‘The Empire Strikes Back’ to Open 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival

The beloved “Star Wars” sequel “The Empire Strikes Back” is set to open this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival on April 24, with director George Lucas presenting the film for its 45th anniversary.

“’The Empire Strikes Back’ is like ‘The Godfather Part II.’ Yes, technically, they’re sequels, the second movie in a series. But they are so much more,” TCM’s primetime anchor Ben Mankiewicz said in a statement. “The first ‘Star Wars’ picture in 1977 ignited a new era in Hollywood and turned a generation of young people into passionate movie fans for life. Then, somehow, three years later, along comes ‘Empire,’ which might even be better. It’s a stunning accomplishment and surely stands one of the great achievements in the history of film.”

Additional titles that will screen at this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival include “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” “The Lady Eve,” “Cinderella,” “Apocalypse Now,” “Spirited Away” and “Babe,” with special guests including Michelle Pfeiffer, Rita Moreno, Bill Hader, Mario Cantone and Leonard Maltin.

The 16th annual TCM Classic Film Festival will run from April 24-27 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

Thursday, March 20

2025 Gotham Week to Take Place From September 29 through October 3 in New York

This year’s Gotham Week will take place in New York from September 29 through October 3. Gotham Week features Project Market, a “meetings-driven forum” connecting new fiction and documentary projects in development with key industry executives interested in “identifying projects for development, financing, or distribution.”

Previous filmmakers to come through the Project Market include Sean Baker, who screened a rough cut of his first film “Stragglers” at Projet Market in 1999. Other filmmakers involved with the Project Market include Spike Lee, the Coen Brothers, Richard Linklater, and Todd Haynes.

Recent Project Market alumni include Sean Wang’s “Dìdi” (弟弟), Raven Jackson’s “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt,” Tayarisha Poe’s “Selah and the Spades,” Jessica Kingdon’s “Ascension,” Nikyatu Jusu’s “Nanny” and Laurel Parmet’s “The Starling Girl.”

‘Seeds’ Documentary Set to Open Margaret Mead Film Festival

“Seeds,” a film by Brittany Shyne, will open the Margaret Mead Film Festival at the American Museum of Natural History in New York May 2.

The black-and-white film won the U.S. documentary prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and makes its New York premiere at the Margaret Mead festival. It focuses on Willie Head Jr. and Carlie Williams, two farmers in Georgia trying to protect their land.

Shyne will discuss the film after the screening.

Wednesday, March 19

Cannes Film Festival to Unveil Lineup on April 10

The Cannes Film Festival will unveil the lineup of its 78th edition on April 10 in Paris.

While Cannes’ chief Thierry Fremaux juggles a possible record of submissions for the Official Selection, he and the festival president Iris Knobloch will host the press conference a week earlier than last year. So far, the festival has already announced that French actor Juliette Binoche will preside over the jury, succeeding to “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig.

After a banger 2024 that saw Cannes bows of award seasons favorites like Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning “Anora,” which went on to land the best picture Oscar, alongside “Emilia Pérez,” “The Substance” and “Flow.”

As Variety reported last week, only a handful of movies have been officially invited, notably Jim Jarmusch’s anticipated “Father Mother Sister Brother“ starring Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver and Tom Waits.

The Cannes Film Festival will take place May 13-24.

Tuesday, March 18

American Cinematheque Announces Second Annual ‘This Is Not a Fiction’ Festival Line-Up

Conan O’Brien, Bill Hader and Jeff Probst are among the guests set to appear at the American Cinematheque’s second annual “This Is Not a Fiction” festival, running in Los Angeles from April 9-17.

The festival will feature 15 premieres, including the world premiere of “Conan O’Brien Must Go” Season 2, the 10th anniversary of “Documentary Now!” and a “Survivor” tribute as Season 48 continues to air on CBS. The festival will also feature the Los Angeles premiere of “I Know Catherine, The Log Lady,” followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Richard Green and “Twin Peaks” creator Mark Frost.

“We’re very proud of this year’s lineup which continues on the exciting track we laid last year by looking at nonfiction filmmaking from an ever-expanding view,” American Cinematheque programmer Cindy Flores said in a statement.

Two renowned documentary filmmakers, Errol Morris and Kazuo Hara, will join for a historic conversation after screening “The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On.” Morris will also be honored with a retrospective, featuring “The Thin Blue Line,” “Gates of Heaven,” “Vernon,” “A Brief History of Time” and his latest Netflix film, “Chaos: The Manson Murders.”

Monday, March 17

‘Shadow Force’ Trailer: Kerry Washington and Omar Sy Star in Family Action Thriller

The trailer for action film “Shadow Force” shows Kerry Washington and Omar Sy protecting their family against the retaliation of a special forces organization.

Washington and Sy play Kyrah and Isaac, former leaders of a secretive group known as Shadow Force. The two, now raising a son, have gone against the rules by leaving the organization in order to be together. When Shadow Force comes after them, the couple must fight to keep the family safe.

The cast also includes Mark Strong, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Cliff “Method Man” Smith. The film is directed by Joe Carnahan and written by Carnahan and Leon Chills. Washington serves as producer, alongside Pilar Savone, Stephen “Dr.” Love and Sterling K. Brown.

Washington spoke to Variety at the NAACP Image Awards about getting into her “action bag” for “Shadow Force.”

“We had so much fun making this movie, so we just hope people have as much fun watching it as we had making it,” Washington said.

“What I love about this film is that, at its heart, it’s this wonderful family drama, but it comes in all this badass action,” Washington added. “It has you kind of biting your nails, but also your heart is in it with this family. It’s one of the best Black love stories that I’ve seen in a long time.”

The film, distributed by Lionsgate, hits theaters May 2.

Watch the trailer below.

‘The Wedding Banquet’ Trailer: Bowen Yang and Lily Gladstone Lead Queer Rom-Com

Following the film’s premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the new trailer for “The Wedding Banquet” teases a new kind of queer rom-com.

With a cast led by Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Joan Chen and Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-Jung, “Fire Island” director Andrew Ahn’s take on Ang Lee’s 1993 classic follows a chosen family who stages a fake wedding between Min (Han Gi-Chan) and Angela (Tran) in order for Min to get his green card and Lee (Gladstone) to get her IVF treatment. But their plan takes an unexpected turn when Min’s grandmother flys in from Korea with the intent of turning the wedding into a giant party.

“The Wedding Banquet” got positive reviews out of Sundance, with Variety‘s Carlos Aguilar calling Ahn “a talented and versatile storyteller” in his review while also praising the performances: “It’s particularly refreshing to see Gladstone in lighter fare that still offers scenes that benefit from her inherent gravitas, yet it’s a moving Tran who carries the biggest emotional load.”

The film is being distributed by Bleecker Street and will release in theaters April 18.

Watch the trailer below.

Pamela Anderson to Be Honored at New York Women in Film & Television Muse Awards

Following her SAG-nominated turn in “The Last Showgirl,” Pamela Anderson will be honored by the New York Women in Film & Television at its 45th annual Muse awards.

Anderson joins the previously announced list of honorees, including Marissa Bode, Lisa Cortés, Celia Costas, Amy Entelis and Versha Sharma.

“We are thrilled to have Pamela Anderson join us as a Muse — she speaks to the heart of this year’s theme of Metamorphosis through her groundbreaking role in ‘The Last Showgirl,’” NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez said in a statement. “She has proven that creative women are capable of powerful transformation.”

The awards celebration is set for Wednesday, March 26 in New York.

Native American Writers Seminar Calls for Summer Applications

The Native American Media Alliance is accepting applications for the fifth annual Native American Writers Seminar, set to take place this summer from June to July.

The two-month intensive program is designed for emerging Native American writers to gain experience and professional development, with eight writers selected.

“The journey of a writer can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be solitary,” Native American Media Alliance’s director of strategy Ian Skorodin said in a statement. “The Native American Writers Seminar offers a supportive community and expert guidance to help writers realize their full potential.”

The application for the early deadline is March 31, while the regular deadline is April 14 and final deadline is April 28.

Coming-Of-Age Crime Thriller ‘Die Like A Man’ Sets April 25 Digital Release

Gravitas Ventures has released the first official trailer for Eric Nazarian’s “Die Like A Man,” which arrives in the U.S. on digital April 25. Written and directed by Nazarian, the coming-of-age crime thriller follows Freddy, a “17-year-old LA Westsider who is given a gun and asked to prove himself to a charismatic gangster he idolizes.”

Miguel Angel Garcia stars as conflicted teen protagonist Freddy, while Cory Hardrict plays Solo, a “ruthless and enigmatic father figure.” Mariel Molino plays Luna, Freddy’s love interest. According to a press release, “Die Like A Man” is inspired by “Nazarian’s experience as an Armenian immigrant in Los Angeles’ northeast working-class community.”

The film will have a limited theatrical run in Los Angeles from April 18 through April 24 at the Secret Movie Club. “Die Like A Man” is produced by Confluential Films, Voyagers Pictures, Mucho Mas Media, 222 Pictures and Showdown Productions.

Watch the official trailer for “Die Like A Man.”