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Johnny Depp faced a lot of struggle after his ex-wife Amber Heard slammed him with emotional and physical abuse accusations in 2016. The Pirates of the Caribbean star had to face the nightmare of losing a role in a movie he was tied to at the time, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Heard’s accusations also severely damaged his reputation in the industry, which was honestly expected considering the severity of the claims that were made. Not only did he lose his role in the Harry Potter spinoff film series, but was also dropped by Pirates of the Caribbean as well.

Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures

Ultimately, it pushed Depp to file a defamation lawsuit against Heard. The high-profile case occurred two years after their split and a few months following Heard’s infamous 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Though...

Updated with Andrea Iervolino reaction: The messy business divorce between Monika Bacardi and Andrea Iervolino has moved into fresh territory following a shareholders meeting of their former joint company Ilbe (Iervolino and Lady Bacardi Entertainment).

According to a press release put out by Ilbe, key resolutions agreed at the meeting included initiating legal action against Iervolino and giving the mandate for preliminary and investigative activities to top Italian law firm Pedersoli Gattai.

The shareholders also resolved to change the company’s name to Lady Bacardi Media S.p.A. to be abbreviated as Lbm S.p.A.

The meeting on Monday marked the first official gathering of Ilbe’s shareholders since Iervolino announced in late September that he was stepping back from his role as its co-founder and CEO to launch his own outfit The Andrea Iervolino Company (Taic).

Contacted by Deadline for reaction to the initiation of legal proceedings against him,...

Johnny Depp has been spotted enjoying his vacation in the Bahamas after what seemed like an eternity dealing with his court trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. The former couple were married for less than two years before filing for divorce. Since then, they have been involved in a series of defamation cases.

Credits: Johnny Depp via CBS News

All of that is in the past now that both of them have seemingly moved on in life. In fact, the actor – who bought a private island – is lately seen having the time of his life and making new friends in the Caribbean islands.

Johnny Depp Enjoys A Cup Of Rum Punch While Staying In The Bahamas

Unless one lives under a rock, everyone must have heard the news about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s messy divorce and trial. They had been in a relationship for four years before calling it...

Whether you’re cheering from the sidelines or hurling tomatoes from the bleachers, it’s all too easy to think you know every inch of a celebrity’s life. Thanks to their ever-present spotlight! Yet, these stars do juggle private milestones and struggles. Take Amber Heard, for example.

Love her or leave her, many fans (and haters) assume they know every little detail about the actress just because of her shining roles in box office hits like Aquaman and Pineapple Express, not to mention her high-profile romances. But let’s be real: her life isn’t always a glamorous reel of adventures or tabloid fodder.

Amber Heard in In the Fire (2023) | Credit: Saban Films

Getting her foot in the door of the demanding entertainment industry was no small feat. Especially after her tumultuous divorce from Johnny Depp. Fans argue she doesn’t get to cherry-pick her roles, and it’s...

Amber Heard can easily be called one of the most controversial figures in the film industry. Her very public trial with Johnny Depp left her reputation in the dust, and she came out of the entire debacle as one of the most hated people in Hollywood. There is no denying that such events would affect both the personal and professional lives of someone.

Amber Heard I The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

While Heard has made efforts to contain the damage to her personal life by moving locations, her professional life is a completely different situation. There is no denying that after the trial, her days in the film industry were numbered, making it difficult for her to get any success and build off after such fallout. However, looking at the past shows us something else altogether.

Amber Heard’s Career Wasn’t Impressive To Begin With

While many would...

Kate Beckinsale, Scott Eastwood and James Cromwell will star in kidnapping drama “Stolen Girl” directed by Britain’s James Kent.

“Stolen Girl,” which is in pre-production in Southern Italy’s Apulia region, is inspired by the real story of an American woman named Maureen Dabbagh who spent years tracking down her daughter who had been abducted and taken to the Middle East by the child’s father.

In the film, which starts out in 1993 in Ohio, Maureen’s 6-year-old daughter Amina is snuck out of the country by her ex-husband, Karim. After years of unsuccessful attempts to find her, Maureen intersects with a professional retriever of internationally abducted kids who promises to help her find Amina in exchange for her collaboration. Maureen eventually succeeds in tracking down her ex-husband and Amina in Beirut, where she will face “the most difficult decision of her life,” according to a provided synopsis.

Italy’s Ilbe,...

Former Venice Film Festival head Marco Müller has been named Artistic Director of Italy’s Taormina Film Fest.

The announcement was made today by the special commissioner of the Taormina Arte Sicilia Foundation/ Fondazione Taormina Arte Sicilia, Sergio Bonomo, who said: “Maestro Müller’s professional contribution will be a driving force of success for the prestigious film event”.

The festival’s 70th edition runs this year from July 12 to 19.

“I am happy to work in Sicily to rediscover my roots – I was born and raised in Rome, but my only quarter of Italian blood is from Palermo,” Müller said.

“I thank all the people, in the institutions and among friends of cinema, who have built for me this opportunity to experiment in Taormina the moving thought of how a useful popular festival can still be built. We will use the extraordinary Teatro Antico – which was always a source of jealousy...

Amber Heard has thanked fans for their "overwhelming support" as 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' hits screens. The 37-year-old star has shared behind-the-scenes snaps from her time working on the long-awaited DC sequel, including a rare picture of her feeding her two-year-old daughter Oonagh Paige in the back of a car.She captioned the Instagram post: “After all this time, Aquaman 2 made its splash“Thank you to all of my fans for the overwhelming support and love in Mera’s Aq return. Thank you so much."Amber is back as Mera alongside Jason Momoa's titular character and previously admitted there is a "tonne of pressure" on the flick to have blockbuster success.The 'Rum Diary' actress - who embarked on a fresh chapter in her career after her highly-public defamation trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp in 2022 - previously admitted that while she is "honoured" to...

Amber Heard Once Called Angelina Jolie Her Inspiration, But Dyk Jolie Once Warned Johnny Depp About Heard? (Picture Credit: Facebook & Instagram)

Amber Heard has been keeping it low-key on the private front ever since her infamous defamation trial against her ex-husband Johnny Depp. However, she’s ready to conquer on the professional level and will next be seen in the much-anticipated films Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and In the Fire. A bona fide star with an impressive filmography, Heard has carved a niche in Hollywood despite courting numerous controversies. She’s also a fashionista who has served many iconic high-end fashion-forward moments with her impeccable sartorial taste. But do you know who she takes inspiration from? Well, it’s none other than Hollywood royalty, Angelina Jolie. Amber once revealed that she has looked up to Jolie as her idol, adding that she wanted to model her career.

In 2022, Amber...

Amber Heard (Aquaman) stars as a doctor battling against 19th-century superstitions and paranoia in In The Fire, also starring Luca Calvani (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.), Eduardo Noriega (The Devil’s Backbone), and Sophie Amber (soon to be seen in The Last Girl with Antonio Banderas).

Directed by Cocor Allyn (No Man’s Land), In The Fire is an intense and thrilling experience featuring a searing career-best lead performance from Heard as a woman attempting to convince a community that medicine can overcome what they perceive as ‘evil’.

Synopsis:

A doctor travels to a remote plantation to care for a disturbed boy who has inexplicable abilities. She ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed by the Devil.

In The Fire is available now on Digital Platforms including Google, Apple TV, Sky and Amazon.

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In the Fire is a psychological thriller film directed by Connor Allyn, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Pascal Borno and Silvio Muraglia. The story of the film is set in the 1890s and it revolves around a New York doctor travelling to a remote location in order to care for a boy who has unexplainable powers. In the Fire stars Amber Heard in the lead role with Eduardo Noriega, Luca Calvani, and Lorenzo McGovern Zaini starring in supporting roles. So, if you like the thriller film here are some similar movies you could watch next.

The Wonder (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Synopsis: 1862, 13 years after the Great Famine. An English Nightingale Nurse Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) is called to the Irish Midlands by a devout community to conduct a 15-day examination over one of their own. Anna O’Donnell (Kíla Lord Cassidy) is an 11-year-old girl who claims not to have eaten for four months,...

Amber Heard‘s In The Fire director had so many good things to say about her in a new interview.

The 37-year-old actress stars in the newly released movie, which hit theaters on October 13. It marks her first big project since the conclusion of her legal battle with ex Johnny Depp.

In a new interview, the movie’s director Conor Allyn opened up about working with her.

He drew some notable parallels between the character she plays in his movie and her real life. Conor also revealed the first thing that Amber had to say to him after the conclusion of her time in court largely favored Johnny.

The director even shared a line in the movie that he considered pulling because he thought it might turn into a meme that hurt Amber.

Read more about Conor Allyn’s thoughts on Amber Heard…

Conor told Rolling Stone that Amber‘s...

Were one to ignore the courtroom-set events over the past handful of years that have served to define the personal life of Amber Heard, it would be hard to deny the fact that, despite a few run-of-the-mill performances, most notably as Mera in her various Snyderverse appearances such as “Aquaman, “the ex-Mrs. Johnny Depp has a decent level of talent onscreen, ranging from the horror of “All The Boys Love Mandy Lane” to the comedy of “Pineapple Express” to the sultry drama of “Magic Mike Xxl.” “In The Fire” could be considered another example of her potential, an imperfect lead role in a film that brazenly emulates a type of film seen countless times since “The Exorcist” spawned countless imitators in the half-century since.

Continue reading ‘In The Fire’ Review: Amber Heard’s Comeback Is Assembly Line Supernatural at The Playlist.

Demonic possession is all the rage in Hollywood. This year alone, we’ve been haunted by Huesera: The Bone Woman, Attachment, Evil Dead Rise, Talk to Me, It Lives Inside, Run Rabbit Run, and The Nun II. Hell, they even rebooted The Exorcist with Ellen Burstyn and cast none other than Russell Crowe as a boozy Italian man of the cloth who locks horns with al diavolo. Now there’s In the Fire, a new film from director Conor Allyn (No Man’s Land).

On the surface, it has all the...

Take a look at the new supernatural feature "In the Fire" directed by Conor Allyn, starring Amber Heard, releasing October 13, 2023 in theaters:

“…a female doctor from New York travels to a remote plantation in the 1890’s to care for a seemingly disturbed boy who has inexplicable abilities.

“She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed and the reason for all the village's woes…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

This Friday marks the second and final Friday the 13th of 2023, and you better believe the horror world will be celebrating with a whole bunch of fresh new horrors for the big day.

How many, you ask? Here are 14 new horror movies and shows releasing October 13, 2023!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

Based on the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, Mike Flanagan‘s final series for Netflix is “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and the series begins streaming on Thursday, October 12.

The limited series from Intrepid Pictures is “based on multiple works from Poe,” and it should make for the perfect spooky binge to kick off your Friday the 13th Weekend.

“In this wicked 8-episode limited series based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege and power.

Amber Heard Photo: Saban Films/YouTube More than a year after the frenzy that was the trial of Amber Heard vs. Johnny Depp, Heard has made her return to the screen with In The Fire. The new trailer for the paranormal thriller, which premieres October 13, follows Heard as a doctor...

Amber HeardPhoto: Saban Films/YouTube (Getty Images)

More than a year after the frenzy that was the trial of Amber Heard vs. Johnny Depp, Heard has made her return to the screen with In The Fire. The new trailer for the paranormal thriller, which premieres October 13, follows Heard as a...

The trailer for Amber Heard’s first film release, since her and ex-husband Johnny Depp’s widely-televised defamation trial, has been released.

On Wednesday, Saban Films dropped the first look at Heard in a leading role in the upcoming mystery-thriller, “In The Fire”.

Read More: Amber Heard Admits There’s ‘A Ton Of Pressure’ Associated With Her Return In ‘Aquaman’ Sequel

Amber Heard as Grace Burnham in the thriller, “In The Fire”. — Photo: Courtesy of Saban Films

In the R-rated flick, the actress, 37, stars as “a doctor from New York [who] travels to a remote plantation in the 1890s to care for a disturbed boy who seems to have inexplicable abilities,” as per the synopsis. “She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed by the Devil and is the reason for all the village’s woes.

Amber Heard plays a doctor tasked with saving a boy who could be the devil incarnate in the new trailer for In the Fire, one of the actress’ first films since her defamation trial with Johnny Depp.

“A doctor from New York (Amber Heard) travels to a remote plantation in the 1890s to care for a disturbed boy who seems to have inexplicable abilities,” Saban Films said of the Conor Allyn-directed thriller in a synopsis.

“She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science...

"Do you believe you can cure him?" Saban Films has revealed an official trailer for an indie thriller titled In the Fire, the latest creation from American filmmaker Conor Allyn (after No Man's Land a few years ago). This Italian co-production was filmed partly in Italy, with a release now set for October in the US. A doctor from New York travels to a remote plantation in the 1890s to care for a disturbed boy who seems to have inexplicable abilities (or some kind of special powers). She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed by the Devil and is the reason for all the village's woes. Amber Heard stars as Dr. Grace Burnham, with an international cast including Eduardo Noriega and Lorenzo McGovern Zaini. Do you believe in his power? Or is it some disease?...

Take a look at the new supernatural feature "In the Fire" directed by Conor Allyn, starring Amber Heard, releasing October 13, 2023 in theaters:

“…a female doctor from New York travels to a remote plantation in the 1890’s to care for a seemingly disturbed boy who has inexplicable abilities.

“She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed and the reason for all the village's woes…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

The “woke” age of diversity, empathy, and inclusion seems to be coming to an end in Hollywood? You had #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, and a lot of social justice protests online between 2017 and through the pandemic until about 2021— and it spawned great change, especially in Hollywood. But cut to six years after #MeToo started, and we’re in a space where Johnny Depp—who was the subject of a deeply damaging Rolling Stone article about his questionable behavior that he himself agreed to smooth over his reputation, but basically did the opposite— is the hero and Amber Heard is somehow a villain and pariah after losing the defamation trial against her ex-husband for his various abuses.

Continue reading ‘In The Fire’ Trailer: Amber Heard Tries To Cure A Possessed Boy In New Supernatural Thriller at The Playlist.

Last month, Saban Films announced that they will be releasing the thriller In the Fire, starring Aquaman‘s Amber Heard, on Friday, October 13th – and the movie will be receiving theatrical, digital, and VOD releases all on the same date. With that date now just a few weeks away, a trailer for In the Fire has now arrived online, and you can check it out in the embed above.

Directed by Conor Allyn, who also wrote the screenplay with Pascal Borno and Silvio Muraglia, In the Fire has the following synopsis: A doctor from New York travels to a remote plantation in the 1890s to care for a disturbed boy who seems to have inexplicable abilities. She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed by the Devil and is the reason for all the village’s woes.

Amber Heard (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) returns to the horror genre in director Conor Allyn’s In the Fire, and Saban Films has released the official trailer this morning.

In the Fire will be available in theaters and at home on Friday, October 13.

Watch the official trailer below.

The film has been rated “R” for: “Some violent content and brief sexuality.”

Here’s the plot synopsis: “A doctor from New York travels to a remote plantation in the 1890s to care for a disturbed boy who seems to have inexplicable abilities. She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed by the Devil and is the reason for all the village’s woes.”

Amber Heard teases, “The film is a meditation on the almost supernatural powers of love told through a...

After a highly publicized defamation trial loss to ex-husband Johnny Depp, Amber Heard is set to make her Hollywood comeback, battling a demonic possession in the first trailer for In the Fire, which dropped Wednesday.

The teaser for director Conor Allyn’s 1890s-set paranormal thriller sees Heard play Grace Burnham, a psychiatrist on a remote plantation in Colombia caring for a disturbed boy with inexplicable abilities. As she begins treatment, Burnham ignites a war between science and religion, with the local priest claiming the boy is possessed by the devil and the cause of the village’s woes.

“Those people are scared. And they need something to blame for that fear. And it’s you,” Burnham tells the young boy, played by Lorenzo McGovern Zaini, at one point in the trailer.

Heard completed production on In the Fire in March 2022. A few months later, in June, a Virginia jury awarded...

Amber Heard (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) returns to the horror genre in the upcoming In the Fire, which Saban Films brings to theaters, On Demand and Digital in October.

In the Fire will be available in theaters and at home on Friday, October 13.

The film has been rated “R” for…

“Some violent content and brief sexuality.”

Rotten Tomatoes previews, “Amber Heard stars as a doctor who travels to a remote plantation to treat a young boy who demonstrates unusual abilities. The local priest (Eduardo Noriega), however, believes the boy is possessed and doesn’t believe conventional medicine can help him. This is the first foray into the genre for director and co-writer Conor Allyn, whose best known film to date is the 2021 neo-Western drama No Man’s Land.”

Chatting with Variety, Amber Heard recently described In the Fire as “a meditation on the almost supernatural powers of love told...

A whole bunch of new horror movies are headed our way this Halloween season, and Rotten Tomatoes is previewing many of them with their new Fall Horror & Sci-Fi Preview 2023.

Included in the mix is an upcoming horror movie titled In the Fire, which hadn’t been on our radar up to this point. It’s coming this October and stars Amber Heard (Aquaman).

Rotten Tomatoes previews, “Amber Heard stars as a doctor who travels to a remote plantation to treat a young boy who demonstrates unusual abilities. The local priest (Eduardo Noriega), however, believes the boy is possessed and doesn’t believe conventional medicine can help him. This is the first foray into the genre for director and co-writer Conor Allyn, whose best known film to date is the 2021 neo-Western drama No Man’s Land.”

Chatting with Variety, Amber Heard recently described In the Fire as “a meditation on the almost...

Saban Films has announced that they will be releasing the thriller In the Fire, starring Aquaman‘s Amber Heard, on Friday, October 13th – and the movie will be receiving theatrical, digital, and VOD releases all on the same date. So some viewers can choose to see the film on the big screen while others watch it at home. We don’t have a trailer for In the Fire just yet, but we do have an image of Heard’s character, and you can take a look at that at the bottom of this article.

Directed by Conor Allyn, who also wrote the screenplay with Pascal Borno and Silvio Muraglia, In the Fire has the following synopsis: A doctor from New York travels to a remote plantation in the 1890s to care for a disturbed boy who seems to have inexplicable abilities. She begins treating the child, but in doing so...

“In the Fire” is a new supernatural feature, directed by Conor Allyn, starring Amber Heard, with a release date Tba:

“…a female doctor from New York travels to a remote plantation in the 1890’s to care for a seemingly disturbed boy who has inexplicable abilities.

“She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed and the reason for all the village's woes…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Amber Heard says there is a "tonne of pressure" on movies like 'Aquaman 2' to have blockbuster success.The 37-year-old actress - who is embarking on a fresh chapter in her career after her highly-public defamation trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp last year - admits that while she is "honoured" to have played a role in the DC world, she relished getting to work on a "passion project" in the indie film 'In The Fire'.Speaking to Deadline, Amber - who will return as Mera alongside Jason Momoa's titular character in 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' - said: "There’s a tonne of pressure on these big franchise movies, with millions and millions of dollars at stake, and compromises are part of trying to make it the most successful thing it can be. Then on the other end of the spectrum is a small indie...

Amber Heard has been maintaining a low profile since facing off against ex-husband Johnny Depp in their trial last year.

Now, Heard is re-emerging with a role in period drama “In the Fire”, which just premiered at the Taormina Film Festival.

While discussing the new film, Heard also opened up about another project of hers awaiting release, the upcoming DC sequel “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”.

Read More: Amber Heard Thanks Taormina Film Festival For ‘Warm’ Welcome After ‘Unforgettable’ Return To The Spotlight

Interviewed by Deadline in Taormina, she contrasted her experience of working in a small period drama vs. a big-budget superhero picture.

“These are very different kinds of projects representing two very different ends of the spectrum in my industry,” she explained.

“There’s a ton of pressure on these big franchise movies, with millions and millions of dollars at stake, and compromises are part of trying to...

Judging by commercial results of the last few Dceu movies, many fans have already given up on that franchise, and they’re now waiting for the reboot that will kick off in July 2025 with James Gunn’s ‘Superman: Legacy.’ However, Warner Bros. and DC Studios still have two more Dceu movies left to release, and we can only wait and see how those will do at the box office worldwide, regardless of their critical response.

The next Dceu movie is ‘Blue Beetle,’ and although Gunn said that the movie’s titular character is actually the first Dcu hero, it remains to be seen how interested the audience is going to be. And after that, Jason Momoa will finally have his next, hopefully not the last, adventure as the Aquaman in the anticipated sequel ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’

A lot from this movie is expected since the first ‘Aquaman’ movie...

Hollywood actress Amber Heard has in delight reflected on her “unforgettable weekend” after returning to the spotlight at the Taormina film festival in Sicily to promote her new film.

It had been a trying time for the ‘Aquaman’ star after she was sued last year by her ex Johnny Depp for defamation following a 2018 article for the Washington Post in which the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star’s lawyers said she accused him of being an abuser despite no names being mentioned in the piece, reports Mirror.co.uk.

Following an intense six-week trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, jurors returned a verdict in the actor’s favour. In December, Amber made the “very difficult decision” to reach a settlement in the case.

As per Mirror.co.uk, Amber certainly looked like she had put the past behind her as she attended the premiere of her first film since the highly publicised trial.

Amid Amber Heard’s return to the spotlight, the actress has also returned to social media.

The “Aquaman” star took to Instagram on Friday to share a snapshot of herself smiling onstage at the 69th Taormina Film Festival in Italy last weekend, which she attended to promote her film “In the Fire”.

The outing marked Heard’s first festival appearance since her defamation trial with ex-husband, Johnny Depp, in which the seven-person jury reached a verdict in Depp’s favour last June.

“Thank you for such an incredibly warm reception at the Taormina Film festival for my latest movie ‘In the Fire’. It was an unforgettable weekend,” Heard captioned her first Instagram post since December 2022, seemingly returning to social media after a six-month hiatus.

Read More: Amber Heard’s ‘In The Fire’ Director Says Johnny Depp Trial ‘Didn’t Change Her’: ‘She’s Still The Shining Light’

View this...

Welcome back, Insiders. Jesse Whittock with you this week to look back on the last seven days in international film and TV. Here we go. Also, sign up for the Insider newsletter here.

SAG-AFTRA Strike Looms

Clock’s ticking: Time is running out for SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP to strike a new deal and avoid an actors strike before the current contract runs out today, though our U.S. colleagues Dominic Patten and Anthony D’Alessandro revealed on Wednesday talks may extend to next week or even later. Fingers remain crossed at these signs of progress. Negotiations are at a critical stage, with more than 1,000 actors, including Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep, signing a letter stating they are “prepared to strike.” In Europe, producers, studios, networks and actors have been peering pensively across the pond. Unions in English-speaking countries appear less prepared to act in solidarity with their U.S.

Updated with latest photos: The Taormina Film Festival kicked off its 2023 edition on June 23 with a lineup that included the Italian premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny which brought out stars Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, and the Amber Heard-starring In the Fire directed by Conor Allyn. (Read about Heard’s exclusive interview with Deadline here.) It also features a short-film program curated by Bella Thorne, who is premiering her own short film Paint Her Red.

Other European premieres on tap at Taormina include Eva Vik’s Serpentine, starring supermodel Barbara Palvin. Another supermodel, Adriana Lima, is in town with FIFA: A Love Letter to Rwanda by Craig Goodwill, in which she appears and also executive produced. Later in the festival, Italian artist Marco Perego’s debut feature The Absence of Eden will world premiere with co-stars Zoe Saldaña, Garrett Hedlund and Adria Arjona joining Perego.

Amber Heard’s coworkers say she’s become more “resilient” after her experiences.

The actress stepped out at the 69th Taormina Film Festival in Italy with the director of her new film, Conor Allyn.

The “In the Fire” director told Deadline that he was “so happy” that while Heard “went through something so awful,” the experience “didn’t change her as a person.”

Read More: Amber Heard Teases ‘Beautiful’ New Film As She Makes First Premiere Appearance Since Johnny Depp Trial

Heard faced her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, in a widely-televised defamation trial in June 2022. The verdict saw her owing the actor over $10M in damages.

“She’s still the shining light … and to go through something that terrible and be able to come out the other side and be whole, well, I can’t imagine it,” he told the outlet.

Her co-star in the thriller, Luca Calvani, was similarly supportive of Heard.

If location truly was everything, the Taormina Film Festival would be the biggest in the world.

Here on “Isola bella” (Sicilian for “beautiful island”) you have it all: The sun, the sea and sunsets that look CGI-ed in their beauty (one of the reasons The White Lotus picked the region as a backdrop for its latest season). Above it all, the volcano, Mount Etna, with its bursts of fire and ash adds drama to the proceedings. The landscape is palm trees and prickly pear cacti and all the colors of the Mediterranean. The air smells of basil. The festival screenings take place in the Teatro Antico amphitheater, one of the largest historic Greek theaters in all of Sicily.

It’s easy to see why, back in 1955, organizers decided to set up a film festival here. First in the city of Messina, from 1957 on before moving to the nearby municipality of Taormina.

Exclusive: I meet Amber Heard in the café of a hotel in Sicily and when she reaches to shake hands, the ice breaker becomes the tan orthopedic brace cradling that wrist.

“I wish I had a better story, but I was swatting a fly — though in my opinion it was a mosquito which makes it extra annoying — and I missed, and tripped over my daughter’s little stepping stool, and caught myself with my wrist,” she said. “I have tendinitis in the same wrist, and while my usual sound medical approach is to ignore it and hope it goes away, that wasn’t an option because it would just linger.”

Heard has been through much worse, what with the unraveling of her marriage to Johnny Depp turned into an unfortunate public spectacle, first in her ex’s UK case against the London tabloid The Sun that came out in her favor,...

Amber Heard is moving on career-wise after that Johnny Depp defamation trial.

The actress attended the 69th Taormina Film Festival in Sicily, Italy on Saturday for the premiere of her new movie “In the Fire”.

Heard donned a glamorous black gown for the event, that she teamed with a curled ‘do and bright red lipstick.

Heard told People, “It’s a beautiful movie about the almost supernatural effect and force of love. It is about the boundaries that love can cross and its creation, and really about the overwhelming power that love has.

“I don’t want to sound cheesy about it, but it’s a movie about love.”

Amber Heard attends the 69th Taormina Film Festival on June 24, 2023 in Taormina, Italy. (Photo by Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images)

Read More: Renowned Nobel Prize-Winner Annie Ernaux Joins French Feminists And Film Industry Icons In Expressing Solidarity With Amber Heard, Signs Open Letter

A synopsis reads,...

The 69th Taormina Film Festival in Sicily saw the world premiere Saturday of the paranormal psychological thriller “In the Fire,” which marks the return to the big screen of Amber Heard following two highly publicized trials involving her former husband Johnny Depp.

On the turquoise carpet, Heard greeted a crowd of fans — accompanied by paparazzi and tourists — who shouted words of encouragement at the “Aquaman” star.

The producers and festival organizers had worried about possible demonstrations by Depp supporters. Producer Pascal Borno told Variety he had to persuade the Italian police to provide extra security after receiving online threats. “They took it seriously and afterwards I promised them selfies with Amber,” he said.

Despite the initial trepidation, the atmosphere of the crowd was one of the usual celebrity-adjacent excitement. One family visiting from New York remarked to Variety that they thought Heard was “gutsy.”

“I was relieved to see how they shouted for her.

"Aquaman" actor Amber Heard returned to the red carpet one year after her and ex-husband Johnny Depp's defamation trial came to an end. On June 23, Heard promoted her upcoming film "In the Fire" at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy.

Heard was all smiles as she walked the red carpet (which was technically teal) wearing a long, black gown that was accentuated with a cape at the shoulders. The actor wore her blond hair down and in curly ringlets. In photos from the event, Heard can be seen laughing with her costars, including Luca Calvani and Eduardo Noriega, and with the movie's director, Conor Allyn. She also appeared in photos with William "Billy" Baldwin, who attended the festival to promote his animated feature "Billie's Magic World" and stopped to sign autographs for fans.

Since the trial ended in June 2022, Heard had largely stepped out of the spotlight. A jury...

Amber Heard has been easing back into official public life gently at Italy’s Taormina Film Festival over the past few days, accompanying the world premiere of her new film In The Fire by Conor Allyn.

Heard stars as an American psychiatrist who travels to a remote plantation in Colombia in the 1890s to treat a disturbed boy and finds herself in a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the child is possessed by the devil.

The actress took to the stage ahead of the world premiere against the backdrop of Taormina’s ancient Greek amphitheatre on Saturday evening with Allyn and cast members Eduardo Noriega and Luca Calvani, in her first such appearance since Gully at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019.

“You don’t do them for money, you do them because you love them,” said the Aquaman star, when quizzed on the difference...

The newly rebooted Taormina Film Festival kicked off on Friday night in the Sicilian city’s landmark Teatro Antico amphitheatre in an unusual but magnificent style with benefit event “Pavarotti Forever”.

Placido Domingo, who was part of the famed The Three Tenors trio with Pavarotti and José Carreras, was among those celebrating the memory of the super-tenor in an event mixing filmed archive material and live performances.

The 82-year-old Spanish star was joined on stage by Italian opera singer Vittorio Grigolo, long tipped as Pavarotti’s successor, and a host of other top classical music stars including Marcelo Àlvarez, Aida Garifullina and Andrea Griminelli.

Talking to Deadline after the concert, Domingo admitted it was emotional singing and then looking up at the big screen to see interviews and performances from the former maestro.

“We have so many amazing memories of our friend and it’s very sad that he can...

Italy’s Taormina Film Festival kicks off its 69th edition Friday evening against the backdrop of its landmark Teatro Antico amphitheatre with a “Pavarotti Forever” benefit event headlined by Placido Domingo and Vittorio Grigolo.

It’s not the typical opening for a film festival, but it is in keeping with the eclectic programming of incoming artistic director Barrett Wissman, whose interview with Deadline on his plans for the festival can be read here.

Much is riding on the edition, with Wissman being brought in to raise its local and international profile after a turbulent decade, which was compounded by the Covid pandemic.

Topping the bill over the first weekend is the Italian premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny in the presence of Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen. It’s the first time a major Disney production has touched down at the festival since Inside Out in 2015. Indiana Jones,...

Barrett Wissman is gearing up for his inaugural edition of the Taormina Film Festival as the newly appointed Executive and co-Artistic Director of the Sicily-set event, running from June 23 to July 1.

Unfolding in the hilltop town of Taormina, famed for its Teatro Antico amphitheatre, views on Mount Etna, and more recently, its appearance in The White Lotus, the event is one of Italy’s oldest and most prestigious film festivals.

Wissman signed up for the role just two-and-a-half months ahead of its 69th edition and is the 15th person to take up the challenge in the last decade, with the festival going through a raft of solo artistic directors and co-artistic director teams.

It’s not quite a baptism of fire for Wissman, however, who has decades of experience in performing arts, social media, festival and events management as the founding chairman of London-based agency Img Artists.

The Texan arts...

“In the Fire” is a new supernatural feature, currently in post-production, directed by Conor Allyn, starring Amber Heard:

“…a female doctor from New York travels to a remote plantation in the 1890’s to care for a seemingly disturbed boy who has inexplicable abilities.

“She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed and the reason for all the village's woes…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Italian artist Marco Perego’s debut feature The Absence of Eden has set a picturesque world premiere at the upcoming edition of Italy’s 69th Taormina Film Festival, running from June 23 to July 1.

The festival will unveil the film in a screening at its landmark Ancient Greek amphitheatre with co-stars Zoe Saldaña, Garrett Hedlund and Adria Arjona in attendance.

Hedlund plays an Ice Agent struggling with the moral dilemmas of his job who unites with an undocumented woman fighting to escape a ruthless cartel, played by Guardians of the Galaxy star and Perego’s wife Saldaña, to save the life of an innocent girl.

Perego, who co-wrote the original screenplay with Rick Rapoza, previously produced the short film Me + Her and also directed the short film Burn To Shine, alongside his career as an artist.

“I am so excited to be screening The Absence of Eden in the Teatro Antico,...

The 69th Taormina Film Festival boasts an impressive lineup of Italian and world premieres as it seeks to reboot and re-establish its status as a date to watch on the festival circuit. Located in the historical Sicilian town – its visibility recently getting an unlooked for boost with the second season of HBO’s ”The White Lotus” – will be hosting a series of screenings. The outdoor Teatro Antico will provide a suitably antique background for the Italian premiere of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” with Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, and Mads Mikkelsen in attendance.

The directorial debut of Italian artist Marco Perego, “The Absence of Eden,” will receive its world premiere. The film stars Perego’s wife Zoe Saldaña, Garrett Hedlund and Adria Arjona. The thriller tells the story of an undocumented immigrant fleeing a drug cartel whose path crosses with a U.S. Immigration...