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‘There was a lot of addiction and trauma in my family’: why Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon plays a perfect Judy Garland

As she takes on the icon in musical drama End of the Rainbow, Monsoon recalls a childhood spent watching Wizard of Oz on repeat – and explains why audiences are ready for trans performers in non-trans roles If these are strange times in America, they are particularly strange for Jinkx Monsoon, the 38-year-old actor, singer and drag artist who, since winning RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2013 and Drag Race All Stars in 2022, has become a huge breakout star. Monsoon, who has the white-lead-and-vinegar glamour of a 1930s movie star, has appeared on Broadway, at Carnegie Hall and in countless viral clips from Drag Race – and in other words is widely well known. And yet, she says, when she walks down the street in certain American cities, it is in a state of “not knowing if someone’s going to recognise me and be excited to see me, or recognise something about me and be hostile. It’s a really interesting dichotomy.” She lets out a huge laugh. “But it also keeps me humble, I gotta say.” We are back...

Cannes spotlight reverts to auteurs as Hollywood retreats from film festival

Absence of big US films heralds renewed focus on international cinema that underpins festival’s reputation For decades, Cannes has occupied a unique place in the cultural imagination – not just as the world’s most prestigious film festival, but as Hollywood’s most glamorous overseas outpost. From Grace Kelly on the Croisette, Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman at the Pulp Fiction premiere, Julia Roberts walking barefoot up the red carpet, to Tom Cruise shutting down the Riviera with fighter jets overhead, Hollywood has made its mark on Cannes. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/c3qdEQl via IFTTT

EXCLUSIVE: Vikram Bhatt ecstatic as his daughter Krishna is blessed with a baby boy: “She insisted on working on Haunted – Echoes Of The Past even while going into the OT…all the people who wished her ill have FAILED”

Krishna Bhatt, the daughter of Vikram Bhatt, was blessed with a baby boy on Monday, May 11. The same day, Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke to the director about how he feels about being a nana. Vikram Bhatt joked, “Yes, I am a nana now. Ab main dadagiri kar sakta hoon!” On a serious note, he said, “I am very tired. We didn’t sleep all night and we’ve been working all day. It hasn’t sunk in yet.” Krishna Bhatt is married to businessman Vedant Sarda. The couple tied the knot on June 11, 2023. When asked how the mother and son are doing, Vikram Bhatt replied, “Krishna and the baby both are fine. She insisted on working on Haunted – Echoes Of The Past even while going into the OT (Operation theatre). I call her ‘QC’ (Quality Check)! She always insists, ‘I want to see all the shots. Don’t okay anything without QC’.” Vikram continued, “I am happy for her. It wasn’t easy for a girl who spent her pregnancy running around. She was mentioned in the FIR, but thankfully, the chargesheet didn’t...

Queer as Punk review – joyous portrait of Malaysian LGBTQ+ rebels making noise

Yihwen Chen’s warm and galvanising documentary follows queer punk band Shh…Diam! as they battle discrimination with humour and raw energy For queer Malaysian punk band Shh … Diam!, every live gig is a small miracle. Their name translates as “Shut up!”, a powerful and defiant cry in a country rife with homophobia. Favouring distorted riffs, heavy drums and swaggering lyrics, the band’s powerful sound seeks to drown out the noise of prejudice and discrimination. Their courage, as well as their simple joie de vivre, thrum through Yihwen Chen’s documentary portrait. Shot over six years, the film charts the monumental changes undergone by the band members and their home nation. Always ready with a joke, lead singer and guitarist Faris is a proud trans man. Rejected by his own family, the charismatic performer finds a safe haven with his bandmates Yon and Yoyo, and their audience. Their songs turn up the volume on issues faced by the queer community, and also bristle with an anarchic sense o...

My Father’s Diaries review – haunting home-video excavates trauma of Srebrenica massacre

Ado Hasanović’s moving documentary transforms footage filmed during the Bosnian war into a devastating portrait of memory, survival and inherited grief For years, film-maker Ado Hasanović has wanted to ask his father, Bekir, about his harrowing experiences during the Bosnian war but their conversations usually ended with curt, abrupt answers that obscured rather than illuminated the past. Bekir might be uncommunicative, but his collection of self-taped films and diary entries recorded during the height of the conflict tells a different story. Culled from this powerful personal archive, Hasanović’s poignant documentary forges a dialogue not just with history, but also across generations. In 1993, along with two other friends, Bekir formed a film-making collective called John, Ben & Boys in the small mountain town of Srebrenica. As the war escalated, what began as a playful amateur exercise quickly transformed into intentional documentation, as if Bekir was already aware of the genoc...

Will Chief Minister Vijay bring back Tamil Nadu's 4 AM FDFS culture? Exhibitors make an EMOTIONAL appeal: "Early morning shows are the lifeline of cinemas"

There was a time when cinemas would screen just four shows a day, usually beginning around 11:30 am or 12 noon. But with the advent of multiplexes, the system changed. Exhibitors began experimenting with 9:00 am and 10:00 am shows, and the strategy worked. For high-profile releases, cinemas even started organizing shows earlier than that, at 8:00 am, 7:00 am and, in some cases, even at 5:00 am or 6:00 am. However, Tamil Nadu stands out as the only state where early-morning shows are tightly regulated. Here, the first regular show generally begins around 10:30 am or 11:00 am. For big-ticket releases, producers and distributors seek special permission from the state government, after which theatres are usually allowed to start shows from 9:00 am. However, shows at 4:00 am or even earlier have not been permitted in Tamil Nadu in recent times. The last major instance took place during the Pongal 2023 clash between Ajith Kumar’s Thunivu and Vijay’s Varisu. While Thunivu had shows beginning...

‘Forced to preserve a monument’: how the fate of Marilyn Monroe’s LA home became a legal saga

House where Monroe died, which hasn’t been occupied in seven years, is in limbo after current owners wanted to demolish it but were stopped by a public campaign Marilyn Monroe is said to have had more than 50 addresses in her lifetime, but only once, in the final months before she died from a drug overdose at the age of 36, did she have a house she could call fully her own. The Hollywood star, burned out by the failure of her marriage to the playwright Arthur Miller and by health problems that prompted a year-long hiatus from acting, bought herself a quintessential hacienda-style Spanish bungalow with a pool at the foot of the Santa Monica mountains in February 1962. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/QbvRndl via IFTTT

Bafta doubles down on preparations for Sunday TV awards after N-word fallout

Ceremony organisers taking event procedures ‘extremely seriously’ after broadcast of racial slur in February Usually the most scrutiny at the glittering Bafta TV Awards is reserved for the stars’ outfits on the red carpet and the winners’ acceptance speeches. But this Sunday those behind the show will be watching with bated breath and taking the event “extremely seriously” after changes were made to how TV coverage of Bafta’s awards ceremonies is handled after the broadcast of racially offensive words during February’s Bafta film awards . Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/l1vrCxw via IFTTT

Haunted – Echoes Of The Past lands in legal storm ahead of June 12 release; public notice cautions industry against release, streaming and monetisation amid NCLT status quo order

A public notice issued by CA Bharati Manoj Daga, Resolution Professional of Hare Krishna Media Tech Pvt. Ltd., in the May 9, 2026 issue of Atul Mohan’s Complete Cinema magazine, cautioned the Indian film trade and industry against proceeding with the release, distribution, exhibition, streaming, promotion or commercial exploitation of the upcoming film Haunted – Echoes Of The Past, which is scheduled for a release on June 12, 2026. Directed by Vikram Bhatt, the horror film stars Mimoh Chakraborty in the lead. As per Zauba Corp, Vikram Bhatt and his daughter Krishna Bhatt are the directors of Hare Krishna Media Tech Pvt Ltd while the former's wife Shwetambari Bhatt is mentioned as an additional director in the company. The notice, issued regarding proceedings before the Hon’ble National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai Bench, refers to the matter involving CA Bharati Daga, Resolution Professional of Hare Krishna Media Tech Pvt. Ltd., versus Vikram Bhatt and others. According to ...

Mother’s Day 2026: Isha Koppikar says she wants daughter Rianna to achieve her dreams independently

On the occasion of Mother’s Day 2026, Isha Koppikar shared a message about parenting, independence and responsibility through a video posted on social media. Speaking about her daughter Rianna, the actor reflected on the importance of raising children to become self-reliant individuals rather than depending on others for emotional or personal security. In the video, Isha revealed that a conversation with her daughter prompted her to think more deeply about modern parenting. According to the actor, Rianna asked her what she wished for her, to which she responded that she wanted her daughter to achieve her dreams independently and become a strong individual. Speaking further, Isha questioned whether parents sometimes send mixed messages to children by encouraging independence while also raising them with the idea that someone else will eventually “take care” of them. She added that this mindset applies equally to both boys and girls. The actor also spoke about how she views independence...

SCOOP: Salman Khan’s look in Dil Raju’s next gets the Dhurandhar touch; Preetisheel Singh joins the project

Salman Khan is back, and all focused on making a solid comeback, lining up back-to-back exciting projects. The superstar is currently shooting for producer Dil Raju's next film, directed by Vamshi Paidipally in Mumbai. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learnt that Dil Raju and team are leaving no stone unturned to deliver an honest and solid theatrical experience for the audience. According to reliable sources, Dil Raju and Vamshi Paidipally have roped in Preetisheel Singh to do the make-up for Salman Khan in the film. "Salman Khan sports multiple looks in the film, and they have been designed to perfection by Preetisheel under the guidance of Vamshi Paidipally. Singh has previously worked on Dhurandhar with Aditya Dhar, which won acclaim all across for its authentic prosthetics and make-up. She has created a never-before-seen look for Salman." The source further informs that Salman too is very happy with the makeover given to his aura, and is all charged up to lead this...