Steve Pond's Blog, page 185

‘The Legend of Ochi’ Review: A24 Fantasy Adventure Is Lovingly Crafted Yet Oddly Inert

What to do about a work like Isaiah Saxon’s “The Legend of Ochi?” A curious little fantasy adventure built around the scruffy titular creature that leads a lonely youth on a magical journey, the film boasts intense attention to detail through impressive practical craft and puppetry that should make for a wondrous cinematic experience. But that craft is unfortunately never able to cover up a prevailing lifelessness.

The acclaimed music video director’s debut feature, which premiered back at the Sundance Film Festival and is produced by A24, does break the heart and pulls on plenty of its strings. Just not in the way that it intends. Ultimately, Saxton’s story struggles to assemble its beautiful parts into a moving whole.

This isn’t for lack of effort, as the aforementioned craft breathes plenty of life into the well-worn path that “The Legend of Ochi” takes us down. You can practically feel the meticulous textures of the team’s creations. But the journey itself largely slips through your fingers. No matter how you try to hold tight to its promise, it amounts to very little. 

Set in the modern-day fictional world of Carpathia, a remote island where magical creatures lurk in the lush greenery, the film follows the young Yuri (Helena Zengel) whose rather cartoonishly hyper-masculine father Maxim (Willem Dafoe) wishes he had a son instead and cares only for hunting the mythical being known as the Ochi. In a strong early scene, we see just how much he can miss the forest for the trees in his pursuit. This causes a schism when Yuri comes into contact with an adorable baby Ochi and sets out on an adventure to bring them home.

To do so, she’ll try to locate her missing mother (played by an underutilized yet excellent Emily Watson of the recent “Dune: Prophecy”) while her father and his followers (which includes Finn Wolfhard in a small role) haphazardly attempt to track her down. Shenanigans ensue and Yuri starts to grow closer to the Ochi, though the audience may drift further away the longer the film carries on. 

Drawing plenty of what can be generously called inspiration from films like Steven Spielberg’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” Saxon’s screenplay comes to life most in the small moments that are familiar, but work for a reason. A first encounter between Yuri and the Ochi or a series of confessions about buried familial pain ought to resonate. But the experience gets caught up in the story mechanically moving from one set piece to the next. You want to get swept up in the ride, but it perpetually holds you at a distance. 

It’s in this distance where the heartbreak sets in. We can feel all the various topological layers of this world, but few of the emotional ones. The effects artists do remarkable work, but it’s in service of a story that never quite knows what it seems to want to do.

There is a welcome whimsy and lovely framing to many of the visuals that recall the work of Wes Anderson, including one early sequence in a grocery store. And there’s a potentially complex thematic throughline about living in harmony with nature. There just isn’t that same harmony in the story itself. What should be big moments near the end don’t have room to breathe and the climax, a predictable yet sweet one, feels unearned and as rushed as the rapids the characters nearly get washed away in. No matter how convincingly Dafoe will belt out some genuinely funny lines as he sets forth in full armor or how engaging Zengel is when just getting to play off of the expressed puppetry, the film can’t rise to their level.

It’s impossible to outright dismiss “The Legend of Ochi?,” as the craft is too remarkable for that and audiences, be they young or old, can find much to appreciate in the puppetry of Ochi alone. Similarly, Saxton is a director with promise whose command of visuals is impressive. It’s just that while you can’t see any of the strings being used on the effects, you can see the story being manipulated. You may fall in love with Ochi all the same, but you can only wish you’d gone on a richer journey together. 

The post ‘The Legend of Ochi’ Review: A24 Fantasy Adventure Is Lovingly Crafted Yet Oddly Inert appeared first on TheWrap.

5 Revelations From ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Season 14 Reunion Part 3: Garcelle Beauvais Walks Out

That’s it, that’s a wrap on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 14 reunion. The ladies came dressed in glam, threw some shade and others, well, they completely walked off set.

The show picks up with friend of the show Jennifer Tilly sharing her thoughts on whether Sutton Stracke likes to “buy” friendships and loyalty, to which she believes is false, adding that Stracke is “generous.” In addition, Beauvais cleared up her “spokesperson” remarks about Bozoma Saint John, which led to Saint John calling out Stracke for supposedly referring to her as an “angry Black woman.”

But this is just the beginning, Kyle Richards also gives an update on her relationship with her estranged husband Mauricio Umansky and details how her daughters came to support her when she needed them the most.

Here are the five takeaways from the “RHOBH” Season 14 reunion.

Sutton Stracke and Bozoma Saint John from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 14 (Bravo)Bozoma Saint John Claims Sutton Stracke Called Her an “Angry Black Woman”

While the group was discussing Bozoma Saint John addressing the ladies for camping out at the front of Dorit Kemsley’s home following her fallout with Sutton Stracke, Saint John called out Stracke for supposedly labeling her an “angry Black woman.” She was referring to an episode of the “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: After Show,” during which Stracke questioned why Saint John was “so angry at me,” adding that she didn’t know where it was coming from.

Stracke couldn’t recall saying Saint John was “angry,” but then mentioned that Saint John was “kind of yelling at me.” Saint John replied with a correction that no one on the cast has ever heard her yell. When Stracke said Saint “came on strong,” Saint John replied, “I am strong.”

Garcelle Beauvais from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 14 (Bravo)Garcelle Beauvais Shuts Down Andy Cohen: “I Don’t Want to Answer Any More Questions”

After reading a comment from a fan who stated Sutton Stracke throws tantrums whenever people hold her accountable, host and Bravo executive Andy Cohen asked Garcelle Beauvais to weigh in. Beauvais partially agreed with the statement, but then pivoted to express her own feelings, which appear to be spilling after the group slammed her for questioning the legitimacy of Dorit Kemsley’s home invasion.

“I’m really pissed right now,” Beauvais said, mentioning that she doesn’t feel like she receives “grace” from the other housewives. “I’m pissed about all of it. All of it, since I’ve sat here on this couch. So, I don’t want to answer any more questions honestly. 

“I stand by the things that I say, and even though I’m taking accountability for them, it’s not accepted,” Beauvais said. “It’s not … not one person who looked at me and smiled … When we first got here, yes, but nothing else.”

Kyle Richards (L) and Mauricio Umansky (R) attend the Homeless Not Toothless Hollywood Event at The Beverly Hilton on April 22, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky Have Not Filed for Divorce

Much of the third act for the reunion was about Kyle Richards and her separation from Mauricio Umansky. A tear-filled Richards said that still today, the two continue to talk and added that she regrets that their relationship ended up this way. She also shut down the idea that “Real Housewives” had any impact on their marriage.

“We were strong throughout the show. He was always my biggest supporter in this, and it’s not easy doing this,” Richards said. “Money, traveling, fame, his business, his agency growing, the attention he was getting with all that. Women are … snakes. They see a man who’s a good husband, a good father and he has money; they’re like, ‘Oh, I want that.’ Throwing themselves at him. We got married very young, and he never got to go out and do his thing and that really contributed to the downfall of our marriage.”

Nevertheless, Richards said she has no jealousy or anger toward Umansky and his recent outings with women, saying she wants to “move on in that aspect as well.” “And I will, very soon,” Richards said.

Kyle Richards from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 14 reunion (Bravo)Kyle Richard’s Daughters Support Her Exploring Her Sexuality

For the first time, Richards also seemingly acknowledged that she did in fact have feelings for Morgan Wade. While she maintained that she’s not “coming out,” she added that when the rumors surrounding her and Wade made headlines, her children were some of her biggest supporters. She said her youngest, Portia Umansky, told her their feelings would never change, no matter how she identifies sexually.

Garcelle Beauvais from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 14 (Bravo)Garcelle Beauvais Walks Out After Andy Cohen Asks for a Cast Photo

The moment fans have anticipated officially happened. Just as the show was wrapping, Cohen said it’s time for a cast photo. That’s when Garcelle Beauvais suddenly stepped off the stage and shared that she didn’t want to participate in the photo.

“I don’t want to be in the cast photo,” Beauvais said, despite saying earlier that she hoped for one. “I’m done.” Production followed Beauvais into her dressing room, where she let it all out.

“I’m done,” Beauvais said, calling the group “f–king assholes.” “No one said, ‘Oh, I understand what you’re saying.” From the looks of it, Beauvais appears to be frustrated with the ladies for not coming to her defense when she shared her thoughts about Kemsley’s home invasion, and felt they didn’t acknowledge her taking accountability for the harm her words may have causes. By the end of it, Beauvais said she feels like the ladies don’t like her.

“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 14 is now streaming on Peacock.

The post 5 Revelations From ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Season 14 Reunion Part 3: Garcelle Beauvais Walks Out appeared first on TheWrap.

Seth Rogen Jab That Trump ‘Single-Handedly Destroyed’ American Science Is Cut From Zuckerberg, Milner-Backed Science Prize Livestream

Seth Rogen will probably not be invited back to present at next year’s Breakthrough Prize ceremony thanks to an off-the-cuff jab at President Donald Trump that also embarrassed its tech world co-founders Mark Zuckerberg, Yuri Milner and Sergey Brin. The organization later cut the riff, which bashed the president for “single-handedly” destroying American science, from its “Oscars of Science” streaming telecast.

Presented alongside an apparently uncomfortable Edward Norton, Rogen pointed out the irony that the annual ceremony would have also toasted such previous attendees as Elon Musk and other tech billionaire Trump supporters. The room, which included the event’s co-founders in attendance, responded with muted laughter.

“It’s amazing that others in this room underwrote electing a man who, in the last week, single-handedly destroyed all of American science,” Rogen said following Norton’s remarks, which praised the present tech titans. “It’s amazing how much good science you can destroy with $320 million and RFK Jr, very fast.”

Watch the full ceremony below. Rogen is shown during host James Corden’s opening monologue swigging a martini from the crowd. He appears onstage with Norton around the 75-minute mark.

Representatives for Rogen and the Breakthrough Prize did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Rogen is no stranger to having his ad-libs edited out of award shows. Back in January 2025, he presented the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television alongside Catherine O’Hara. The two were joking about unauthorized (and clearly fake) biopics about famous Canadians and Rogen quipped about starring in Gosling – a story on Ryan Gosling’s life.

“Yes, it was unauthorized and the Mickey Mouse Club handjob scene was controversial, but we felt very important to depict,” Rogen said.

The Hollywood Reporter, a media sponsor of this year’s event, was first to report the news.

The post Seth Rogen Jab That Trump ‘Single-Handedly Destroyed’ American Science Is Cut From Zuckerberg, Milner-Backed Science Prize Livestream appeared first on TheWrap.

Gene Hackman’s Wife Googled COVID Symptoms, Ordered Oxygen Canisters Before Dying of Hantavirus

Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa spent time during her final days suffering from hantavirus Googling symptoms for COVID and ordering oxygen canisters to her New Mexico home.

Investigators went through Arakawa’s Google search history and emails in the days leading up to her and Hackman’s death after finding her laptop unlocked in the home, according to an incident report covered wide Tuesday. The laptop was found in the hallway near the bathroom in which Arakawa’s body was found and included an Amazon purchase of “several Boost Oxygen canisters” and emails about falling ill to COVID, according to the investigator.

“He advised he found the computer unlocked and observed Betsy had conducted a search on Google,” the report read. “The search was in reference to ‘breathing techniques,’ or something similar to the matter.”

Another investigator noted in the report they found an email sent by Arakawa on the morning of Feb. 11 canceling an appointment due to COVID-like symptoms.

“G woke up today with flu/cold-like symptoms, did a COVID test, negative. But out of abundance of caution, I should cancel my appt tomorrow and rebook, say, in a couple of weeks, last week of Feb. if something is available,” the email read.

The report added that Arakawa “never opened or sent additional emails” after Feb. 11. She is estimated to have died of the rare, rodent-born hantavirus on Feb. 12.

Arakawa and Hackman’s bodies were found in their home on Feb. 26. After medical examinations, it was determined that Arakawa died from the rodent-born hantavirus a week before Hackman died from cardiovascular disease and advanced Alzheimer’s.

“It is reasonable to conclude that Mr. Hackman probably died around Feb. 18. Based on the circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude that Mrs. Hackman passed away first, with Feb. 11 being the last time that she was known to be alive,” New Mexico OMI chief medical investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell said. “There is no reliable scientific method to accurately determine the exact time or date of death.”

“I would assume that that is the case, given his Alzheimer’s status, that Mr. Hackman was able to live on his own and survive,” Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza then explained of the week difference in their given times of death.

The two-time Oscar winner, his pianist wife of 34 years and one of their dogs were found dead after a home maintenance worker called in a welfare check. Two other dogs were found alive on the property.

The post Gene Hackman’s Wife Googled COVID Symptoms, Ordered Oxygen Canisters Before Dying of Hantavirus appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Home Alone 2’ Director Says Donald Trump Cameo Is a ‘Curse’: ‘I Just Wish It Was Gone’

Chris Columbus called Donald Trump’s cameo in “Home Alone 2” a curse and joked that if he cut the scene now, Trump would probably have him deported.

The director told the Chronicle that the moment in which the real estate tycoon gives directions to lost tyke Macaulay Culkin at the Plaza Hotel is “an albatross” and that he wishes “it was gone.”

“I can’t cut it,” he told the San Francisco paper. “If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something,” he said, referencing Trump’s recent wave of deportations.

“Years later, it’s become this curse… It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone,” he continued.

In 2020, Columbus said that Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel at the time, “bullied” his way into the movie. “We paid the fee [to film at the hotel], but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” Columbus told Business Insider.

Columbus intended to cut the scene, until people at the first screening applauded Trump’s appearance. “So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience.'”

In 2023, however, Trump insisted that Columbus had “begged” him to be in the movie. “I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history!”

Trump went on to say that Columbus assertion that “bullied” him to be in the comedy was untrue. “That cameo helped make the movie a success … Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!” he wrote at the time.

The post ‘Home Alone 2’ Director Says Donald Trump Cameo Is a ‘Curse’: ‘I Just Wish It Was Gone’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Trump Cuts Permanent Press Pool Spot for All Wire Services After Court Orders AP Access Restored

The Trump White House apparently found a workaround Tuesday to its court order to restore Oval Office access to the Associated Press: wire news services will no longer be guaranteed a spot in the press pool, according to multiple media reports.

The pool’s new makeup, according to The New York Times’ Michael M. Grynbaum, will expand to allow access for two print journalists (or “print poolers”); one network crew from the likes of ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC; one secondary network or streamer; one radio station; one new media outlet, and four photographers.

“The makeup of the pool is far more reflective of the media habits of the American people in 2025,” a senior White House official told The New York Post, who first broke the news Tuesday. “The White House press policy continues to be grounded in fairness for all outlets that wish to cover the White House.”

For decades the White House has granted wire access for three legacy outlets AP, Bloomberg and Reuters. These outlets were given access to all presidential events in smaller venues such as the Oval Office, while other outlets part of the rotating “print” press pool rotation could only participate once a month.

The three wires’ automatic access already had been curtailed for more than a month — with access limited to one rotating spot per day — with the exclusion of the AP.

This decision from the president comes a week after AP’s victory in a lawsuit over its exclusion from the press pool. DC US District Judge Trevor McFadden ruled that the AP be restored to the press pool after the outlet’s refusal to comply with the president’s Gulf of Mexico name change.

McFadden’s ruling stated that the AP “cannot be treated worse than its peer wire services,” giving the Trump administration a work around to continue to exclude the outlet from closed door conversations.

There are currently 31 “print” press spots in rotation, 34 including the wire services. Now two additional print seats have been added, dramatically decreasing access for wire service publications. Wire service publications like the AP, Reuters and Bloomberg, provide news to smaller newspapers, radio, and television stations across the nation. Their efficiency allows a wider audience to be aware of the conversations taking place in the Oval Office and for consumers to hear directly from the president.

The Trump administration has been persistent in including new media in press briefings and dismantling the traditional, hierarchal system of the press pool. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hosts press briefings once, sometimes twice a week, unlike Trump’s first term.

While legacy media outlets line the front row of the press briefing room, the Trump administration added a new seat for “new media.” Journalists, influencers and podcasters that have filled this seat range from Axios and Semafor journalists to partisan influencers and YouTube stars.

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Prime Video’s ‘Reacher’ Leads Nielsen’s Most-Streamed Programs in March With 6.6 Billion Viewing Minutes

For the first time ever in Nielsen’s monthly Gauge reports, the 1o most-watched streaming titles were distributed by seven different platforms: Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Paramount+ Netflix and Apple TV+.  

Those titles included “Reacher” with 6.6 billion viewing minutes; “Family Guy” with 4.8 billion viewing minutes; “Bluey” with 4.8 billion viewing minutes; “The White Lotus” with 4.5 billion viewing minutes; “1923” and “Moana 2” with 3.9 billion viewing minutes each; “Running Point” with 3.7 billion viewing minutes; “Love is Blind” with 3.5 billion viewing minutes; and “Adolescence” and “Severance” with 3.3 billion viewing minutes each.

The new releases boosted streaming’s total share of TV viewing to 43.8%, despite a 6% month-over-month decline in overall time spent watching TV due to seasonality.

Source: Nielsen

When taking a closer look by platform, YouTube continued to extend its lead with a record share of 12% for the month, despite lower viewing levels compared to February, followed by Netflix with 7.9%. Disney, which includes an aggregate of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, viewing, came in third for March at 5%.

Photo courtesy of Nielsen

Rounding out the remainder of the list was Prime Video at 3.5%, Paramount Streaming, which includes Paramount+ and Pluto TV, at 2.3%, The Roku Channel at 2.2%, Tubi at 1.9%, Warner Bros. Discovery streaming, which includes Max and Discovery+, at 1.5% and Peacock at 1.4%.

Max notably saw its largest month-over-month increase of 6% in March, driven by “The White Lotus.”

In addition to streaming’s gains, cable climbed to a share of 24% of TV usage, benefitting from a 29% boost from sports, specifically March Madness, and another strong month of cable news viewership.

The most-watched cable sports telecasts in March were NCAA Men’s Elite Eight games between Alabama-Duke and Texas Tech-Florida on TBS. Meanwhile, cable news programs accounted for seven of the top 10 cable telecasts, led by Fox News Channel’s coverage of the presidential address to a Joint Session of Congress on March 4, which drew 11 million viewers on the network and over 36 million total viewers. 

As for broadcast, the category posted a share of 20.5% for March, down 9% month-over-month due to the absence of football.

The Oscars, which drove 20.3 million viewers across ABC and the simulcast on Hulu, was the most-watched program in March, with 18-to-34 year olds three times as likely and 35-to-49 year olds twice as likely to stream Hollywood’s biggest night compared to audiences that watched on other platforms. Across the rest of the broadcast category, scripted dramas accounted for 28% of its total viewing in March, with CBS’ “Tracker” representing five of top 10 broadcast telecasts, with each averaging over 10 million viewers despite competition from March Madness games.

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Gen Z Subscribes to 26% More Apps and Streaming Services Than the Average American, New Study Finds

The youth are not in revolt when it comes to paying for apps and streaming services, with Gen Z being the most heavily subscribed generation in the U.S., according to new data shared with TheWrap on Tuesday.

Here are the key figures: The average Gen Z American pays for nearly seven services — 6.8, to be exact — each month. That ends up costing $940 per year on average, according to a new report from Bango, a U.K.-based tech company that helps businesses turn users into paying customers. Bango’s report, released on Tuesday, is based on a study of 5,000 American consumers between January and March.

The nearly-seven subscriptions is 26% higher than the 5.4 subscriptions the average American pays for, Bango’s data showed.

And here is something Spotify and Apple Music bigwigs will likely enjoy reading: music apps are the most popular subscriptions for Gen Z, which spans people born from 1997 to 2012, with 59% saying they pay for at least one music subscription. That compares to 43% of Americans from older generations who pay for at least one music sub.

Interestingly, though, Gen Zers are the only age group where streaming services like Netflix, Max and Disney+ are not the most popular type of subscription. Overall, 75% of all Americans pay for at least one streaming service, while 56% of Gen Zers pay for one of them.

The new report comes as Netflix, which had nearly 302 million customers at the end of 2024, is set to report earnings on Thursday; Spotify, which is also reporting its first quarter earnings later this month, had 263 million paying subscribers at the end of last year.

Younger Americans are also much more likely to pay for gaming subscriptions — 46% for Gen Z on average compared to 22% for all Americans — and nearly twice as likely to spend on social apps.

Something else that stood out: Bango’s report shows most Americans are getting tired of having to subscribe to a number of services, with 62% saying they would prefer to pay for a bundle that packages several of their favorite services.

Another 41% said they were “annoyed” they do not have a one-stop shop that manages all of their subscriptions — which seems a bit pie-in-the-sky. But even one out of every five Gen Z Americans said they would prefer to have an “all-in-one subscription” service that was managed by social platforms like Meta, X or TikTok.

You can access Bango’s full 16-page report by clicking here.

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Films From Christian Petzold, Sean Byrne Chosen for Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight Section

Eighteen features and 10 short films will be in the lineup of the independent Directors’ Fortnight section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Directors’ Fortnight organizers announced at a press conference on Tuesday morning.

The section will open with Robin Campillo’s “Enzo” and will also include German director Christian Petzold’s “Mirrors No. 3,” starring Paula Beer; the Ukrainian documentary “Militantropos,” from directors Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova and Simon Mozgovyi; “Dangerous Animals,” a horror film set at sea from Australian director Sean Byrne (“The Devil’s Candy”); the comedy “Peak Everything” from Canadian director Anne Émond; and the closing-night film, first-time director Eva Victor’s Sundance hit “Sorry, Baby,” which will be released by A24 in June.

The section does not convene a jury to choose the best of its films, but for the second consecutive year it will give out an audience award. Last year’s audience award, the first ever given out by any section at Cannes, went to Canadian director Matthew Rankin’s “Universal Language.”

Directors’ Fortnight, which was originally titled La Quinzaine des Réalisateurs until the fact that réalisateurs is a masculine noun prompted a 2023 change to Quinzaine des Cinéastes, was the section that first brought Werner Herzog, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Michael Haneke and George Lucas to Cannes, and that more recently presented Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash,” Robert Eggers’ “The Lighthouse,” Sean Baker’s “The Florida Project” and Chloe Zhao’s “Songs My Brothers Taught Us.”

At this year’s opening-night ceremony for the Fortnight, director Todd Haynes will be honored with the Carosse d’Or or Golden Coach, an honorary award whose past recipients include Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch, Agnes Varda and David Cronenberg.

The Directors’ Fortnight announcement follows last week’s announcement of Cannes’ Official Selection and Monday’s announcement of the International Critics Week lineup. The festival is expected to reveal additions to the Official Selection as early as this week.

The poster for this year’s Fortnight, seen above, was designed by director Harmony Korine.

The Directors’ Fortnight lineup:

Feature films:
“Enzo,” Robin Campillo (opening film)
“The Foxes Round,” Valery Cornoy
“Death Does Not Exist,” Feliz Dufour-Laperriere
“L’Engloutie,” Louise Hemon
“Kokouho,” Lee Sang-il
“Lucky Lu,” Lloyd Lee Choi 
“Militantropos,”   Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova & Simon Mozgovyi
“Girl on Edge,” Jinghao Zhou
“Middle Class,” Anthony Cordier
“Mirrors No. 3,” Christian Petzold
“The Girls We Want,” Princia Car
“Dangerous Animals,” Sean Byrne
“Peak Everything,” Anne Émond
“The President’s Cake,” Hasan Hadi 
“Indomptables,” Thomas Ngijol
“Brand New Landscape,” Yuiga Danzuka
“Que Ma Volonte Soit Faite,” Julia Kowalski
“Sorry, Baby,” Eva Victor (closing film)

Short/Medium Length Films:
“10K,” Gala Hernandez Lopez
“Loynes,” Dorian Jespers
“Nervous Energy,” Eve Liu
“Bread Will Walk,” Alex Boya
“Blue Heart,” Samuel Suffren
“Death of the Fish,” Eva Lusbaronian
“The Body,” Louris van de Geer
“Before the Sea Forgets,” Ngoc Duy Le
“Karmash,” Aleem Bukhan
“When the Geese Flew,” Arthur Gay

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Paramount Suitor David Ellison Spotted Ringside With Trump at UFC Fight – President Torches CBS Hours Later

David Ellison, the billionaire Skydance founder now actively trying to acquire CBS parent company Paramount, was spotted sitting in the company of Donald Trump ringside at the UFC fight in Miami this weekend, TheWrap has confirmed.

And hours later, Trump was ratcheting up his battle against CBS News and its parent company in a Truth Social post over the latest episode of “60 Minutes,” this time due to their Sunday stories about Ukraine and Greenland. Last year, Trump sparked off a $20 billion legal battle with CBS and “60 Minutes” for editing Kamala Harris’ answers to interview questions.

Trump wrote Sunday: “Almost every week, ’60 Minutes,’ which is being sued for Billions of Dollars for the fraud they committed in the 2024 Presidential Election with their Interview of Failed Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris, mentions the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way, but this Weekend’s ‘BROADCAST tops them all.”

Ellison was photographed in a close circle around Trump the night before, apparently a guest of TKO chief Ari Emanuel, who, like Ellison, is Jewish and skipped the Passover celebration to be there. He socialized with the president’s inner circle that night, Oliver Darcy first reported in his Status newsletter.

Ellison was spotted alongside Elon Musk, Ted Cruz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and others, with photos posted on Reddit and X. TheWrap has confirmed the details from Darcy’s report.

Trump and his special son enjoying a wholesome Saturday night! pic.twitter.com/FyLKGLkhrP

— Autism Capital (@AutismCapital) April 13, 2025

“The optics of the moment were unmistakable,” Darcy wrote. “The prospective new owner of CBS News — an outlet Trump has repeatedly smeared with dishonest attacks — was smiling and having a great time alongside the very man calling for it to be punished. Given that Ellison’s Skydance deal requires federal approval … the encounter alone has a deeper significance as the merger hangs in limbo.”

Ellison’s offer to buy Paramount from the controlling interest of Shari Redstone has seen its timeline extended due to FCC delays. If it went through, Trump’s lawsuit and pressure on his FCC chair Brendan Carr to punish CBS would represent a major inherited headache.

“Which is perhaps why Ellison was in Miami for the fight,” Darcy wrote. “Maybe he hoped to get a few words in with Trump, flatter him, and build some rapport with the erratic president — something an unsettling number of media and tech executives now view as a prerequisite for doing business in America.”

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