Category: 5. Entertainment

Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor is taking her advocacy for women in Indian cinema to the Toronto International Film Festival, where an Indian government-backed program will showcase projects with female creatives in key roles.

The #WIFIndiaAtTIFF campaign represents a collaboration between Women in Film India, the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s WAVES Bazaar, and the National Film Development Corporation of India. Six film projects will be selected for the September festival, with each represented by two team members.

This marks the first occasion that female Indian filmmakers will collectively represent the country’s diverse cinematic output at TIFF, following WIF India’s debut at Cannes in May.

The program supports Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader policy objectives around female empowerment, according to organizers.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju said: “Indian cinema is one of our strongest cultural ambassadors on a global stage, and it is essential that the world sees it in all its diversity. Women have been at the heart of our storytelling tradition. This initiative with Women in Film India is aimed at identifying talent, providing access, and ensuring our women filmmakers can compete and collaborate on equal footing with the best in the world in a structured and sustainable manner.”

“This is not just a delegation, it’s a declaration: Indian women in film are owning the global stage,” added Monga Kapoor. “Our stories have been making a deep impact internationally, year after year. I’m proud to bring WIF to TIFF, the champion of emerging voices, as part of a one-of-a-kind program crafted with the support of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.”

The delegation will be coordinated with U.S. creative strategy firm Product of Culture, which previously worked with WIF India at Cannes.

“Our collaboration with Women in Film India for TIFF 2025 is part of a long-term vision that goes beyond a single festival – it’s about building momentum to spotlight Indian filmmakers, expand distribution opportunities, and secure global recognition for their work,” said Archana Misra Jain, CEO of Product of Culture.

The selection window is now open with an expert jury of industry professionals evaluating submissions. Winners will be revealed after Aug. 20, with the TIFF delegation traveling to Toronto in September.

Each of the six chosen projects will send two representatives – one female filmmaker plus an additional team member – creating a 12-person cohort. The program covers festival accreditation, travel expenses, and accommodation for a five-day conference experience.

Beyond basic festival access, participants will receive mentorship opportunities and introductions to international co-producers, festival programmers, and sales representatives.

“We are seeking passionate film projects led by women of Indian origin,” Monga Kapoor added. “Selected filmmakers will get to shape their projects through immersive incubation and receive unprecedented exposure to TIFF’s coveted programming. This is a bold and necessary step towards greater exposure and representation of women in cinema and storytelling.”

Eligible teams must include at least one woman and demonstrate previous filmmaking experience through released work across any format – theatrical films, shorts, series, or digital platform content.

Applicants need WIF India membership and registration with the government’s WAVES portal. The submission package requires multiple components including pitch materials, biographical information, work samples, and legal documentation.

Projects may be submitted at any development phase. Those still in pre-production must provide proof of script registration with the Screen Writers Association, while completed films require producer authorization.

The initiative welcomes filmmakers working across India’s multiple languages and regional industries.

JINGDEZHEN, China, Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Taoxichuan Art Center officially launches the 2026 “Migratory Birds Project” international artists residency program, open to domestic and foreign artists (including, but not limited to, pottery, glass, wood art, etc.) who wish to explore the profound ceramic culture of the birthplace of porcelain.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

As one of China’s most influential international artist residency platforms, Taoxichuan Art Center has hosted thousands of artists from 56 countries and regions since its establishment. During their residency, artists not only receive professional creative support but also have the opportunity to participate in Taoxichuan’s regularly held art exhibitions, academic lectures, salons, and industry forums.

Taoxichuan Art Center features four dedicated residency spaces: Jingdezhen International Studio, Taoxichuan Glass Studio, S3 Art Tribe and S4 Art Soho. Jingdezhen International Studio specializes in ceramic art creation and cultural exchange, offering global artists a unique platform for creative exploration and collaboration. Taoxichuan Glass Studio is fully equipped with professional equipment to support various glass techniques, including the glassblowing, kiln casting, lampworking, mosaic glass, and other series of processes. S3 Art Tribe includes 10 separate studio space, lecture independent, shared pottery room (Throwing), glazing and electric kiln room, shared laundry room, and an open space. S4 Art Soho blends creation, exhibition and leisure into a multifunctional space.

In addition, Spring and Autumn Art Fair is Taoxichuan’s key brand event, held twice a year in spring and autumn respectively. First launched in October 2017, Spring and Autumn Art Fair has been held 10 times successfully, attracting hundreds of artists, designers and craftsmen from around the world. Beyond providing professional exhibition space for creators, the event helps artists realize the commercial value of their works.

2025 Spring and Autumn Art Fair (Autumn Fair) will be grandly held in Taoxichuan, Jingdezhen on October 17, 2025. During the event, China Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo, thematic exhibitions, art markets, and a series of academic activities will be held concurrently, establishing a comprehensive platform for global artists.

The application deadline for 2026 “Migratory Birds Project” international artists residency program is November 15, 2025. Review result will be announced on December 10, 2025 via Jingdezhen International Studio official website: http://www.jingdezhenstudio.com/.

Bob Odenkirk says his early years writing on Saturday Night Live gave him a valuable lesson on what not to do in a writers’ room. Speaking on a recent episode of Variety’s Know Their Lines, Odenkirk explained that he and collaborator David Cross deliberately built a more open environment when they launched HBO’s Mr. Show in 1995.

Odenkirk recalled that as a young writer at SNL, it was “very easy” for newcomers to have their sketches dismissed by veteran staffers before they had a chance to properly pitch the idea. “Everything that I learned at SNL that I never got to use when I wrote on SNL, I used to make Mr. Show,” he said. Those experiences directly shaped the creative philosophy he carried into Mr. Show.

When he and Cross created the HBO sketch comedy series, they made it a rule not to reject ideas outright. “You have to talk about everything,” Odenkirk explained. “You have to fully understand the writer’s idea before you let it go. So it was a good thing to learn what not to do from Saturday Night Live.” The approach paid off, as Mr. Show became a cult favorite known for its experimental style.

Running for 30 episodes across four seasons until 1998, the series earned four Emmy nominations and featured a cast that included Tom Kenny, John Ennis, Jay Johnston, Paul F. Tompkins, Jill Talley, and Brett Paesel alongside Odenkirk and Cross.

Even now, as Odenkirk balances acting and producing—most recently attending the Los Angeles premiere of Nobody 2 on August 11—he continues to credit SNL for shaping his collaborative outlook. By ensuring writers have the chance to fully present their material, he and Cross fostered what Odenkirk described as an atmosphere of “incredible freedom.”

We sent Terence the script for Song for Marion, and he just turned up at the office. He buzzed the door and said: “Is Paul there?” There was a new person working in our office at the time, and she said: “No, no one’s in at the minute. Who’s calling?” He said: “It’s Terence Stamp.” And then she was like: “Well, he’s not here, shall I leave a message?” She didn’t invite him up or anything. She left him standing there. And he didn’t give a shit about that, to be honest.

Me, Terence and Gemma Arterton, who played the music teacher in Song for Marion, went to lunch at a vegan cafe in Shoreditch. His character, Arthur, was someone who loved his wife (played by Vanessa Redgrave), and would do anything for her, but always moaned, was always cantankerous, and found it very difficult to show any form of love to his son.

He was someone who I based on my grandad, and bits of my dad. When his wife dies, it’s Gemma’s character who brings him out of his shell a bit, and encourages him to sing.

We were talking about this character and he looked at me like I was talking in French. I stopped and said: “Well, you can always just wing it.” He went, “Yeah, let’s wing it.”

Working with him, I learned that veteran actors do like to be talked to, in terms of being directed. I also learned, without him telling me, that he had insecurities as well. When I met him, the first thing he said was: “I’m only going to do one take. That’s it.” But then when you got to know him, he was like, “Oh, don’t be silly.” He had his bravado.

But he was a very underrated, very understated actor. When he sang Lullabye by Billy Joel in the film, he broke everyone. It was obviously very good, but it was so sad.

As a kid, I loved him as the baddie in the amazing Superman and Superman II. He’s good at frustration. He punches his hands in rage at one point. When we were shooting Song for Marion, I remember him coming over to give me a massage, because I’d said my back was sore. I’ve never been in more pain in my life. He was not the most tender of men.

Terence was super, super fit. During filming, I went to the apartment where he was staying. He had this set of rotating press-up handles. They’re on the ground, and you put your hands on them, and as you go, you can turn them. He said: “Go on, do one.” I was like, “Fucking hell, I don’t know if I can.” He did loads, and I did one. I was in the peak of health, about 39 years old. He was 74 when he did Song for Marion.

He was so healthy. He didn’t drink. He didn’t do any bad stuff at all. He was supposed to eat a chocolate bar in the film, and we had to swap it for a carob date bar, otherwise he wouldn’t touch it.

We always used to go to a place on Berwick Street for tea – a herbal tea, because I thought he’d really like that. He had this blue carrier bag with him. In it, he had his script and a load of raw beetroot and carrots. He said: “I’m going to make a wicked salad: beetroot, carrot, that’s it. A bit of vinegar – gorgeous.” That’s what I remember.

When we made Song for Marion, he was obviously still known. He had just done The Adjustment Bureau, and he had done Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey, which wasn’t a massive hit, but it was a really respected film. I didn’t expect him to like this kind of script, because it was more commercial in terms of the story itself. But we talked about the fact that it reminded him very much of the relationship he had with his father. The troubles he had with his dad were not dissimilar to his relationship with Christopher Eccleston in the film. There was a jealousy of the mum’s attention.

We were the closing night film at the Toronto film festival. Terence was there, and behind him was his younger brother, Chris, who had managed the Who. Chris was crying his eyes out, and Terence was very comforting towards him, because they recognised their old man.

He did like to talk about himself. I’ll give him that. He would always go on about how big guys in gyms would beg him to say: “Kneel before Zod.” He told me, obviously, about going off to India, about how he was absolutely broke and he had to borrow coins to call his agent to find out about Superman. He’d tell stories about him and Jim Morrison. The thing is, he did have an amazingly interesting life.

He was low-key, but when he put a suit on, he looked good. He is possibly the best looking man I’ve worked with. My old drama teacher came to our screening at the London film festival, and the first thing he said to her was that she had wonderful shoes. She’s still dining out on that.

He was the most charming grump I’ve ever met. He was great to work with, but he was such a moaner. Then he would smile, and you’d think, he knew what he was doing.

Chaotic footage was captured Saturday night at Rose Bowl Stadium of a man brutally beating a woman in the stands during a Rüfüs Du Sol concert. Other concertgoers expressed shock over the incident, and some attendees said they were concerned about crowd control and safety measures at the sold-out show.

The video, shared by festival news platform Festive Owl, shows a man knocking a woman to the ground and repeatedly throwing punches at her while other attendees try to pull him back.

“This man punched me in the face, knocking me out and causing significant bleeding, while he continued attacking our group,” the woman wrote in a message shared by Festive Owl. She is asking for the public’s help in identifying the man after the attack, which took place in Section 12-H, Row 20 at the venue.

The victim said the man became agitated after a drink was accidentally spilled on him. According to the woman, he then yelled that the spill was intentional and stormed off before returning 30 minutes later screaming and threatening violence.

“I tried to calm the situation and apologized again — and the next thing I remember I woke up in a medical tent an hour later and missed the entire show,” the woman wrote.

The Australian electronic music trio said in a statement shared on social media Monday night that they were heartbroken to hear about the act of violence that took place during the opening act of their show. They encouraged anyone with information on the incident to contact the Pasadena Police Department.

“This type of behavior is completely unacceptable anywhere and the fact that this happened at one of our shows was devastating to hear about,” the group wrote. “Local law enforcement is actively investigating the situation.”

The concert organizers were criticized on social media, with fans complaining about long lines, the packed venue and poor crowd control, with some citing fears that it could have turned into a tragedy similar to the fatal crowd crush at 2021 Astroworld.

“It was honestly out of control. It was a circus. It was not safe, and I’m very angry,” a concertgoer identified as Derek told NBC4 News.

Christina Molina told KTLA News that the venue was so packed people were watching the show from the walkway.

“I literally had people pressed up against my back, all of them blocking that entire walkway,” she told the station. “Crowd control was nonexistent.”

Meghan Markle left upset after Hollywood’s mega star, Taylor Swift, overshadowed the former working royal with her latest announcement.

For the unversed, the Duchess of Sussex marked her return to social media by releasing the much-awaited trailer of With Love, Meghan’s second season, on August 12.

Taking to Instagram, Meghan shared a video showcasing herself and a series of celebrity guests enjoying the kitchen tips and tricks.

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s mother captioned the post, “The best moments are made to be shared [gold-sparkle emoji] With Love, Meghan returns August 26th on @netflix.”

On August 13, the unexpected guest appeared on Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce’s podcast, New Heights, and it was none other than the globally renowned pop star.

She announced her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, breaking records for views on social media.

Now, Express reported that a royal commentator, Rob Shuter, revealed the Duchess of Sussex’s sadness as the attention was diverted from her show’s trailer to Swift’s new album.

As per an insider, “Meghan thought her trailer would own the news cycle.”

“Then Taylor’s announcement came in like a wrecking ball. Meghan’s convinced it wasn’t just bad luck,” the source added.

Meghan saw the trailer of the second season “as her comeback moment, then Taylor took all the oxygen out of the room.”

It is important to note that Taylor Swift is on good terms with Meghan Markle’s estranged brother-in-law, Prince William, which might be the reason behind the Duchess of Sussex’s bitter reaction.

Severance star Adam Scott has recently made honest admission about nearly quitting Hollywood back in the day.

The actor made an appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast where Adam revealed that he almost gave up acting after losing the role of David Fisher on HBO’s Six Feet Under to Michael C. Hall.

“It’s good that I didn’t get it because it wouldn’t be nearly as good if I had done it because he was perfect and incredible,” gushed the 52-year-old.

While speaking of Michael C, the Big Little Lies actor said, “He’s incredible, and I wasn’t ready.”

Elaborating on how close Adam was to getting the role, the Madame Web actor responded, “He and I tested for it.”

The Parks and Recreation star then stated, “That hurts.”

“It was the one where I was like, ‘I might stop doing this. I think that it’s time for me to read the tea leaves and walk away,’” mentioned Adam.

The Good Place actor further said that it’s particularly “painful” considering it was “the show” of the early 2000s, and “eclipsed all other shows” at the time of its release.

Reflecting on how the series “eclipsed all other shows” when it aired from 2001-05, Adam added, “It was the show.”

However, Adam appeared as a guest star in season two as the young David brother’s (Michael) boyfriend.

The actor added that the experience was “fun” and Michael was “lovely,”.

“But yeah, that was a blow. That was hard. But it’s also important that you have those experiences,” he concluded.

CJ ENM is betting big on global music expansion with a new joint venture that pairs the Korean entertainment powerhouse with Japanese advertising giant Hakuhodo Inc.

The companies have formed Chapter-I, a JV focused on creating music intellectual properties designed for international audiences beyond Asia. The venture name symbolizes “the first chapter where dreams begin,” representing a fresh creative direction for both partners.

The collaboration will combine CJ ENM’s track record in music content creation and talent development through its MCS (Music Creative eco-System) with Hakuhodo’s data-driven market solutions and marketing expertise. The partnership aims to drive industry innovation through new audition formats that cater to evolving audience preferences across diverse markets.

Chapter-I’s inaugural project will be “Unpretty Rapstar: Hip Pop Princess,” a Korea-Japan co-production survival show slated to premiere in October. The program represents a global expansion of Mnet’s “Unpretty Rapstar” franchise, which debuted in 2015 as Korea’s first female rapper competition series.

The new iteration will unite the creative teams behind both “Unpretty Rapstar” and the hit dance competition “Street Woman Fighter” with Hakuhodo’s marketing prowess to scout versatile global artists skilled in rap, dance and music production.

But the venture’s ambitions extend well beyond television production. Chapter-I plans to encompass talent development, music production, content distribution, live performances and merchandising — positioning itself as a player in the global music ecosystem.

The joint venture forms a cornerstone of CJ ENM’s 2025 global music business roadmap, which revolves around three strategic pillars: Global Label, Global Content and Global Platforms. The initiative is designed to cement CJ ENM’s position in the international music industry while accelerating K-pop’s worldwide expansion.

As CJ ENM celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025, the company continues to reshape K-culture’s global footprint across multiple entertainment verticals. The entertainment conglomerate’s portfolio spans Oscar winner “Parasite,” Tony-winning musicals including “Kinky Boots,” hit series “Queen of Tears,” and music competition format “I Can See Your Voice.”

CJ ENM also manages rising K-pop act Zerobaseone and operates major cultural events including KCON, the world’s largest K-pop fan festival, and the MAMA Awards.

Founded in 1895, Hakuhodo brings more than a century of advertising and marketing expertise. The Tokyo-based company assists clients across Japan and international markets with creative solutions spanning advertising, management consulting and social impact initiatives.

Actor Kit Connor has given fans an early glimpse into the Heartstopper movie, sharing a mix of humor and candor about life on set. Speaking with fellow actor Louis Partridge in an interview for VMAN 55, Connor revealed that the production has already included both physically demanding and emotionally charged moments.

“I was doing rugby training today … [I’m always doing] some kind of throwing myself on the ground,” Connor explained, describing the intense athletic rehearsals. He then added with a laugh, “We shot quite a steamy scene yesterday. So again, throwing myself on the ground in a different way.”

Connor, best known for his role as Nick Nelson in Netflix’s acclaimed LGBTQ+ coming-of-age series, is now reprising the character for the feature-length adaptation. His comments highlight the blend of athletic training, romance, and vulnerability that has defined the story since its debut.

The discussion took place as part of Partridge’s cover feature for VMAN’s Fall 2025 issue. While the two reflected on sudden fame and career milestones, Connor also offered insight into what audiences can expect from the upcoming film. Partridge, meanwhile, spoke about his own projects, including Netflix’s House of Guinness and Enola Holmes 3.

Connor’s remarks offer a rare behind-the-scenes perspective, suggesting that the film will carry forward the emotional intensity and authenticity that made the series a global hit. With production underway, anticipation is already building as fans await the moment Heartstopper makes its leap from small screen success to cinematic storytelling.

On Tuesday, fashion house Louis Vuitton unveiled its modern debut makeup collection, La Beauté Louis Vuitton, designed in partnership with the famed makeup artist Pat McGrath, originally teased in March. The range includes 55 lipsticks and 10 lip balms at $160 each and eight eyeshadow palettes, priced at $250. The line will launch on Aug. 20 in China, followed by a worldwide digital pre-launch on Aug. 25; it will then be available from Aug. 29 online and in select Louis Vuitton stores globally.

The range has all the trappings of luxury, incorporating elements of the fashion house’s Monogram and Damier motifs in packaging created by the industrial designer Konstantin Grcic, known for his conceptual furniture pieces. Refills are $69 and $92 for lips and eyes respectively. (Circularity is, of course, another luxury.) A range of small leather goods, including a lipstick pouch and a wallet to house blotting papers, will also be available; the eyeshadows are imbued with ingredients like camellia oil, while the lip balms use an upcycled mimosa wax sourced from the perfumery district of Grasse in France.

La Beauté Louis Vuitton is not a complete outlier in terms of price. Fellow LVMH stablemates Dior launched a special edition lipstick priced at $500 in 2023, the same year Guerlain released its limited fragrance at an eyewatering $27,000. And of course, Louis Vuitton’s existing perfume range starts at $350, with an ultra-premium range called Louis Vuitton Les Extraits Collection from $670.

But at $160 for a permanent collection of lipsticks or balms, it’s almost twice the price of Hermés Silky Lipstick, $80, which raised elegantly shaped eyebrows when it debuted in 2020, and blows past The ($113) Precious Lipstick from Japanese brand Clé de Peau Beauté, often the ne plus ultra of price.

“There’s always going to be a market for a desirable heritage asset,” said Marigay McKee, co-founder of beauty brand incubator Violet Lab and former chief merchant at Harrods and Saks Fifth Avenue. “[Louis] Vuitton has waited such a long time to offer cosmetics that customers are terribly excited… The heritage is there. But quality has to be there, not just the aesthetic.”

Louis Vuitton’s choice to launch the products at such a premium price represents something of a divergence from the traditional designer beauty playbook. Historically, while still pricier than their mass or masstige counterparts, products from the likes of Chanel or YSL Beauté are priced at a more accessible level than their leather goods or fashion lines. A standard Dior lipstick, for example, is around $47.

Many premium beauty brands are finding it harder to grow their sales as price-sensitive customers trade down to cheaper alternatives or reduce their purchase frequency. According to The State of Fashion: Beauty Volume 2 report by The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company, 63 percent of consumers do not consider premium brands to be higher performing than mass brands, and 24 percent of customers have traded down to cheaper products in the last 12 months.

With a price tag that will deter many customers, Louis Vuitton is more able to focus on what it clearly identifies as its core customer: the ultra-wealthy.

Who Wants to Spend $160 on Lipstick?

Much like in the luxury fashion world, the prices of prestige beauty products have tracked up since the end of 2021, with companies taking advantage of new pockets of wealth and renewed interest in categories like skincare and fragrance.

However, customers have become increasingly attuned to value for money. Lower-priced brands such as E.l.f. Beauty and Kiko Milano, while not necessarily direct competitors with fashion house brands, have proven they can compete on performance. McKee said that Louis Vuitton’s competition is in some ways more artistry-led brands than fashion house brands — the likes of Westman Atelier and Fara Homidi, and even Victoria Beckham Beauty, which has become arguably more popular than its clothing enterprise. Pat McGrath also has her own prestige line, Pat McGrath Labs, which offers weighty $128 eyeshadow palettes and $69 foundation.

“[Louis Vuitton] is up against the expertise of the best makeup artists in the world,” said McKee. “Some people will just pay for the branding, but it can’t just be hype. The product has to live up to the expectation, or they’ll only have good sales at launch.”

The line will likely benefit from the operational muscle of its parent company.

While lines such as YSL Beauté and Gucci are crafted via license agreements with conglomerates like L’Oréal and Coty respectively, within its parent company LVMH, Louis Vuitton is able to utilise the same capabilities that power the likes of Dior and Benefit Cosmetics.

Distribution will be another piece of the puzzle. While the line will be initially available only in Louis Vuitton’s owned retail stores, where its presence and visual merchandising can be tightly controlled, some extension into speciality or department stores will likely be necessary to scale up and become a meaningful part of the company’s revenue: Hermés has subsequently entered the likes of Macy’s and Nordstrom after initially being available only in its own stores. McKee said she expects the company will still control it meticulously: “It’s going to be a long-term game of chess, not a quick game of checkers,” she said.

In a press release, McGrath acknowledged the exacting nature of luxury beauty.

“I have always been obsessed with the smallest of details: the perfection needed in product texture, the precise application methods… how products should make you feel,” she said.

“I always like to push boundaries with makeup — and this métier is no different.”

Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your complimentary, must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis.

Disclosure: LVMH is part of a group of investors who, together, hold a minority interest in The Business of Fashion. All investors have signed shareholders’ documentation guaranteeing BoF’s complete editorial independence.