movies

Sterling K. Brown On Why ‘Is God Is’ Role Appealed To Him

Published

31 minutes ago

May 17, 2026

With his sinister new role in Is God Is, Sterling K. Brown was eager to work with writer/director Aleshea Harris on her feature debut.

The Oscar nominee, who plays the Monster in Harris’ thriller, explained that he was excited to work on the “incredibly creative” film from the Pulitzer-nominated playwright that lets Black women be “hella messy” on screen.

“So there’s the macro and the micro,” he told Rolling Out. “I love Black women, and I love seeing Black women win, right? I thought this was an incredibly creative script, something different and new, and I think that we, as a community, have been asking for creative and new stories, right? And I feel like the more diverse the landscape of stories are that we get to tell, the more people will stop putting us into a box in terms of what a Black movie is, what a Black story is. We are everything, and so the opportunity to do everything is something that excites me.”

Brown continued, “Aleshea (Harris) wrote a play, then she adapted the play, and she directed the play, and I think she did so brilliantly. I also love the idea that Black women get a chance to be messy in this film, like hella messy. I feel like oftentimes we’re asked, in many stories, to be voices of reason. Sort of the sensible side component of a larger story, and that’s not the case in this. That is exciting to me.”

Based on Harris’ 2018 off-Broadway play of the same name, which received three Obie Awards, Is God Is follows twin sisters Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson), who were burned as babies in a fire. When their disfigured mother, whom they refer to as God (Vivica A. Fox), summons them to her deathbed, she instructs them to kill their father, the Monster (Brown), who set the blaze years ago.

Director Aleshea Harris on the set of ‘Is God Is’ (2026) (Patti Perret/Amazon MGM Studios/Courtesy Everett Collection)

Now playing in theaters, Is God Is also stars Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, Mykelti Williamson and Josiah Cross.

movies

Canal+ Will Blacklist Talents Who Oppose Right-Wing Billionaire Owner

Published

1 minute ago

May 17, 2026

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The head of Canal+, France’s largest film producer, has said the studio will no longer work with hundreds of cinema professionals, who signed a petition voicing concern over the growing influence of the studio’s rightwing billionaire owner Vincent Bolloré.

More than 600 French industry figures, including actors Juliette Binoche, Adèle Haenel and Swann Arlaud, and directors Sepideh Farsi and Arthur Harari, signed the open letter, published earlier this week, calling out Bolloré’s right-wing politics and his expanding control over the French film industry.

“Leaving French cinema in the hands of a far-right owner,” the letter reads, risked “not only the standardisation of films, but a fascist takeover of the collective imagination.”

Through his media company Vivendi, Bolloré already owns Canal+, France’s largest pay-TV company, and its subsidiary Studiocanal, Europe’s leading film production company. Bolloré’s media empire includes CNews, a popular French news channel that figures on the left have attacked for allegedly giving a platform to far-right voices.

The open letter was sparked by Bolloré’s plans to take full control of UGC, France’s third-largest cinema chain, something the letter writers equated to a “fascist takeover” of French cinema.

The film industry figures warn that Bolloré’s expanding media empire puts him “in the position of controlling the entire fabrication chain of films from their financing to their distribution and their release on the big and small screen.”

“The influence of [his] ideological offensive on the content of films has so far been discreet, but we are under no illusion: this won’t last,” they wrote.

Speaking at the Canal+ producers brunch in Cannes on Sunday, Saada called the petition “an injustice towards the Canal teams who are committed to defending the independence of Canal+, and in all the diversity of its choices. And as a result, I will no longer work; I no longer wish Canal to work with the people who signed this petition.”

Saada said the open letter amounted to calling the Canal+ teams “cryptofascists.” “Well, I don’t want to work with people who call me a cryptofascist,” he said.

In a senate hearing in 2022, Bolloré denied using his media empire to forward any political or ideological agenda, saying he is only interested in making money and in promoting French soft power abroad.

movies

Boots Riley Urges ‘I Love Boosters’ Fans To See Film On Opening Weekend

Published

12 minutes ago

May 17, 2026

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Following its world premiere at SXSW, Boots Riley wants to give his surreal arthouse sophomore feature a chance at the box office.

The I Love Boosters writer/director took to social media this weekend to chat with fans and urged “everyone go see this” on the May 22nd opening weekend in order to get it a proper theatrical run.

“Hundreds of people put a lot of work into I Love Boosters– we need everyone to see it! In theaters– May 22nd!” Riley wrote on X as fans called to get the Neon title shown on their local screens.

When one follower asked why their arthouse theater wasn’t showing the movie, Riley responded, “If you call and tell them you and your friends want the movie, they’ll get it. People on here have reported it working out when they did. Theaters are guessing otherwise.”

As one fan shared plans for a group birthday outing to the movie next month, Riley urged them to go sooner. “IF YOU WAIT TIL JUNE, ITS GAME OVER FOR I LOVE BOOSTERS,” he wrote. “WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERYONE GO SEE THIS ON THE WEEKEND OF MAY 22ND OR THEY START PULLING IT OFF OF SCREENS. Please please celebrate your birthday on the weekend of May 22nd! :-)”

If you call and tell them you and your friends want the movie, they’ll get it. People on here have reported it working out when they did. Theaters are guessing otherwise. https://t.co/AhC3IM9eOg

— Boots Riley (@BootsRiley) May 17, 2026

IF YOU WAIT TIL JUNE, ITS GAME OVER FOR I LOVE BOOSTERS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERYONE GO SEE THIS ON THE WEEKEND OF MAY 22ND OR THEY START PULLING IT OFF OF SCREENS.

Please please celebrate your birthday on the weekend of May 22nd! 🙂 https://t.co/MwXGmk3JrD

— Boots Riley (@BootsRiley) May 17, 2026

It’s ok to see I Love Boosters with your parents.

They are more expert at sex than you are. Just don’t look over at them during said scenes https://t.co/waGZFiptM2

— Boots Riley (@BootsRiley) May 17, 2026

And while Riley would “personally say it’s not appropriate for a 10 year old,” given the movie has “a fair amount of sex,” he clarified, “It’s ok to see I Love Boosters with your parents. They are more expert at sex than you are. Just don’t look over at them during said scenes.”

I Love Boosters stars Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige and Poppy Liu as a crew of boosters (aka professional shoplifters/equal opportunists), who take aim at cutthroat fashion maven Christie Smith (Demi Moore). It’s like community service.

The cast also includes Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle, Jason Ritter, Eric André and more.

movies

‘Garance’ Receives Wild 12-Minute Standing Ovation At Cannes Premiere

Published

45 minutes ago

May 17, 2026

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In what looks to be the longest and certainly one of the most enthusiastic standing ovations of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Jeanne Herry’s Garance received a wild 12-minutes of applause of the film ended.

Co-stars Adèle Exarchopoulos, Sara Giraudeau and Mathilde Roehrich could be seen exchanging hugs and the plaudits continued.

Garance stars Exarchopoulos as a jobbing actress navigating the instability of her profession, alcoholism, family tragedy and love.

Garance is actress, director and screenwriter Herry’s fourth feature directorial credit after Elle L’ Adore (2014), In Safe Hands (2018) and the multi-César-nominated drama All Your Faces, for which Exarchopoulos won the Best Supporting Actress César in 2024.

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