late daughter’s honor. When his employer gives him a short-term job, picking up a donated liver being transported from the U.S., Hank gets more than he bargained for when the organ shows up under the arm of Ben Bishop (Wilson), a chatty messenger determined to accompany it to its final destination.

With a limited amount of time before the organ loses its viability, Ben directs Hank to drive directly to a Gold Coast hospital about an hour away, where anxious mother Kate (Leila George) awaits the liver for her sick daughter Ellie (Scarlett Crabtree). But after spotting a motorcade of black-clad vehicles creeping through city traffic after their car, Hank gathers that another party that considers the organ valuable. What he soon discovers is that the other party is led by Damian Zaldívar (Rodrigo Santoro), the ruthless son of a drug lord (Cecilia Toussaint) who also needs the liver to stay alive, and has instructed Damian to kill anyone who interferes with him obtaining it.

Starring and co-produced by Ritchson, “Runner” is really a showcase for him, a talented actor with real screen presence who hasn’t demonstrated a ton of versatility, but has been on the cusp of stardom for several years. This doesn’t feel likely to bump him up to the big leagues — it barely feels like a movie made for theaters — but the most complimentary comparison to make is that it feels like his version of “The Rundown,” Dwayne Johnson’s underappreciated 2003 star vehicle from when he was still The Rock. In both cases, the characters at least initially try to avoid violence, and harbor aspirations more personal than pummelling opponents ad nauseam. Even without a tearful backstory that parallels the circumstances of Hank’s current assignment with an almost cartoonish precision, Ritchson makes Hank likable with a performance that’s thoughtful, human and drily funny.

Opposite Ritchson in full “butterscotch stallion” mode is Wilson, testing Ben’s likability with a motor-mouthed performance he’s given a few dozen times. Whether the actor is improvising or sticking closely to the script by Miles Hubley and Tommy White, Wilson’s talent and experience maintain the charm of a character who practically talks nonstop but in other hands could simply be obnoxious. In the buddy-movie “action guy-funny guy” formula, Wilson makes Ritchson’s half of that balance a little less lopsided, enabling the audience to enjoy the duo’s frantic, noble determination to deliver the organ, even amidst chaotic violence that will likely be the reason that many see the film.

Waugh, named a 2012 Director to Watch by Variety, last helmed the dismal “Expend4bles.” He redeems himself with this project, perhaps because he’s serving the needs of only two main actors and not a smorgasbord of stars, but he’s clear in delivering what this film needs to accomplish. Sure, it’s simplistic and frequently silly, but most of the laughs are intentional, and the action is sturdy and exciting.

Even so, you feel like corners have been cut. Is this the first production in history unable to license “Spirit in the Sky”? Norman Greenbaum’s ubiquitous 1969 single isn’t the only song replaced by a cover or soundalike. The setting of Brisbane serves no purpose other than to highlight what must have been significant tax incentives. And the moving backgrounds outside the windows of every conveyance on screen needed at least one more visual effects pass. Sadly, that’s the stuff that makes all the good work done elsewhere seem chintzy or inadequate.

Perhaps ironically, the actors are clearly having fun, which can elevate even the cheapest-looking entertainment to classic status. This clunky vehicle doesn’t transcend its limitations — Wilson and Ritchson’s efforts are the duct tape holding it together — but it’s much better than anyone could have expected. It even makes you want to see them together on screen again in something a bit slicker and more sophisticated. That’s probably the opposite feeling that the film’s producers would like to elicit, but “Runner” is precisely the kind of for-hire work that proves its stars deserve better.

Hamaguchi Ryusuke‘s “All of a Sudden” and Abinash Bikram Shah’s “Elephants in the Fog” led nominations for the 19th Asia Pacific Screen Awards with three nods apiece, as the Asia Pacific Screen Academy unveiled a 36-film slate from 32 countries and regions ahead of the Oct. 30 ceremony in Australia.

“All of a Sudden” (France, Japan, Germany, Belgium) and “Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway) are both nominated for best film, best director and best performance. Hamaguchi and Shah face off in the director race against Sompot Chidgasornpongse for “9 Temples to Heaven,” Aung Phyoe for “Fruit Gathering” and Jennifer Peedom for “Tenzing.”

Three more films round out the best film category with two nominations apiece: Shahrbanoo Sadat’s “No Good Men” (Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Afghanistan), also up for best performance; Levan Koguashvili’s “Guria” (Georgia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Türkiye, U.K., Norway, Saudi Arabia), also nominated for best cinematography; and Chidgasornpongse’s “9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand, Singapore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Qatar).

APSA also recognizes best screenplay, best cinematography, best youth film, best animated film and best documentary film, with best performance remaining an ungendered category.

According to the Academy, 69% of directors with nominated films are presenting their first or second feature, a trend most pronounced in the youth and animation races: all five best youth film nominees are helmed by first-time directors, and every best animated film contender comes from a first- or second-time filmmaker.

The lineup also highlighted several cross-border pairings, including Virginie Efira and Okamoto Tao, jointly nominated for best performance for “All of a Sudden,” and Ervin Han and Raúl García, the Singaporean and Spanish directing duo behind best animated film contender “The Violinist.”

Tracey Vieira, chair of the Asia Pacific Screen Academy, said: “When you look across this year’s nominations, what really stands out is the level of collaboration behind these films. We are seeing filmmakers and creative teams from countries across the Asia Pacific working together, and in many cases partnering with countries well beyond the region, to bring these stories to the screen.”

Three projects backed by the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund earned nominations this year: “9 Temples to Heaven,” funded in 2021; Sara Ishaq’s “The Station” (Yemen, Jordan, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar), funded in 2019; and Anthony Chen’s “We Are All Strangers” (Singapore), funded in 2023. Submissions for this year’s fund remain open through Sept. 25.

Mandy Walker ASC ACS, the APSA international jury president, said: “Watching and celebrating movies from other cultures only enriches our own experiences and views of the world. I have the honor to be heading the International Jury this year to recognize the achievements of these talented filmmakers.”

The Asia Pacific Screen Forum will run Oct. 28–30 on the Gold Coast ahead of the awards ceremony, with sessions on financing, distribution and cross-border collaboration alongside a masterclass with Walker. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said: “The Gold Coast is proud to be a creative crossroads for the Asia Pacific, and APSA is a big part of that story.”

FULL LIST OF APSA 2026 NOMINEES:

BEST FILM
“All of a Sudden” (France, Japan, Germany, Belgium), directed by Hamaguchi Ryusuke
“Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway), directed by Abinash Bikram Shah
“No Good Men” (Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Afghanistan), directed by Shahrbanoo Sadat
“Guria” (Georgia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Türkiye, U.K., Norway, Saudi Arabia), directed by Levan Koguashvili
“9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand, Singapore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Qatar), directed by Sompot Chidgasornpongse

BEST YOUTH FILM
“Big Girls Don’t Cry” (New Zealand), directed by Paloma Schneideman
“Don’t Tell Mother” (India, Australia), directed by Anoop Lokkur
“En Route To” (Republic of Korea), directed by Yoo Jaein
“Funky Freaky Freaks” (Republic of Korea), directed by Han Chang-lok
“Our Share of Sand” (India, U.K., Greece), directed by Shalini Adnani

BEST ANIMATED FILM
“Light Pillar” (China), directed by Xu Zao
“Magic Atlas” (Singapore), directed by Sun Xun
“A Mighty Adventure” (Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong), directed by Toe Yuen
“The Violinist” (Singapore, Spain, Italy), directed by Ervin Han, Raúl García
“Zsazsa Zaturnnah” (Philippines, France), directed by Avid Liongoren

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
“32 Meters” (Iran, Türkiye, Qatar), directed by Morteza Atabaki
“Colors of White Rock” (France, Mongolia), directed by Khoroldorj Choijoovanchig
“Baby Jackfruit Baby Guava” (Vietnam, Republic of Korea), directed by Nhật Quang Nông
“One in a Million” (U.K., U.S.), directed by Itab Azzam, Jack MacInness
“Rehearsals for a Revolution” (Czech Republic, Spain), directed by Pegah Ahangarani

BEST DIRECTOR
Hamaguchi Ryusuke, “All of a Sudden” (France, Japan, Germany, Belgium)
Abinash Bikram Shah, “Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway)
Sompot Chidgasornpongse, “9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand, Singapore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Qatar)
Jennifer Peedom, “Tenzing” (U.S., Australia)
Aung Phyoe, “Fruit Gathering” (Myanmar, Czech Republic, France)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Ghasideh Golmakani, “Head to Head” (Iran, Germany)
Yashasvi Juyal and Ankit Thapa, “The Ink Stained Hand and the Missing Thumb” (India, U.S., Saudi Arabia)
Mohammed Hammad, “Safe Exit” (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Qatar, Germany)
Sara Ishaq and Nadia Eliewat, “The Station” (Yemen, Jordan, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar)
Rakan Mayasi, “Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep” (Belgium, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Batara Goempar, “Four Seasons in Java” (Indonesia, France, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore)
Nguyễn Vinh Phúc, “Hearing” (Vietnam, Singapore, Norway, France, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan)
Gigi Samsonadze and Giorgi Shvelidze, “Guria” (Georgia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Türkiye, U.K., Norway, Saudi Arabia)
Warwick Thornton, “Wolfram” (Australia)
Emo Weemhoff, “The Burning Giants” (Thailand, Singapore, France, Netherlands)

BEST PERFORMANCE
Virginie Efira and Okamoto Tao, “All of a Sudden” (France, Japan, Germany, Belgium)
Anwar Hashimi, “No Good Men” (Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Afghanistan)
Pushpa Thing Lama, “Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway)
Ghassan Saad, “Pipes” (Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia)
Yeo Yann Yann, “We Are All Strangers” (Singapore)