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Toronto, Sep 18 (IANS) Steven Spielberg's autobiographical coming-of-age story 'The Fabelmans' took home the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). This is seen as a major boost to the film's awards season chances, reports 'Variety'.

TIFF's People's Choice Award is among the most reliable predictors of eventual Oscar success. In past years, winners such as 'Green Book' and 'Nomadland' went on to not only get nominated, but also capture the best picture prize at the Academy Awards, notes 'Variety'.

Other recipients, including 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri', 'La La Land' and 'Jojo Rabbit', were major forces during awards season.

At this year's festival, the first runner-up for the top audience award was Sarah Polley's drama 'Women Talking', while the second runner-up was Rian Johnson's whodunit starring Daniel Craig, 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery'.

All films in TIFF's official selection, notes 'Variety', are eligible for the People's Choice Award, which is voted on by the viewing public. The prize for Midnight Madness went to 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' and the Documentary Award went to 'Black Ice'.

'Variety' adds that after two years of virtual premieres or limited capacity screenings, the film festival, which ran from September 8 to September 18, returned in force. The 47th annual gathering of cinema lovers concluded with Mary Harron's 'Daliland', a biopic about the late, great, surrealist artist Salvador Dali.

Other films that premiered at TIFF include Viola Davis and director Gina Prince-Bythewood's historical epic 'The Woman King', the Harry Styles-led romantic drama 'My Policeman' and Billy Eichner's romantic comedy 'Bros'.

--IANS
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Srinagar, Sep 18 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir's Lt Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated multipurpose cinema halls in Pulwama and Shopian districts on Sunday.

"Today is a historic day for J&K UT. Multipurpose Cinema Halls at Pulwama and Shopian will offer facilities ranging from movie screening, infotainment and skilling of youth," he said.

Students, youths and people from all walks of life gathered at the new multipurpose cinema halls at Drussu Pulwama and MC Shopian to witness the event.

Establishment of cinemas at district headquarters has been undertaken by the government's Mission Youth Department in collaboration with the district administration.

Cinema halls in Anantnag, Srinagar, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Kishtwar, and Reasi will be inaugurated soon.

The Lt Governor dedicated the multipurpose cinema halls of Pulwama and Shopian to the people, especially the younger generation of Kashmir who have waited for a long time for this moment.

He shared the government's vision to establish similar multipurpose cinema halls in every district of the UT under Mission Youth.

"Cinema is a powerful creative medium which reflects culture, values and aspirations of the people. It opens the door to the world of knowledge, new discoveries, enables people to get a better understanding of each-other's culture," he said.

J&K has a long association with the world of cinema. The new film policy and facilities created has once again made J&K the favourite shooting destination and brought back the golden era of film-making in the UT, Sinha said.

--IANS
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Incheon, Sep 18 (IANS) With his shining Emmy statuette in hand, "Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae received a hero's welcome home here on Sunday, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Lee arrived at Incheon International Airport with dozens of fans celebrating his historic honour at America's most prestigious awards for TV programming.

At the 74th edition of the Primetime Emmy Awards held this past Monday, Lee won outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his performance in the global phenomenon "Squid Game", becoming the first non-English-speaking actor winning the category.

Lee's Emmy victory was widely predicted, as he has won best actor prizes at major award shows, including the Critics Choice Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

"I had talks with many people and discussed ways to help Korean content gain access to global viewers," he told reporters. "I will do my best to promote Korean content and join overseas productions to make quality content."

After the Emmys, Lee participated in the Toronto International Film Festival, where his directorial debut, "Hunt", had its North American premiere on Thursday. It will be released stateside in December.

The spy thriller film was first shown at the Cannes Film Festival in May and hit Korean screens last month, attracting 4.3 million viewers so far.

Lee said he will continue his career as an actor, director, and producer at home and abroad in a bid to contribute to making Korean content more acceptable to global audiences.

He is reportedly cast in the male lead role for an upcoming "Star Wars" spin-off series.

"I will keep making films and producing them as well if I'm given a chance. Of course, I have to do my acting well," Lee said. "I think we need to do something more to help Korean content become globally accepted."

Written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the nine-part Netflix original about a deadly contest bagged six Emmy titles, which included best director for Hwang and best drama series actor for Lee, becoming the first non-English TV show ever to win America's most prestigious TV awards.

--IANS
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Mumbai, Sep 18 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan asked 'Kaun Banega Crorepati 14' contestant Kavita Chawla why a cheque for Rs 3,20,000 meant so much to her after she expressed her joy over getting it.

Chawla, who went on to become the reality quiz show's first 'crorepati' this season, said in her answer to him that she was once earning Rs 20 a day once and now, using her intelligence, she was getting that substantial amount in a matter of just a few hours.

Bachchan then said that she was endowed with 'gyaan ki hakti' -- her "superpower" was her knowledge.

The contestant said: "Till date, this is my first big earning which I have now received on the stage of 'KBC'. I remember there was a time when I would work on my sewing machine for eight hours and for those hours I would only get Rs 20 in a day. From Rs 20 to Rs 3,20,000, it has taken me 30 years to reach this milestone."

Chawla is a homemaker from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The 45-year-old contestant told the host that she shares a close bond with her son Vivek and wants to spend the amount she wins on his education. She will attempt the Rs 7.5 crore question on September 19 and September 20.

'KBC 14' airs on Sony Entertainment Television.

--IANS
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Chennai, Sep 18 (IANS) Actor Satyadev's upcoming Telugu film, tentatively being referred to as "Satyadev 26", will be a crime story and will have plenty of action sequences, if one is to go by what sources in the industry say.

The actor, who has made a name for himself in the Telugu film industry with his choice of scripts, is believed to have signed an interesting project with a novel story for his next.

The film, whcih is being directed Eashvar Karthic, who is best known for his film "Penguin", is to be produced by Old Town Pictures.

"It's a straight Telugu movie. The movie will be launched soon. The multi-starrer movie will also feature another well-known actor in the other lead role," says a source.

Bala Sundaram and Dinesh Sundaram are producing the movie, which will have cinematography by Manikantan Krishnamachary and music by Charan Raj.

Anil Krish will edit the movie for which dialogues are by Meeraqh.

--IANS
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Chennai, Sep 18 (IANS) Telugu actor Sandeep Kishen, who has been roped in for director Arun Matheeswaran's upcoming film 'Captain Miller' featuring Dhanush in the lead, says that he is pleased to be a part of the "incredibly ambitious film".

Soon after the production house welcomed him on board the project, Sundeep took to social media to express his happiness.

He wrote, "Pleased to be a part of the incredibly ambitious 'Captain Miller'. Honoured to be working alongside a man of mammoth talent and a constant source of inspiration -- Dhanush K Raja anna. Thank the genius Arun Matheshwaran and dear Sathya Jyothi Films for bringing this crazy part to me. Jai Hind."

When director Arun Matheeswaran welcomed the actor to his cast, tweeting, "Super thrilled to have you on board brother," Sundeep replied, "The feeling is mutual dear brother. Looking forward to watching you spin your magic on set."

'Captain Miller', which is to be made on a grand scale, is a period film set in the 1930s-40s and will be released simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

--IANS
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Chennai, Sep 18 (IANS) Shruti Haasan's single "She Is A Hero", which throws light on the struggles and triumphs of women, has been receiving immense love from audiences.

In less than a few days of its release, "She Is A Hero" has already crossed a million views and is showing no signs of slowing down.

"She Is A Hero" brings together varied artists and a mix of genres, all with one aim- to celebrate women. The video of the song features girls from the NGO Shiksha Seva Foundation, which has made this track all the more special.

The track has been produced by Karan Kanchan and Karan Parikh while visual artist Santanu Hazarika dons the creative director's hat for this special track.

Screenwriter and lyricist Niranjan Iyengar has penned the additional Hindi lyrics for Shruti's part.

Commenting on the track, Shruti had previously tweeted, "She is a Hero is our ode to powerful stories of women all across the globe who go above and beyond in everything they do, regardless of the domain, with empathy, elegance and fortitude."

--IANS
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Mumbai, Sep 18 (IANS) 'Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma' fame Raj Anadkat and 'Naagin' star Adaa Khan will share the screen space for the latest music video, 'Ho Gaya Hai Naal Tere Pyar', sung by Rajdeep Chatterjee.

The romantic number is all about how exciting being in love can be.

Talking about being part of the music video and working with Adaa, Raj said: "I am super excited for my second song, 'Ho Gaya Hai Naal Tere Pyar'. It's my second song with Ramji. It was fun shooting in Dubai. I worked with Adaa Khan for the first time and it was a good experience. I am sure people will fall in love with our new song."

He also expressed his gratitude to his fans for making his first song 'Sorry Sorry' a hit.

"Thanks to all my fans for making my first song a super hit. It has crossed 21 million views and is still counting. I want everyone to show more and more love for my second song too and make it a super duper hit. I can't wait to share this song with them," he said.

Adda added: "'Ho Gaya Hai Naal Tere Pyar' has a feeling everyone has felt at some point of time. It has a very youthful melody. I had a great time shooting for the song. I would like to thank each and every person for making this song so beautiful."

Music composer and director Ramji Gulati said: "'Ho Gaya Hai Naal Tere Pyar' is all about that feeling when you don't want the day to end so you'll never have to part with the person you like. That rush of freedom when you love someone - that's what makes it so special."

"If you have ever fallen in love, 'Ho Gaya Hai Naal Tere Pyar' is your song. Working with Ramji was a great experience. His knack for music is outstanding. Raj and Adaa have done full justice to the song. No one could have performed the song better than them," said Rajdeep.

Penned by Moody Akkhar and produced by Jitin Agarwal and Rajesh Talesara, the song will be out on September 19.

--IANS
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Chennai, Sep 18 (IANS) If rumours doing the rounds in the industry are to be believed, Naseeruddin Shah is to play the lead in the Hindi remake of director Ratheesh Raghunandan's Malayalam film "Udal".

The film, which was quite well received in Malayalam, is to be remade in Hindi by Malayalam production house Sree Gokulam movies.

In May, producer Gokulam Gopalan had announced the remake of "Udal" in Hindi. Sources say that the writer and director of "Udal", Ratheesh Raghunandan, will direct the Hindi version as well.

Santhosh Thundiyil will be the cinematographer of the Hindi version while the Malayalam version was shot by Manoj Pillai.

The story of "Udal" (Body), which featured Dhyan Sreenivasan, Durga Krishna and Indrans in the lead, happens in one night and revolves around a daughter-in-law, who has been taking care of her ailing mother-in-law.

--IANS
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Los Angeles, Sep 18 (IANS) Woody Allen has announced his retirement from filmmaking. in Europe to work on his 50th film, the maestro told Spanish newspaper 'La Vanguardia' that he intended to retire from making movies and to dedicate more time to writing during his twilight years, reports 'Variety'.

His final film is set in Paris and will be shot entirely in French in a couple of weeks. Allen described the film to be similar to 'Match Point'. It would be "exciting, dramatic and also very sinister."

Allen recently wrote his fifth collection of humour pieces, 'Zero Gravity', which will be published on September 27 by Alianza in Spain. In the US, it was published by Arcade and distributed by Simon & Schuster, notes 'Variety'.

Allen has been shooting more often in Europe as his support in the US has plunged given the abuse accusations against him. In 2020, he opened the San Sebastian Film Festival with 'Rifkin's Festival', shot in and around the tony city of San Sebastian. His relationship with the Basque provincial capital's festival goes back to 2004 when he premiered 'Melinda & Melinda' and in 2008 with the premiere of 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'.

Starring Elena Anaya, Louis Garrel and Gina Gershon, 'Rifkin's Festival' takes place during the fest, the most important in the Spanish-speaking world.

Curiously, adds 'Variety', Allen announced at the press conference marking the start of production on the film that he "never thought of retiring".

'Rifkin's Festival' was backed by Spanish media giant Mediapro, which also supported two of Allen's more successful films: 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona', which garnered Penelope Cruz her first Oscar, and 'Midnight in Paris'.

Amazon Studios shelved Allen's previous film 'A Rainy Day in New York' after accusing him of "sabotaging" the future of the film by his comments on the abuse accusations of his daughter Dylan Farrow. He sued them for $68 million, alleging a breach of contract. The dispute was later settled out of court.

Allen has had trouble with publishing houses as well. Hachette canceled the publication of his memoir 'Apropos of Nothing' after staff protests, but it was picked up by another publisher, Arcade.

--IANS
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