Academy

Academy Award-Winner Ruby Yang to Lead Jury in 2025 SmallRig Awards Spotlighting Socially Conscious Filmmaking

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Los Angeles, April 21, 2025 — The complete jury for the upcoming 2025 SmallRig Awards has been chosen, featuring a panel of filmmaking experts led by Oscar-winning director Ruby Yang, known for her film “The Blood of Yingzhon District.” Joining Yang are Berlin-based documentarian Uli Gaulke, Chinese independent filmmaker and photographer Gu Tao, and veteran Chinese producer and director You Xiaogang. Yang emphasized the jury’s goal of finding films that can bridge human connections and stimulate social change through impactful storytelling. She noted the importance of cinema in raising awareness and inspiring action on global … Read more

Judge Hits Kanye West with Fine, Demands Deposition in Discrimination Lawsuit Involving Donda Academy Controversy

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Los Angeles – In a recent court hearing, rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was reprimanded by Judge Thomas Long for failing to attend a scheduled deposition related to a lawsuit involving his Donda Academy. The court has now ordered Ye to pay a $2,560 fine and mandated that he appears for a deposition by April 30, setting a firm deadline to ensure compliance. During the proceedings in downtown Los Angeles, Ye’s new attorney, Eduardo Martorell, expressed difficulties in ensuring his client’s cooperation, citing that he could not “reach him” and describing the rapper … Read more

New Hampshire Film Festival Expands Oscar Gateway: Now Qualifies Documentary Shorts for Academy Awards

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Portsmouth, New Hampshire – The New Hampshire Film Festival has officially expanded its role in the film industry by achieving Academy Award qualifying status for documentary shorts. This addition rounds out its already prestigious designations for live action and animated shorts, reinforcing its position as a prime launching pad for short filmmakers aiming for Oscar consideration. Dan Hannon, a co-founder and industry director of the festival, expressed excitement over this enhancement. “For over twenty years, our festival has worked relentlessly to spotlight and propel the art of short filmmaking. Adding documentary shorts to our qualifying … Read more

Egypt’s Academy of Arts Festival Showcases UAE Youth in ‘Labeeb’: A Theatrical Blend of Science and Emotion

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Cairo, Egypt — From November 10 to 14, 2024, the Academy of Arts in Egypt will be home to a vibrant theater festival showcasing exceptional young talent from the United Arab Emirates. One of the standout performances is expected to be “Labeeb,” a theatrical play featuring young artists from Khor Fakkan, Kalba, and Dibba Al Hisn. This production intertwines scientific inquiry with emotional storytelling, focusing on a brilliant inventor and his quest to save the world from a deadly virus. The narrative of “Labeeb” centers around Muneer, the inventor, who fights to protect humanity and … Read more