Cannes 2026 Embraces Auteur Cinema with Star-Studded Global Lineup

The 2026 Cannes Film Festival is shaping up as a strong showcase for auteur cinema, with new competition titles from Asghar Farhadi, Pedro Almodóvar, Paweł Pawlikowski, Ira Sachs, Hirokazu Kore-eda, László Nemes and Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Following a 2025 edition marked by major Hollywood titles such as Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning and Highest 2 Lowest, this year’s selection leans heavily toward international and independent filmmaking. Ira Sachs stands as the sole American director in competition with The Man I Love, a musical fantasy set against the AIDS crisis in 1980s

Project Hail Mary: Science, comedy and a touch of pathos

Phil Lord and Chris Miller adapte Andy Weir's bestseller ‘Project Hail Mary’ with Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller as a grand science fiction adventure – somewhere between a cosmic Robinsonade and a light-hearted family film. It begins with one of the oldest motifs in literature: A man awakens alone, cut off from the world, forced to make sense of where he is, who he is, and what he must do to survive. In Project Hail Mary, Ryland Grace - played by Ryan Gosling - opens his eyes to find himself

“One Battle After Another” Wins Best Picture at the 98th Oscars

Hollywood’s biggest night celebrated the finest achievements in global cinema as the 98th Academy Awards honored the most outstanding films and artists of the year. The ceremony took place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre, recognizing films released in 2025. The evening was dominated by One Battle After Another, which emerged as the biggest winner of the night with six Academy Awards. Among its major victories were Best Picture and Best Casting, the latter marking the debut of the category at the Oscars. In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley won

‘Yellow Letters’ Wins Berlin Golden Bear

The 2026 edition of the Berlin International Film Festival concluded with a strong political note as German-Turkish director İlker Çatak’s “Yellow Letters” won the Golden Bear for Best Film. Jury president Wim Wenders presented the award, praising the film for confronting the language of totalitarianism through the humane force of cinema. Set in contemporary Turkey, “Yellow Letters” follows a married playwright and actress who come under state scrutiny because of their protest theatre. In a striking formal decision, Çatak shot the entire film in Germany, openly crediting German cities as stand-ins

The World of Lav Diaz

“We Malays, we Filipinos, are not governed by the concept of time. We are governed by the concept of space. We don't believe in time. If you live in the country, you see Filipinos hang out. They are not very productive. That is very Malay. It is all about space and nature. [...] In the Philippine archipelago, nature provided everything, until the concept of property came with the Spanish colonizers. Then the capitalist order took control. [...] The concept of time was introduced to us when the Spaniards came. We ' ...

Panahi Re-enters Iran as Farhadi Speaks Out Against War on Civilians

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has returned to Iran after traveling abroad to promote his Palme d’Or-winning film It Was Just an Accident, according to informed sources. He reportedly re-entered the country on April 8 by land via Turkey due to flight restrictions. Despite facing longstanding legal pressure, including a prison sentence, travel ban and other restrictions, Panahi had earlier stated he would return home following the film’s Oscar campaign. His work, often created under state limitations, continues to explore social and political realities shaped by his own experiences. At the same ' ...

National Award-Winning Art Director Tarun Ghosh Passes Away at 73

Tarun Ghosh, a National Film Award-winning art director and accomplished painter, passed away late Wednesday night (April 8) at the age of 73. Filmmaker N Rashed Chowdhury confirmed the news, stating that Ghosh suffered a cardiac complication linked to asthma-related health issues. Born on August 20, 1953, in Rajbari, Ghosh studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, graduating in 1977. He later completed his postgraduate studies at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India, in 1986. He began teaching in 1979 at Rajshahi University’s Fine Arts department, where he was one ' ...