Emanuel And The Truth About Fishes will be Francesca Gregorini’s second feature as a director, with her first film, Tanner Hall, also having starred actress Rooney Mara. However, it seems that due to her current The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo commitments, Mara has been forced to drop out of Gregorini’s latest project.

Even so, the film still looks set to go ahead, with Mara quickly being replaced by rising star, Kaya Scodelario. Scodelario first found fame appearing in Skins, in which she was cast aged just fourteen. She has since appeared in a number of film roles, including the independent sci-fi, Moon, and Mo Ali’s directorial début, Shank. Most notably, she took on the lead role of Cathy Earnshaw in Andrea Arnold’s recent screen adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wurthering Heights.

Emanuel And The Truth About Fishes is the story of a young girl (Scodelario) who becomes obsessed with a neighbour, who appears to be the spitting image of her dead mother. The mystery deepens when she agrees to babysit for the woman, only to find out that her child is, in fact, a life-like doll.

It certainly sounds like an interesting premise – if not one which is already being heavily compared with the 2007 comedy-drama, Lars and the Real Girl, starring Ryan Gosling. However, Mara’s replacement may raise questions about the distribution of the film – Tanner Hall struggled to find distribution right up until Mara was cast in the high-profile David Fincher adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s first Millennium Trilogy novel.

Meanwhile, Scodelario has recently completed filming for Now Is Good – a film based on Jenny Downham’s novel, Before I Die, in which she appears alongside Dakota Fanning and Jeremy Irvine. Scodelario is also currently working on upcoming thriller, Twenty8k, which comes from the writers of Shameless and stars Bend It Like Beckham‘s Parminder Nagra, as well as This Is England‘s Michael Socha, amongst others.

Emanuel and the Truth about Fishes is currently pencilled for a 2012 release – we’ll keep you posted!

The image shows the Twilight star with co-star Sarah Gadon in what appears to be the back of a taxi. Pattinson is looking extremely dapper in a suit, with his unruly mane slicked back for a change, channelling the Don Draper look. We like.

Directed by the legendary David Cronenberg, Cosmopolis is an adaptation of the Don DeLillo novel which tells the story of a young multi-billionaire (Pattinson) who makes an odyssey across mid-town Manhattan to get a hair cut. The novel has a number of comparisons to James Joyce’s classic Ulysses, with which it shares being set over one day, as well as featuring the theme of father-son separation and a number of highly sexed women. Over the course of the day he manages to lose to his wealth, although we won’t tell you how as that will just spoil it.

Initially it was suggested that Colin Farrell and Marion Cotillard would star in the film, but Farrell had to step down in order to star in the remake of Total Recall. It has worked out well though, because super heartthrob R-Patz has taken the role and as you can see he’s living up to his good looks. Oh, and we’re sure he’ll be great acting in it as well. His co-star Gadon is pretty unknown but she sure is pretty don’t you think? It’s rumoured that R-patz and K-stew are on the rocks, so we’ll say watch this space for a future romance or at least rumours of a romance.

And I’m sure you’re all thinking why has an image been released so quickly, yes? Well the director’s daughter, Caitlin Cronenberg, is a photographer and took it upon herself to share the picture with us. Good work Caitlin, keep them coming!

However, we’re sure Twihards out there will be excited anyway as it’s the first glimpse of the two-part adaptation, the first of which is set to be released later this year.

There’s no sign of any of the main stars on the poster, or anyone for that matter. It’s literally just a scenic image of dawn. This first instalment is set to be a lot more steamy than ones in the past and previously released images show Bella and Edward in bed together. Bella undergoes two positive (for once), life-changing experiences in the film but things get a little complicated as the Quileute and the Volturi close in on the couple.

So what do you think of the poster below, is it a subtle teaser or a cop out?



There’s a lot of debate on the topic at present, so soon after the awards ceremony itself, even in The Guardian – in the Friday edition the paper asked “The Academy: Who Calls the Shots?” Apparently, Dakota Fanning, but not Woody Allen. Rupert Murdoch, but not George Lucas. That’s reassuring.

Well, let’s take a look at a few people who got royally stuffed:

Andrew Garfield for his absolutely incredible acting in The Social Network. Playing Facebook co-founded Eduardo Saverin, he is without a doubt the unsung hero of the piece. And where’s his Supporting Actor nomination? Nowhere. Justin Timberlake‘s? Nowhere. Not good.

Christopher Nolan. Seriously, guys, really? Inception is all over the list! Apparently, a cosy drama about yet another king with issues is grounds for a board-sweep, but not one of the most visually creative and imaginative directors of the year, for a film he even wrote? Ouch.

Mark Whalberg‘s probably not thrilled, either, given he was the lead in The Fighter, and both supporting actors (Christian Bale and Melissa Leo) got Oscars for their work. Then again, lets be honest – Mark Whalberg just tends to play Mark Whalberg.

And lets not forget the cast members in Black Swan, Mila Kunis as evil rival ballerina Lily and Barbara Hershey as the hauntingly vicarious mother of Nina, played by the now Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman.

Bit of a sting-fest for all involved, but better luck next year, right? Hopefully there won’t be a Queen’s Dialogue or Princesses’ Twitter Feed to usurp all the truly original stuff. Agree? Disagree? Debate, people! Debate!

Girl’s Night Out will reportedly be based on true events surrounding the VE Day celebrations that took place on the 8th May 1945, when the then-teenage Margaret and Elizabeth were allowed out of the palace.

The script, which was written by Trevor De Silva, is said to feature to the romantic antics of the two girls, who ventured into the outside world in order to celebrate the end of the Second World War. The sisters were also the daughters of King George VI – the subject of the Oscar nominated film, The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth.

Girls’ Night Out director, Michael Hoffman, has also worked with Firth on another of his upcoming films, a remake of the 1966 crime comedy Gambit.

No word yet on who might be cast as the teenage version of Elizabeth (that’s right, the Queen now!), but we can’t wait to find out what these two risky royals got up to in their younger days. We’ll keep you posted!

Joined by Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett, the pair take a tour of the rock and roll lifestyle (and Japan…), as they are propelled to stardom by producer Kim Fowley, played by Michael Shannon. Their story starts in Southern California, where Jett, sporting a fairly awful mullet, is firmly told by her guitar teacher that “girls don’t play electric guitar”. Currie, on the other hand, has taken to painting her face in the style of David Bowie and swearing on stage at her school talent contest.

Presumably this would have gone on for a few years until they both grew out of it, if it hadn’t been for Jett’s chance encounter with music mogul Fowley. He introduces her to drummer Sandy West (played by Stella Maeve), and then helps in the formation of the all-girl rock band The Runaways, with cherry-bomb-Currie as the lead singer.

From then on it is, quite simply, Dakota and Stewart as you’ve never seen them before. The band go on an all out guitar-throwing, lesbian-kissing, pill-popping rampage – and if you’ve seen any music-based biopic you’ll probably know how it ends. So far, nothing surprising, right? Well, actually, no. If you’re looking for this film’s most shocking moments, you won’t find them in the cocaine-snorting in the aeroplane bathroom, or in Cherrie’s decision to wearing provocative underwear as her stage clothes. It’s the moments of innocence that take you surprise, such as scene where a bare-faced Currie jumps on her bed in delight at being signed by Mercury Records, reminding you that she is, in fact, just fifteen years of age.

Much acclaim should be given to Shannon for his performance as Fowley, their borderline psychotic record producer who appears to revel in the sex-appeal of these underage starlets. His portrayal certainly goes some way to supporting accusations that the girls were subjected to significant verbal abuse at the hands of their management throughout their time as a band.

They were the self-proclaimed Queens of Noise, and so, who better to direct this screaming biopic of a film than music video director Floria Sigismondi. Her trademark disorientating shots do well at capturing the adrenaline of The Runaways live performances, as well as the breakdown of the relationships between the various band members.

The screenplay for the film was based on Currie’s book, Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway, and, as with most adaptations, it occasionally feels as if details are often glossed over in favour of keeping up the pace. The sudden flashing of raw tattoos and the brief encounters with live-in roadies suggest that this film has left much untold.

But what The Runaways does do is provide some context for these guitar-wielding tough girls. Their troubled home lives and battles with addiction may not provide much in terms of scandal or suspense, but it certainly goes some way to humanising these sexed-up adolescent rock chicks, who vanished from the music scene almost as quickly as they appeared.

An all-grown-up Dakota Fanning stars as the band’s original lead vocalist Cherie Currie, who wrote the memoirs on which the screenplay is based. Kristen Stewart joins her as rhythm guitarist and vocalist, Joan Jett, giving her a chance to really work that rock and roll image she’s been craving since playing angst-y teen Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga. Michael Shannon also stars, taking on the role of Kim Fowley, who agrees to produce the group faster than you can say jailbait.

The New York Times reported that when Joan Jett first listened to Kristen Stewart singing her songs she thought it was the original, and so this film is likely to score points for credibility at least. And if you can look past the horrendous haircuts, then the acting is supposedly not bad either.

The Runaways is the first feature-length film from renowned music video director Floria Sigismondi, and the Chicago Tribune have already praised her ability to capture “the clubs, the shag-heavy interiors and the Farrah-haired vibe of mid-1970s Los Angeles in look and spirit.” However, rock star egos and inter-band tensions that so often dominate band biographies have turned into predictable movie clichés in their frequent adaptations. Whether The Runaways might redeem itself with its ‘coming of age’ element and a brilliant soundtrack remains yet to be seen.

The Runaways, starring Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, arrives in UK cinemas on Friday 27th August. Check out the trailer below.

‘Twihards’ had been camped outside the site for days in order to get a good position to see the stars and over 3,000 fans attended last night’s premiere.

Eclipse is the third instalment of The Twilight Saga and star all the usual suspects: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning, Anna Kendrick, Peter Facinelli, and Elizabeth Reaser among others, all of whom attended last night.

20-year-old Kristen, who plays Bella Swan, wore a white backless Elie Saab dress with a high neckline and one long armed sleeve. Her co-star and rumoured boyfriend, Robert, who plays Edward, went for an unusual red Gucci suit.

The event was streamed live on Twilight‘s MySpace page and hundreds of blogs did live feeds for the event.

The film will be in cinemas on July 9th.

See below for a gallery of pictures from the event.

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In the past the festival has premiered a number of films that have gone on to be huge, such as Taxi Driver in 1976, Blade Runner in 1982 and The Piano in 1993 to name a few. So, we are right in thinking there might be some treats in store for us this year.

The festival opens today with a red carpet UK premiere of Sylvian Chomet’s the Illusionist, a animated film set in Scotland.

Known for it’s huge range in film genres, EIFF is also screening the UK premiere of Toy Story 3, a month before it goes on general release.

Other highlights include a special gala screening this Sunday of the 1975 film The Man Who Would Be King which starred the legendary Sean Connery who has been a patron of the festival since 1992. The screening is in celebration of his 80th birthday.

There will be the European premiere of the hotly anticipated The Runaways, a biopic of guitarist Joan Jett’s first band, starring Twilight star Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning.

This years panel judging the £15,000 Michael Powell Award includes Britt Ekland, Mike Hodges and Sir Patrick Stewart who will also take part in a 90 minute live event talking about his varied career.

The festival boosts the first ‘audio horror movie’ which we’re not entirely sure what it is and a look at the lost and forgotten films in British cinema between 1967-1979.

On top of this there will be 22 world premieres, 12 international premieres and 133 features from 34 countries.