Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Poet behind book about U.S. racism wins 2016 'genius grant'

(Reuters) - A poet whose work explores the casual racism in the United States toward African-Americans is among the 23 winners of $625,000 "genius grants," the U.S. organization awarding them said on Thursday.

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French actress Cotillard denies role in Jolie, Pitt split

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - French actress Marion Cotillard on Wednesday denied any involvement in the sudden split between Hollywood power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, wishing that the two will "find peace," and confirming her pregnancy with her long-time partner.

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After split, London's Madame Tussauds separates Jolie, Pitt wax figures

LONDON (Reuters) - London's Madame Tussauds museum said on Wednesday it had separated its wax figure replicas of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt after the Hollywood power couple announced their split.

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Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo dies in car crash: media

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Atlanta rapper Carlos Walker, who went by the stage name Shawty Lo, died early on Wednesday in a fiery car crash near his hometown, local media reported. He was 40.

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Pitt expresses sadness over Jolie divorce filing as Hollywood power couple splits

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Angelina Jolie has filed for a divorce from actor Brad Pitt, her husband of two years and romantic partner since 2005, her attorney said on Tuesday, signaling the end of one of Hollywood's most glamorous and powerful couples.

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Tuesday, September 20, 2016

'L.A. Confidential' director Curtis Hanson found dead at California home: police

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Movie director Curtis Hanson, who won an Oscar for “L.A Confidential”, was found dead in his California home on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Department said. He was 71.

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Blunt embraces dark, damaged protagonist in 'Girl on the Train'

(Reuters) - Happily married with two young children, actress Emily Blunt relished the opportunity to play a divorced, alcoholic, damaged protagonist in her latest thriller, "The Girl on the Train."

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Sexual abuse lawsuit against Cosby takes backseat to criminal case

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The lawyer for a woman accusing Bill Cosby of sexual abuse in a California civil suit said on Tuesday she has canceled plans to take a sworn deposition from another woman listed as a potential witness against the comedian in a Pennsylvania criminal case.

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Burberry inspires nostalgia, Christopher Kane elevates Crocs

LONDON (Reuters) - Floral prints and Victorian ruffles defined Burberry's first "see-now-buy-now" collection at London Fashion Week on Monday, while Christopher Kane opted to spin a high-fashion twist on the utilitarian Crocs slip-on boating shoes.

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Monday, September 19, 2016

Actor Jim Carrey sued for wrongful death of ex-girlfriend

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The husband of Jim Carrey's former girlfriend sued the actor on Monday, accusing him of illegally supplying Cathriona White with prescription drugs that resulted in her death.

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Emmy awards TV audience slightly down, early data shows

LOS ANGLES (Reuters) - Audiences for Sunday's Emmy Awards show appeared to be slightly down from last year's record low, according to early TV ratings data on Monday.

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Geometry, uniforms and 1980s inspire London catwalks

LONDON (Reuters) - Designers took inspiration from geometry, the 1980s and British uniforms for their London Fashion Week creations over the weekend, with more labels selling items hot off the catwalk as they adopt the runway to a retail business model.

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Sunday, September 18, 2016

Trump gets skewered, Clinton finds support at TV's Emmy awards

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As the U.S. presidential election draws near, television's stars didn't hold back on their opinions at Sunday's Emmy awards, some taking jabs at Republican nominee Donald Trump while others voiced support for Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton.

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Bold hues and cool cutouts stand out on Emmys red carpet

(Reuters) - Striking hues and subtle cutouts grabbed the spotlight on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards on Sunday, as television's stars managed to stay cool in the Los Angeles heat.

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Charmian Carr, who played 'Sound of Music's Liesl, dies at age 73

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Charmian Carr, beloved by fans for her role as the rebellious daughter, Liesl Von Trapp, in the Academy Award-winning film "The Sound of Music," has died at the age of 73, her family said on Sunday.

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'La La Land' musical takes top prize at Toronto film festival

TORONTO (Reuters) - "La La Land," a musical tale of star-crossed lovers chasing their dreams in Hollywood, won the top prize at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday.

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Box Office: 'Blair Witch,' 'Bridget Jones's Baby' fall flat as 'Sully' soars

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Some things aren't worth the wait.

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O.J. Simpson drama set to sweep Emmys in big year for TV diversity

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The dramatization of O.J. Simpson's sensational 1995 double murder trial looks set to sweep Sunday's Emmy Awards, crowning an extraordinary year for American television and actors of multiple ethnic hues.

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Rolling Stones premiere Cuba concert documentary in Toronto

TORONTO (Reuters) - Keith Richards returned to the Toronto International Film Festival for a second straight year on Friday, joining band mate Ronnie Wood at the premiere of a documentary of their recent Latin America tour that culminated in an historic Cuban concert.

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Saturday, September 17, 2016

Cyrus' comedic skills led Woody Allen to cast her as 'Crisis' leading lady

(Reuters) - Miley Cyrus may be better known these days for her twerking dance moves and raunchy image, but veteran director Woody Allen's memory of her comic delivery as a child actress was what led him to cast her as his new leading lady.

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Friday, September 16, 2016

W.P. Kinsella, whose novel inspired 'Field of Dreams', dies at 81

(Reuters) - Canadian author W.P. Kinsella, best known for his baseball novel "Shoeless Joe" which was adapted into the popular film "Field of Dreams," has died at the age of 81, his literary agent said on Friday.

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Pulitzer-winning playwright Edward Albee dies at 88 at his NY home: reports

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee, whose provocative and often brutal look at American life in works such as "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" earned him a reputation as one of the greatest American dramatists, died on Friday at his home in Montauk, New York, according to media reports. He was 88.

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U.S. Justice Department loses fight with BMI over fractional music licensing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The government lost a fight with music licensing giant BMI on Friday over whether it needed to change how it collects royalties for music.

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Bobbi Kristina Brown's former boyfriend held liable in wrongful death suit

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A Georgia judge on Friday held Bobbi Kristina Brown's former boyfriend legally responsible for her 2015 death after he failed to show up for a hearing in a civil lawsuit, a lawyer for Brown's estate said.

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Stars of 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' find emotion in comedy

(Reuters) - A New Zealand dramedy about a teenage boy forming an unlikely bond with his new foster father touches on emotional but not sentimental themes.

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Money, roadblocks and drama; Oliver Stone's battles over 'Snowden'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - From presidents to serial killers, Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone hasn't shied away from exploring controversial figures, but he initially balked when asked to make a film about former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden.

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Oprah Winfrey beats 'Own Your Power' trademark appeal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oprah Winfrey, the media mogul and former talk show host, on Friday defeated an appeal in a trademark lawsuit over her use of the phrase "Own Your Power" in her namesake magazine and on television, websites and social media.

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Race issues, election give relevance to 'LBJ' biopic: director

TORONTO (Reuters) - Racial tensions in the United States and a polarized electorate make a new film about President Lyndon B Johnson relevant for modern audiences, director Rob Reiner says.

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McCartney, Starr reunite on blue carpet for Beatles documentary

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Beatles Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr reunited for a walk down memory lane on Thursday for the premiere of a documentary by Oscar winner Ron Howard about the Fab Four as they toured the world in the 1960s.

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Thursday, September 15, 2016

Mother seeks to inspire with film of photojournalist son

TORONTO (Reuters) - The mother of a Reuters photojournalist killed in Somalia in 1993 wants a film about her son's life to empower others to strive to change the world.

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'Mr.Robot,' 'The Americans' challenge 'Game of Thrones' for Emmy crown

(Reuters) - A pair of Cold War Soviet spies and an awkward cyber hacker challenge the warring nobles of the Iron Throne at the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, where more than 20 awards celebrating the best of television will be handed out.

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Ralph Lauren, inspired by American West, stops traffic during show

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Veteran fashion designer Ralph Lauren staged his first runway-to-retail show promoting his September collection, an American West-influenced affair that turned heads and stopped traffic on Madison Avenue during New York Fashion Week on Wednesday night.

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Director, star defend controversial sex change film in Toronto

TORONTO (Reuters) - The director and star of a controversial film about a hitman who is put through gender reassignment surgery by a relative of one of his victims defended the project as it had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Wednesday.

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Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Designer Brandon Maxwell feels the love for Spring/Summer 2017

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fashion designer Brandon Maxwell kicked off his Spring/Summer 2017 collection at New York's Russian Tea Room restaurant on Tuesday, with his "best friend" Lady Gaga sitting in the front row.

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Labels release cut-rate music streaming service amid shift to flexible pricing

(Reuters) - Two major record labels are rolling out a low-priced music streaming service in the United Kingdom, a rare foray by record companies directly into the field and another sign the industry is finally moving toward more flexible pricing.

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Justin Timberlake kicks off concert documentary at Toronto festival

TORONTO (Reuters) - Pop star Justin Timberlake's new concert documentary was a joy to make because the lack of rigid plot or story structure makes shooting such productions the "purest form of film making," director Jonathan Demme said on Wednesday.

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'Deepwater Horizon' makers say authenticity a priority for film

TORONTO (Reuters) - A top priority for a new movie about the deadly 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill was ensuring it accurately depicted the disaster that killed 11 workers, its director and main actor said.

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Damon gave up acting role in 'Manchester by the Sea' due to schedule

TORONTO (Reuters) - Actor and producer Matt Damon says scheduling prevented him from starring in "Manchester by the Sea," a film about a man consumed by grief over the death of his brother and who is made legal guardian of a teenage nephew.

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Film 'Janaan' seeks positive global spotlight for Pakistan

LONDON (Reuters) - The cast and crew behind new film "Janaan" are hoping to showcase the positive side of Pakistan as they look to bolster international investment and interest in the country's small movie industry.

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Gosling, Stone spin modern twist on old Hollywood in 'La La Land'

TORONTO (Reuters) - While intense dramas and true life stories have dominated this year's Toronto International Film Festival, a vibrant love story inspired by the golden age of Hollywood musicals has found a warm welcome.

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Emmys so colorful as TV shows movies the faces of America

(Reuters) - Six months after #Oscarssowhite upset the biggest movie awards in the world, television's Emmy line-up is telling a different, far more colorful, story.

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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Iconic toys vie for spot in museum's national Hall of Fame

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The pings of pinball machines, squeaks of swings and the smack of punches between fighting robots have occupied arcades, living rooms and playgrounds for decades as toy-lovers devoted hours to battling for the win.

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Vera Wang, Victoria Beckham debut their spring/summer 2017 looks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For spring 2017, American fashion designer Vera Wang's muse is a sexy, powerful woman who is not afraid to show her feminine side.

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Shouting 'Liar, liar,' protesters disrupt Lochte's dancing debut

(Reuters) - "Dancing with the Stars" host Tom Bergeron said on Tuesday he was shocked and unnerved by protesters who shouted "liar, liar" and rushed the stage after a live performance by Ryan Lochte, the gold-medal U.S. swimmer who made up a story about being robbed at the Rio Olympics.

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Bollywood should make more 'socially conscious films', says Om Puri

LONDON (Reuters) - The Indian film industry needs to break out of its mould and produce more hard-hitting films that challenge its audience, veteran actor Om Puri said.

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Monday, September 12, 2016

Designers Carolina Herrera and Jeremy Scott reveal new collections

(Reuters) - Fashion designer Carolina Herrera celebrated 35 years in the business by taking over The Frick Collection, a museum on Manhattan’s upper eastside, to debut her collection at New York Fashion week on Monday.

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Two men rush Lochte during 'Dancing with the Stars': media

(Reuters) - Two men rushed the "Dancing with the Stars" stage in protest against embattled U.S. Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte as he fielded comments from judges after his performance on the ABC dance competition show on Monday, according to media reports.

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Blanchett leads celebrities in video poem for refugees

(Reuters) - A host of celebrities seek to highlight the plight of refugees in a video in which they read a poem listing items people have grabbed as they fled their homes.

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Fight over the Holocaust explored in movie 'Denial'

TORONTO (Reuters) - "Denial" is the true story of a Jewish woman who had to prove in court that the Holocaust had taken place, but it also has a timely message for present day society, according to director Mick Jackson.

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Apple Corps is sued over Beatles' 1965 Shea Stadium film rights

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Corps Ltd, the music company founded by members of The Beatles, was accused in a lawsuit on Monday of infringing copyrights of a company claiming to own a master recording of the group's famous 1965 concert in New York's Shea Stadium.

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'Queen of Katwe' brings uplifting underdog chess tale to Toronto

TORONTO (Reuters) - Chess may not be the most visual of sports to watch in a film, but the true story of an impoverished Ugandan girl overcoming obstacles to become a chess champion transcends the game, according to the cast of "Queen of Katwe."

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Nose-to-nose with the actors: Spain's micro-theater has global appeal

MADRID (Reuters) - Six people stand almost shoulder-to-shoulder in a black room - the entire audience for a play unfolding just an arm's length away. With minimal set and a cast of only two, this is theater stripped to its bare bones.

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Fantasy meets tragedy in surreal drama 'A Monster Calls'

TORONTO (Reuters) - A teenage boy's struggle with his mother's terminal illness takes a surreal turn when he finds comfort in a giant talking tree monster, in the emotional fantasy drama "A Monster Calls."

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New Amanda Knox film meant to push past headlines, makers say

TORONTO (Reuters) - A new documentary about Amanda Knox, an American who was cleared of the murder of her British roommate after multiple trials in Italy, is meant to push past the sensational coverage of the case and understand the real people involved, its directors say.

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Truth is stranger than fiction in Emmy's political TV shows

(Reuters) - It is election year in America and television has risen to the challenge, producing a range of award-worthy politically-themed shows - and the more outrageous, the better.

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Roald Dahl's 'The Twits' comes to life in London show

LONDON (Reuters) - Roald Dahl's "The Twits", a children's tale about a cruel and spiteful married couple, is being brought to life through an immersive theatrical show in London.

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Hits keep coming as 'Sing' premieres at Toronto Film Festival

TORONTO (Reuters) - Comedy animation feature "Sing" premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on Sunday to an enthusiastic reception from filmgoers before Academy award winner Jennifer Hudson and singer-songwriter Tori Kelly performed songs from the movie.

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Sunday, September 11, 2016

'Sully' Flies High to $35.5 Million U.S. Opening

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Tom Hanks' "Sully" has taken off with a stellar $35.5 million at 3,525 North American locations, marking a solid start to the fall box office season.

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'Birth of a Nation' star Parker avoids rape case question in Toronto

TORONTO (Reuters) - Nate Parker, the star and director of slavery historical drama "The Birth of a Nation," avoided a question on Sunday about whether he should have apologized to his accuser in a 17-year-old rape case, saying he did not want to "hijack" attention from the film at the Toronto International Film Festival.

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Actor Ewan McGregor admits to nerves in debut as director

TORONTO (Reuters) - Scottish actor Ewan McGregor admitted to being "very nervous" about making his directorial debut with the movie adaptation of Philip Roth's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "American Pastoral".

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Saturday, September 10, 2016

Denzel Washington says 'The Magnificent Seven' like being a kid again

VENICE (Reuters) - As a pastor's son, Denzel Washington never got to watch Westerns as a child, but playing around with guns and horses in Antoine Fuqua's remake of "The Magnificent Seven" was like being a kid again, he said at the Venice film festival on Saturday.

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Philippine's 'Ang Babaeng Humayo' chosen best film at 73rd Venice Film Festival

VENICE (Reuters) - Philippine director Lav Diaz's nearly four-hour black and white revenge drama "Ang Babaeng Humayo" (The Woman Who Left) won the Golden Lion on Saturday for best film at the 73nd Venice Film Festival.

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Gordon-Levitt examines whistleblower's motivations in 'Snowden'

TORONTO (Reuters) - When veteran filmmaker Oliver Stone was casting an actor to play former NSA contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden in a film, he said he went to only one person - Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

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'A United Kingdom' tells historic tale of love defying prejudice

TORONTO (Reuters) - A new film about the true story of an African king and white British woman whose marriage triggered a political crisis is first and foremost a love story, its star and director said.

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Friday, September 9, 2016

Parker attends 'Birth of a Nation' Toronto premiere amid controversy

TORONTO (Reuters) - Video cameras were barred from the red carpet premiere of "The Birth of a Nation" at the Toronto Film Festival, where the movie's star and filmmaker Nate Parker smiled and greeted fans, despite recent headlines on his involvement in an old rape case.

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DiCaprio’s 'Before The Flood' aims to make climate a U.S. election issue

TORONTO (Reuters) - Hollywood heartthrob and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio said he rushed to release his upcoming climate change documentary "Before the Flood" ahead of November's U.S. presidential elections to issue a clarion call to U.S. voters in time to influence their decisions.

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Larson back at Toronto Film Festival with shoot-em-up caper 'Free Fire'

TORONTO (Reuters) - After winning an Oscar for playing an abducted mother in "Room," actress Brie Larson returned on Friday with a movie in which she becomes trapped in a warehouse with a group of trigger-happy men.

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Director wants audience to shut up for a bit after seeing Holocaust film

VENICE (Reuters) - Andrei Konchalovsky does not expect "Rai" to change the course of the world, but he hopes the Holocaust drama about evil in the name of good will inspire some compassion, the veteran Russian director told Reuters at the Venice film festival on Friday.

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First openly gay Miss America contestant shines light on LGBT issues

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Reuters) - The first openly lesbian Miss America contestant will not only vie for the crown at the 95th annual pageant in New Jersey this weekend, she will also aim to spotlight the injustices faced by gay and transgender people.

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Emir Kusturica says 'Na Mlijecnom Putu' his last competition film

VENICE (Reuters) - A wartime love story is Emir Kusturica "political testament" and his last entry in a film festival competition, the award-winning Serbian director said in Venice on Friday.

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Chance to work with Lav Diaz tempted actress back to the screen

VENICE (Reuters) - It was director Lav Diaz' art of exploring human drama at length that tempted Charo Santos-Concio back to the screen after nearly two decades, the actress-turned-media executive said at the Venice film festival on Friday.

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Thursday, September 8, 2016

Andrew Lloyd Webber brings 'School of Rock' to West End stage

LONDON (Reuters) - Prolific British Andrew Lloyd Webber is bringing the Broadway stage adaptation of the Jack Black comedy "School of Rock" to London's famed West End, hoping to show people the power of music in children's' lives.

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French actor Belmondo says has done all he wanted in life

VENICE (Reuters) - Veteran French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo said on Thursday he had done everything he wanted in life as he accepted the Venice film festival's Golden Lion for lifetime achievement.

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Western remake 'The Magnificent Seven' opens Toronto Film Festival

TORONTO (Reuters) - A merry band of outlaws and hired hands will kick off Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday in "The Magnificent Seven," leading a slew of big action films and intimate true stories vying for early buzz leading into Hollywood's annual awards season.

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Playboy wins copyright battle over web links to its images

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Playboy won a legal fight to stop a website from posting links to images published without permission on Thursday, a decision which could have far wider consequences across the Internet.

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'Jackie' paints mystery of First Lady after assassination

VENICE (Reuters) - Film director Pablo Larrain said his portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy in the aftermath of her husband's assassination is not a biopic but rather a chance to look at an intriguing and painful story from the point of view of the former first lady.

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Meg Ryan uses 'fierce' maternal instincts in her directorial debut

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hollywood actress Meg Ryan goes behind the camera for her directorial debut "Ithaca", a World War II drama for which she said she used her maternal instincts in telling the story.

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Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Marilyn Monroe's dress from JFK birthday performance up for auction

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The skin-tight dress Marilyn Monroe wore for her sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday" before then U.S. President John F. Kennedy at a 1962 gala will go on sale at an auction in November, the company behind the event said on Wednesday.

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Tom Hanks explores the drama and trauma of being a hero in 'Sully'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When a US Airways pilot landed a damaged plane in the Hudson River in the middle of winter, saving all 155 people on board, he was immediately hailed a hero - but even heroes can be crumbling on the inside.

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Drama about North Ireland peace talks to inspire others, director says

VENICE (Reuters) - Film director Nick Hamm hopes his comedy-drama about two sworn enemies in the Northern Ireland conflict who agree to share power will resonate elsewhere and motivate others to take leaps of faith and change the course of history.

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About $3 million in jewelery stolen from rapper Drake's tour bus

PHOENIX (Reuters) - A briefcase containing about $3 million in jewelery was stolen from a bus being used by Grammy-winning rapper Drake on his latest concert tour, Phoenix police said on Wednesday.

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Summer romance ends for Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston: reports

(Reuters) - After spawning the hybrid name "Hiddleswift," pop singer Taylor Swift and British actor Tom Hiddleston have called it quits, according to numerous media reports.

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Hanks, Eastwood team up for Hudson emergency landing drama 'Sully'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clint Eastwood directs Oscar winner Tom Hanks in "Sully", a biographical drama about the pilot behind the 2009 successful emergency plane landing in the Hudson River.

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Comedian Eddie Murphy gets serious in 'Mr. Church'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Eddie Murphy swaps his usual comedy for drama in new movie "Mr. Church" as he makes his return to Hollywood after a break.

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Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Nick Cave chose documentary to open up about son's death

VENICE (Reuters) - Australian musician Nick Cave is hoping a 3D documentary will help answer questions about his son's death rather than speaking to crowds of strangers as he promotes his new album, the film's director Andrew Dominik said on Tuesday.

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'Une Vie' characters shot in profile to not reveal too much, director says

VENICE (Reuters) - Stephane Brize shot the characters in "Une Vie" in profile to give viewers space to interpret and experience the period drama for themselves, the French director said at the Venice film festival on Tuesday.

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Role as society reject among cannibals 'terrifying', Suki Waterhouse says

VENICE (Reuters) - Playing a society reject who tries to survive in a desert wasteland after having her limbs cut off by cannibals was a terrifying experience, British model-turned-actress Suki Waterhouse said at the Venice film festival on Tuesday.

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'Blade Runner' sequel 'an insane project': director Villeneuve

VENICE (Reuters) - Canadian director Denis Villeneuve says making a sequel to 1982 cult film "Blade Runner", in which Harrison Ford hunted down humanoids, is "an insane project" but that it is one the way nonetheless.

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Cosby due back in Pennsylvania court for sexual assault case

(Reuters) - Comedian Bill Cosby is scheduled to return to a Pennsylvania state court on Tuesday, two months after a judge rejected his latest bid to have criminal sexual assault charges dismissed.

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Dornan, Murphy tackle WWII roles for thriller 'Anthropoid'

LONDON (Reuters) - "Fifty Shades of Grey" star Jamie Dornan joins "Peaky Blinders" actor Cillian Murphy for a World War Two thriller about the assassination of one of the main architects of the Holocaust.

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'Don't Breathe' wins again as summer ends on strong

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - What had been a troubled U.S. summer box office is ending on an upbeat note as Sony's horror-thriller "Don't Breathe" dominated the four-day Labor Day weekend with $19.6 million and "Suicide Squad" crossed the $300 million mark.

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Fans bid farewell to singer Juan Gabriel at Mexico City wake

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Thousands of fans have paid their final respects to singer Juan Gabriel in Mexico City, many traveling from across the country to bid farewell to the entertainer who died late last month from a heart attack at the age of 66.

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Monday, September 5, 2016

Hugh O'Brian, star of TV's 'The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp,' dies at 91

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Hugh O'Brian, who starred in the long-running series "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," died Monday. He was 91.

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Bridget Jones is back in new film, this time facing motherhood

LONDON (Reuters) - Oscar winner Renee Zellweger puts on her British accent again to play bumbling Londoner Bridget Jones in the third instalment of the film franchise, with the much-loved character, now in her 40s, single again but unexpectedly pregnant.

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Roan Johnson's 'Piuma' brings laughs and irony to Venice film fest

VENICE (Reuters) - Among the dramas and thrillers screening in Venice this year, Roan Johnson's story of two Roman youngsters and their families coping with an unwanted pregnancy is part of a genre much rarer at film festivals: a comedy.

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Villeneuve says creating alien world in new sci-fi movie was 'nightmare'

VENICE (Reuters) - Canadian film director Denis Villeneuve said making sci-fi thriller "Arrival", which has premiered in Venice, was the biggest challenge of his career so far because it meant creating a foreign civilization that obeys different kinds of laws.

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Mexican director uses fantasy creature to explore how we relate to sex

VENICE (Reuters) - Director Amat Escalante uses a fantasy creature to explore the sometimes ambiguous relationship people have with sex in his film "La Region Salvaje" (The Untamed), which had its premiere at the Venice film festival on Monday.

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Mel Gibson 'surviving' in Hollywood as war drama premiers in Venice

VENICE (Reuters) - Mel Gibson called his relationship with Hollywood "survival" as he prepared for the Venice film festival premiere of a war drama that marks his directorial comeback after a turbulent decade in his personal life.

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Sunday, September 4, 2016

Jude Law says he was taken aback when asked to play Sorrentino's pope

VENICE (Reuters) - Jude Law was thrilled to be given the opportunity to work with Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, until it became clear that the character he was being asked to portray was that of a conservative, chain-smoking American pope named Pius XIII.

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'Don't Breathe' Frightens Competition at Labor Day Box Office

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - The second weekend of horror-thriller "Don't Breathe" is showing plenty of life at an otherwise quiet Labor Day box office with an estimated $19.4 million at 3,051 North American locations for the four days.

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Saturday, September 3, 2016

Post-war drama 'Frantz' shot in two tongues to add truth, director says

VENICE (Reuters) - French director Francois Ozon shot "Frantz" in both his native language and German to make the post-World War I drama screening at the Venice film festival more truthful, he said on Saturday.

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Chris Brown's lawyer says police found no gun at pop star's home

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A lawyer for Chris Brown said on Friday that the pop star cooperated with police after a woman called 911 from his Los Angeles home and that contrary to her claims that he pointed at gun at her, no such weapon was found.

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Friday, September 2, 2016

Actor Liev Schreiber takes 800 punches to make boxer drama credible

VENICE (Reuters) - Liev Schreiber took around 800 punches when filming "The Bleeder" to make the boxing drama more credible and to not upset the prize fighter whose real life story it portrayed, the U.S. actor said at the Venice film festival on Friday.

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Tom Ford makes comeback at Venice festival with his second movie

VENICE (Reuters) - After a seven-year hiatus, Tom Ford is back to film making with thriller "Nocturnal Animals" premiering at the Venice Film Festival on Friday, and the busy fashion designer promises he will be back much sooner next time.

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Jackie Chan to get lifetime achievement Oscar

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Martial arts expert and actor Jackie Chan will receive a lifetime achievement Oscar, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday.

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Thursday, September 1, 2016

Hollywood studios, football leagues urge EU rethink on copyright

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The heads of some of the biggest Hollywood studios, commercial broadcasters and European football leagues have urged the European Union to reconsider a planned copyright overhaul they fear will lead to lower investment in films and TV shows.

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Wenders chooses 3D to bring intimacy to talk of women and men

VENICE (Reuters) - Wim Wenders shot "Les Beaux Jours d'Aranjuez", an adaptation of a play by Austrian writer Peter Handke, in 3D to draw viewers more intimately into a dialogue about how men see women and how women see men, the veteran German director said on Thursday.

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Amy Adams leads in sci-fi thriller as Oscar buzz builds in Venice

VENICE (Reuters) - Five-time Academy Award nominee Amy Adams may get closer to finally landing an Oscar as two of her movies are competing at the Venice film festival this year, including Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi thriller "Arrival".

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Portraying motherhood biggest challenge in new release for Oscar-winner Vikander

VENICE (Reuters) - Portraying the joys and pains of motherhood in Derek Cianfrance's "The Light Between Oceans" that premieres at the Venice film festival on Thursday was one of the biggest challenges for 27-year-old Swedish actress Alicia Vikander.

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Exclusive: Australia's two biggest cities cancel Mao Zedong concerts, citing safety concerns

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's two biggest cities Sydney and Melbourne canceled concerts commemorating the death of former Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong, with one citing safety concerns, after Chinese Australians complained the content was insensitive.

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