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Exclusive: Vision Films’ CEO and Managing Director Lise Romanoff has closed a deal with Andrei Bocharnikov of Ukraine’s Festivals Cinema to theatrically release six films in the region—the goal being to provide a little respite, distraction and hope for all those in the country who are struggling, amid Russia’s invasion.

Festivals Cinema, based in Kharkiv, will first exhibit Paul Schneider’s inspirational family drama Just Another Dream, starring Kristy Swanson and Dean Cain, and produced by Charles Franz. It will then release the sci-fi pic Alpha Code, starring Denise Richards, which Keoni Waxman directed with Milan Friedrich producing. Thrillers 7th Secret and Seal of Desire will follow, along with the documentaries Queen Elizabeth II: Her Glorious Reign and Prince Philip: The Man Behind the Throne.

Festivals Cinema will also expand its theatrical release of Tango Shalom to Poland, with full support of the filmmakers. The film, which...

The annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival has returned, again in a virtual format, March 6 -13 but shifted to a new spring season instead of its previous summer slot. Being virtual means all the exciting lineup of films, including documentaries on an array of subjects plus comedy and drama narrative films, are available to view anytime during the festival, through March 13, from the comfort of your own home. For tickets and more information, visit their website https://jccstl.com/arts-ideas/st-louis-jewish-film-festival.

The 27th annual festival, which is virtual like the last two, has an array of 13 international and U.S. films with Jewish themes, with five outstanding documentaries on varied topics, and eight engrossing narrative features including dramas, comedies, historical films and thrillers, plus a trio of enticing discussions and a pre-festival bonus short film, “Touch the Sky,” which is available to stream starting Jan. 17.

Countries represented include Israel, France,...

Karina Smirnoff hasn’t been on “Dancing with the Stars” in five years, but if she were to return, it would not be in pursuit of another Mirrorball trophy. “I would definitely enjoy judging,” Smirnoff told Parade.com. “I don’t know if I would go back as a dancer. I think there’s a right time in life for everything.”

The pro spent 18 seasons on “Dancing,” winning Season 13 with J.R. Martinez, and last competed on Season 22 in spring 2016 with Doug Flutie, where they finished in ninth place. Smirnoff, who stars in the new film “Tango Shalom,” left when her contract was up to return to the world of competitive dancing.

See ‘Dancing with the Stars’ recap: Queen Night

“I felt like I needed to go back to the competitive industry, if it was to judge, to coach, to do lectures, to do shows. So, the last few seasons of the show,...

After its record-shattering Labor Day weekend debut, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is set to rule the box office in its second weekend. The latest Marvel superhero movie has exceeded expectations, and there was a collective sigh of relief for the industry after over a month of disappointing box office returns. With confirmation that a blockbuster is still possible in the current environment, as well as the appearance that the current Covid-19 wave may be turning around, the future of the box office is finally looking brighter, even though the month of September is light on major releases. It has certainly given Sony some confidence, as they have moved forward the release date of Venom: Let There Be Carnage by two weeks to October 1.

Shang-Chi is the year’s second best opening weekend after Black Widow, but with its Labor Day holiday gross it was able to pull ahead,...

Tango Shalom, where a female tango dancer (Dancing with the Stars champion Karina Smirnoff) invites an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi (Jos Laniado) to enter a televised dance competition, was an arthouse standout this weekend with a per screen average of over $4,000 at four theaters in New York and LA. The solid performance in a generally dour specialty market shows the power of older demos when they want to come out, nudged in this case by a targeted postcard mailing blitz, according to Atlas Distribution President Harmon Kaslow.

Tango Shalom is distributed worldwide by Vision Films with Atlas managing U.S. theatrical.

Kaslow thinks the comedy, directed by Gabriel Bologna with a sweet message and a star (Lainie Kazan) and producer (Joel Zwick) from the 2002 breakout hit My Big, Fat Greek Wedding, also benefitted from an exclusive theatrical run. Distributors have been noting the one-two boon of a decent window (60 days in...

A glum arthouse market may be entering a gateway weekend into happier days after months of distributors — with rare exceptions — pulling out their hair at dismal per-screens averages. That’s because festival buzz is mounting for film after film – from Card Counter, Dune and Spencer, to King Richard and Cyrano.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Dear Evan Hansen open in theaters on Sept, 17 and Sept. 24 after Toronto premieres. Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch from Cannes rolls out Oct. 22. Warner Bros’ Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark has an Oct. 1 release date. Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast has a Nov. 12 theatrical date after a world premiere in Toronto (and a glimpse at Telluride.)

It’s like the Marvel Cinematic Universe of arthouses, films set to give a bump to a specialty...

South and West Asian films make up the entirety of this years Brooklyn Film Festival’s (Bff) Asian film line-up. As with the rest of their programme, the festival has a good mix of movies. Of the features spanning from Turkey to Syria to Nepal, some are East Coast premieres; some US; some even world. While the standard Asia-based narratives persist, the festival also leans into modern-day trends to feature more diaspora narratives. Notably, of these entries, almost half of them (3 out of 7) highlight Muslim or Islam-influenced narratives.

Earlier this week, the Brooklyn Film Festival announced the film lineup for its 24th edition, “The Clearing.” The 2021 edition will feature 36 World Premieres, 28 USA bows, 34 east coast debuts, and 25 first-time screenings in NY. In total, Bff will show in competition 147 features and shorts from 35 countries. The full lineup includes 13 narrative features and 9 documentary features highlighted in this release. The festival will also present 39 narrative shorts,...

Karina Smirnoff of “Dancing With the Stars” is set to co-star in the indie comedy “Tango Shalom,” TheWrap has learned. Gabriel Bologna is directing from a script by Joseph Bologna and Claudio Laniado. The writers are also part of the ensemble, which also includes Lainie Kazan and Renee Taylor. Jos Laniado stars as Moshe, a Hasidic Jew who receives a cryptic message from God to dance the tango, after which he struggles with his beliefs, his family and his community. Also Read: 'Dancing With the Stars' Pro Karina Smirnoff Sits Out Season 20 Smirnoff will play Viviana, a pretty tango instructor who oozes.