After its world premiere at Cannes last July, Iranian Panah Panahi‘s “Hit The Road” quickly became one of the must-see films from the festival. No doubt part of that is due to Panahi’s father, Jafar Panahi, one of the touchstone filmmakers of the Iranian New Wave. Now, “Hit The Road” gets its US theatrical release next month.

READ MORE: ‘Hit The Road’: Panah Panahi’s Directorial Debut Is Thrilling Cinema & A Breath Of Fresh Air [Cannes Review]

Panahi’s debut offers a quirky look at a family as they cross Iran’s rugged landscape while on a road trip.

Continue reading ‘Hit The Road’ Trailer: Panah Panahi’s Cannes 2021 Hit Comes to Theaters This April at The Playlist.

The new year has come, which means awards season speculation and Best-Of lists run rampant before the cycle begins all over again, albeit a little belatedly this year (we needed a break!) Sundance starts next week, the Festival moving online/virtual again this year with the surge in post-holiday Omicron cases. In some ways, the Oscar game often kicks off in Park City, unofficially, critically acclaimed titles like “Coda,” often first making their mark on a potential awards run.

Continue reading The 20 Best Films Of 2022 We’ve Already Seen at The Playlist.

One of the few positive things the pandemic has done for movie buffs is left us with an onslaught of leftover 2020 titles held for this year’s fall festival circuit. Case in point: the 59th Annual New York Film Festival. 

READ MORE: NYFF 2021 Exclusive Trailer: Take A Peek At The Acclaimed Films Coming To The Upcoming Event

Most all of the major works by revered world cinema directors—many of which have premiered at other fests already— have some kind of presence at NYFF.

Continue reading New York Film Festival 2021: The 17 Most Anticipated Films at The Playlist.

Well, that’s a wrap on the 2021 Cannes Film Festival; 56 reviews and counting (there might be one or two more stragglers to come, but we are basically done). It was a pretty great festival and strong year despite the COVID-19 protocol confusion, those changing rules, and Spike Lee spoiling the Palme d’Or prize early (Spike!!).

READ MORE: Cannes Film Festival 2021 Preview: 25 Films To Watch

2021 was a strong year, and perhaps that’s not a surprise since films like Wes Anderson‘s “The French Dispatch,” Paul Verhoven‘s “Benedetta,” and other movies basically waited an entire year waiting for the global pandemic to subside so they could premiere under optimal conditions.

Continue reading Best Of Cannes 2021: 15 Must-See Movies From The Festival at The Playlist.

It would be disingenuous not to begin this review by mentioning that, yes, Panah Panahi is indeed related to the titan of Iranian cinema, Jafar Panahi. Panah is the acclaimed filmmaker’s son, and besides going to film school, he has also worked on his father’s films, most recently co-editing his latest feature, “3 Faces.” The most cynical among us may not be surprised to learn that the opening sequence of his feature debut “Hit the Road,” playing in Directors’ Fortnight, alone contains more thrilling cinema than most other films at this year’s Festival de Cannes put together.

Continue reading ‘Hit The Road’: Panah Panahi’s Directorial Debut Is Thrilling Cinema & A Breath Of Fresh Air [Cannes Review] at The Playlist.

Like father like son, and just like that, there’s competition in the Panahi family for the best filmmaker.  Having studied cinema at the Tehran University of Art, then moving into the roles of assistant cinematographer and assistant director, eventually acting as a consultant, editor, and assistant director on his famous filmmaking father, Jafar Panahi‘s most recent films, Panah Panahi is making his feature-length debut, “Hit The Road.” Making its debut in the Director’s Fortnight sidebar of the Cannes Film Festival, “ “Hit The Road,” a road trip family film, looks rather fabulous too, a humanist slice of life drama.

Continue reading ‘Hit The Road’ Trailer: Jafar Panahi’s Son, Panah Panahi’s Feature-Length Debut Premieres In The Director’s Fortnight Sidebar [Cannes Exclusive] at The Playlist.

Following the COVID-19-driven cancelation last year, the Cannes’ the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar section returns in full force. Organizer Paolo Moretti and his selection committee have unveiled the official selection for the 53rd edition of the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, and it’s full of great picks and several women filmmakers (Cannes only has four films by female filmmakers playing in competition). Notably, the biggest highlight is probably the world premiere of Joanna Hogg‘s “The Souvenir Part II,” the sequel to her British coming-of-age drama starring Tilda Swinton and her daughter Honor Swinton Byrne.

Continue reading Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight 2021 Lineup Includes ‘The Souvenir Part II,’ The Latest From Clio Barnard, Miguel Gomes & More at The Playlist.