venice Says It's "Not Political." Then It Put a Gaza Documentary in Competition.
Venice spent this week insisting it isn't political, right after briefly canceling its own jury press conference and putting a Gaza documentary from the No Other Land team in competition for the Golden Lion. Here's what actually happened, and why the festival can't have it both ways.
Venice 2026: Actors Take Over the Director's Chair
Venice's 2026 lineup has a theme: movie stars want to direct. Casey Affleck, Robert Pattinson, and a Golden Lion for George Clooney headline a stacked Lido slate, but the festival still can't crack its own gender-parity promise.
VIFF Just Announced Its 2026 Lineup, and It's a Showcase of How Films Get Made Now
VIFF just revealed its 2026 lineup, and the throughline is impossible to miss: international co-production isn't a trend anymore, it's how films survive. From opening night's The Debut to a record slate of Indigenous films, here's what stood out from today's media event.
Spider-Man Broke the Record. The Odyssey Is Aging Better.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day just became the tenth all-time highest-grossing film. But its 60% second-weekend drop, compared to The Odyssey's 38%, says something more interesting about which movie audiences are actually still choosing to see.
Spider-Man Just Broke the All-Time Box Office Record — Without a Single IMAX Screen
Spider-Man: Brand New Day just set the all-time domestic opening weekend record — and it did it without a single IMAX screen in North America. Here's what that says about the theatrical model heading into 2027.
Gen Z Just Rewrote the Box Office — And Hollywood Isn't Ready
The Backrooms opened to $42M and beat Star Wars at the box office. Obsession held strong for a third week. Gen Z audiences are signaling a clear preference: authenticity and original IP over aging franchises. The real question is whether Hollywood will capitalize on the moment or mismanage it.
