News

“The Wife” director Björn Runge has signed on to direct the indie feature “Remember Me.”

Runge will direct from a script written by Stephen Glantz, which is based on the true story of Abe and Regina Tauber, who fell in love at a young age, were separated by the German invasion of Poland, and their journey, thereafter, is an unbelievable tale of survival.

The pic will be produced by Kim Waltrip of Wonderstar Productions, Mark R. Harris of the Harris Company, and Patti Gribow.

“‘Remember Me’ is a script with a very strong emotional force. It’s a story about love and it’s a story about survival under severe circumstances,” said Runge. “As a director, it’s a true privilege to be a part of this upcoming film. It’s about strong characters dealing with a whole spectra of human behavior. What gets the leading characters Regina and Abe...

The Last O.G. star Tracy Morgan and Aldis Hodge have come aboard the Taraji P. Henson-led comedy What Men Want, the gender-flipped iteration of the 2000 Mel Gibson-starring film, What Women Want from Nancy Meyers. Adam Shankman is directing the pic which centers on a female sports agent (Henson) who has been constantly boxed out by her male colleagues. Like the original, she gains the power to hear mens’ thought and she is able to shift the paradigm to her advantage as she races to sign the NBA’s next superstar. The film is scheduled for release January 11 via Paramount Players.

Oscar winner Octavia Spencer is attached as an executive producer on the indie biopic Mumbet, based on the true story of Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, an enslaved women who challenged her enslaver for her freedom in a court of law. Her case would change the course of history,...

Octavia Spencer has signed on as executive producer on the independent anti-slavery movie “Mumbet,” Variety has learned exclusively.

“Mumbet” will be directed by Alethea Root (“Part Time Fabulous”) and produced by Kim Waltrip (“Hit & Run”) of Wonderstar Productions and Root of Truth 13 Productions.

The script, written by Stephen Glantz (“Wunderkinder”) is based on the book “A Free Woman on God’s Earth” by Jana Laiz and Ann-Elizabeth Barnes. Casting has not been announced.

Mumbet was also known as Elizabeth Freeman, who was the first enslaved African American to file and win a freedom suit in Massachusetts after hearing the words in the newly ratified state constitution — “All men are created free and equal.” In 1781, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court found slavery to be inconsistent with the State Constitution — a ruling to have implicitly ended slavery in Massachusetts.

“This is a woman who risked her life to speak truth to injustice,...

At this year's 17th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival, Peter Miller and William Hechter's documentary about blues singer and songwriter Doc Pomus, "A.K.A. Doc Pomus," took home the Festival's highest honor. The festival ran from July 19th-28th and featured 33 full length and short films from around the world. Full list of Stony Brook Film Festival winners: Grand Prize Winner: "A.K.A Doc Pomus"- Directed by Peter Miller and William Hechter Audience Choice Award: "Wunderkinder"- Directed by Marcus O. Rosenmüller. Written by Stephen Glantz and Rolf Schübel from a story by Art Bernd Jury Award Best Feature: "Shuffle"- Written and directed by Kurt Kuenne "Taped"- Written by Marnie Blok and Diederik Van Rooijen Audience Choice Best Short: "Bordando La Frontera"- A Film by by René Rhi Jury Award Best Short: ...