Rainer Werner Fassbinder

The German film landscape is in mourning as it bids farewell to Alexander Kluge, a cornerstone of the New German Cinema movement, who has passed away at the age of 94. Renowned for his groundbreaking cinematic collages and thought-provoking films, Kluge was a two-time winner of the prestigious Venice Film Festival's highest honor.

Noted filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s latest directorial venture 'Gangs of Wasseypur' will premiere in the Directors Fortnight section of the 65th Cannes Film Festival, which will be held in the second week of May.

The 25th edition of the European Union Film Festival will be held virtually from Thursday owing to the pandemic. It will feature a line-up of 42 exceptional films across multiple genres, including films by 15 female directors. The ESG has partnered with the festival and viewers can register online for free to watch the films.

In August next year, Goethe-Institut Chennai will celebrate its 60th year, and in its attempt to make it a memorable celebration, the centre has given film buffs in the city an offer they can't refuse.

A two-day film carnival, World Movie Festival was held at Siri Fort from November 16 to 17. The festival was organised by Navrasa Duende, an arts and entertainment venture.

Veteran German actor Udo Kier, celebrated for his iconic villainous and eccentric roles, has passed away at 81 in Palm Springs. With over 275 screen credits spanning Hollywood blockbusters to arthouse cinema, Kier's career was marked by a fearless embrace of darkness. His final performances will be seen in 'The Secret Agent' and Hideo Kojima's upcoming game 'OD'.

Harris Dickinson marked his directorial debut with 'Urchin,' starring Frank Dillane and Megan Northam, slated for an October release. At the San Sebastian Film Festival, Dickinson discussed the challenges of directing and acting simultaneously. While proud of the film's ambition, he expressed reluctance to repeat the dual role, citing the difficulty of splitting focus.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron premiered his AppleTV+ series 'Disclaimer' at the Venice Film Festival. The seven-part psychological thriller stars Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Based on a novel by Renee Knight, it follows a documentarian uncovering a dark secret. Cuaron approached it like a film, taking a year to complete.

"Our main focus is on contemporary literature,'' explains Marla Stukenberg, director of the Institut, also known as the Max Mueller Bhavan.