Tag: oscars

  • David Yarovesky “LOCKED” interview “there’s electricity that can happens on set”

    Exclusive Interview with David Yarovesky “LOCKED”

    Awards Buzz and Latasha’s Entertainment Scoop were delighted to interview David Yarovesky, the writer, director, and producer behind the thriller film “Locked.” David Yarovesky Interview “LOCKED”.

    The interview delves into Yarovesky’s journey in creating “Locked,” including his collaboration with director Sam Raimi, the film’s distinctive score and music selection, and the challenges of maintaining authenticity while exploring the film’s moral themes. David also discusses working with acclaimed actors Anthony Hopkins and Bill Skarsgård, highlighting their “electric” on-set chemistry. “There’s this electricity that can happen on set, and it’s like the crew was texting me. Crew members would come over, they’d be like, it was wild to just be here to see that you could just feel there was electricity.”

    Additionally, Yarovesky touches on the film’s fast production schedule, which was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and his personal love for the horror/thriller genre. “This is an independent thriller that was produced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to the film’s tight production schedule.”

    About “LOCKED”

    Photo Cred: Avenue Film

    “LOCKED” is an upcoming thriller, action feature starring Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins and Bill Skarsgård. The film is produced by Sam Raimi and follows Eddie (Skarsgård), a young criminal who breaks into a luxury SUV parked in an empty parking lot. Unbeknownst to Eddie (Bill Skarsgård) the vehicle’s owner, William (Anthony Hopkins), has tricked out the car to deliver his own brand of twisted justice. Eddie must fight to survive while William dishes out cruel and unusual punishment. “Locked” will hit theaters nationwide on March 21, 2025. This film is incredibly suspenseful and action-packed! Check out the official trailer here.

    About David Yarovesky

    The multi-hyphenate director/producer/writer David Yarovesky has years of experience spanning action thrillers, horror flicks, and fantasy adventures, David has rapidly become one of the most watched talents in entertainment and is poised to make a significant impact on the film industry. This year, David helmed the upcoming thriller/action feature “Locked,” directing Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins and Bill Skarsgård. Produced by Sam Raimi, the film follows Eddie (Bill Skarsgård), a young criminal who breaks into a luxury SUV, and the vehicle’s owner, William (Anthony Hopkins), who has rigged the car to deliver his own brand of twisted justice. “Locked” will hit theaters nationwide on March 21, 2025.

    David also recently directed Netflix’s “Nightbooks,” based on the beloved J.A. White young adult book series. The fantasy film follows Alex (Winslow Fegley), a boy obsessed with scary stories, who is imprisoned by an evil witch (Krysten Ritter) in her contemporary New York City apartment. “Nightbooks” debuted globally on Netflix in 2021. Additional credits for David include directing Sony Pictures’ thriller horror feature film “Brightburn,” starring Elizabeth Banks and produced by his longtime friend and mentor James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy”). David made his feature film directorial debut in 2014 with the cult horror hit “The Hive” (Nerdist Industries, Legendary Pictures), starring Gabriel Basso, Sean Gunn, and Kathryn Prescott, which he also wrote.

  • OSCARS 2025: ALTA GLOBAL MEDIA 2nd Annual Viewing Party & red carpet interviews

    Alta Global Media hosted a star-studded OSCARS viewing party at the Los Angeles Athletic Club for the 97th annual Academy Awards

    Photo Cred: Anyuta Aslanian

    On Sunday, March 2nd Alta Global Media hosted its 2nd annual star-studded Oscars viewing party at the nostalgic Los Angeles Athletic Club located in Los Angeles, California. Sunday was certainly ‘Sunday – Funday’ in Hollywood celebrating this year’s biggest achievements in film. Alta Global Media intimate, invite only event, in conjunction with the HollyShorts Film Festival served fundraising purposes honoring local heroic first responders from recent Los Angeles wildfires. There were numerous celebrities, athletes, music artists, HollyShorts alumni, Los Angeles Athletic Club members and many more who gathered to celebrate Hollywood’s biggest night – the OSCARS and the final stretch of this year’s awards season. The 97th annual Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre located in Los Angeles, California and Conan O’Brien hosted the extravagant event which ran for which ran for 3 hours and 47 minutes on ABC and Hulu.

    As for the biggest winners, “Anora,” landed five of the six awards it was up for in Best Picture, Director, Actress, Editing and Original Screenplay categories. “Emilia Pérez,” was this year’s most nominated film scoring an amazing 13 nominations with two of which resulting into Oscars wins in the Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song categories. “The Brutalist” won three Academy Awards and both “Wicked” and “Dune: Part Two” scored two wins each. The 2025 Oscars ceremony went out with a bang!

    Photo Cred: Anyuta Aslanian

    As for the Alta Global Media’s red carpet, Latasha M. Ford shared space with many of your favorite television stars, Theo Dumont “Alta Global Media” founding partner, producer “RISE,” “Thirst,”  “Die Like a Man,” co-founder of the HollyShorts Film Festival and Steven Adams “Alta Global Media” founding partner and producer “RISE,” “Rodney King,” “Heart of the Hunter,” “A Huey P Newton Story” and more.

    Photo Cred: Anyuta Aslanian

    Check out red-carpet interviews below:

    Melissa Williams (BET+ ‘”Ruthless” actress and Joivan Wade (Peacock TV “Belair” actor)

    Jimmy Akingbola, Nigerian-British Actor “Bel-Air” and “The Tower”

    Brian A. Metcalf, American Actor, Writer, Director, Producer

    Adrian Dev, Actor/Producer “Star Wars Obi Wan” “Mulan” “Westworld”

    Steven Adams award winning Producer and founding Partner “Alta Global Media”

    Gabi Lopes, British actress TV series “Malhação”

    Rhonda Morman actress “Wicked City”, producer, humanitarian

    British actor and “Yellowstone” star

    Theo Dumont founding Partner “Alta Global Media” Producer, co-founder “Hollyshorts Film Festival”

    Photo Cred: Anyuta Aslanian

    About Alta Global Media Founding Partners

    Theo Dumont has a tremendous amount of entertainment publicity experience. He is the co-founder and co-director of the Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival, Hollywood Comedy Festival and co-founder of the Mammoth Film Festival. At Alta Global Media, Dumont spearheads media relations, publicity and strategic marketing communications campaigns for entertainment industry clients.

    Dumont’s clients include Spike Lee, The Netflix Original Series She’s Gotta Have It,  BlacKkKlansman for Focus Features, Actor/Director Roger Guenveur Smith (Rodney King), Stefon Bristol and his Spirit Award-Nominated film See You Yesterday, Writer Kerry Williamson, (Netflix’s What Happened to Monday), Buffalo 8 Productions (Rodney King), Bondit Media Capital, Bronwen Hughes (Netflix’s The Journey Is the Destination) Show runner Adi Hasak and his Adi TV Studios production company (NBC’s Shades of Blue and USA’s Eyewitness), Netflix’s Delhi Crime, Stan Lee’s Kids Universe, Producer Tanner Beard (Terrence Malik’s Voyage of Time, Knight of Cups, Song To Song), Oscar nominated animator Bill Plympton, 1821 Entertainment, Klasky Csupo,  Strong Eagle Media (The Hornet’s Nest, Citizen Soldier, Apache Warrior) among others.

    Steven Adams is an award-winning producer. He is the founding partner at Alta Global Media where he represents international media companies and talent.

    Adams is a producer on the Netflix Original adaptation of Roger Guenveur Smith’s solo performance piece Rodney King and the Peabody Award winning “A Huey P Newton Story” for Starz, both directed by Academy Award winner Spike Lee. Adams recently collaborated on the marketing of 2 seasons Spike Lee’s hit series Netflix “She’s Gotta Have It” and the Academy Award winning “BLACKKKLANSMAN.” Adams served for 4 years as a VFX executive producer with Paris-based VFX house BUF. His credits also include Academy Award winners such as James Cameron’s “Avatar,” Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi,” “Thor” for Marvel Studios, as well as “Green Lantern,” “Green Hornet,” Stephen Sommers’ “Odd Thomas” and Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows”.

  • AAFCA 2025: Celebrating Black Excellence in Film

    Colman Domingo ‘Sing Sing’, Danielle Deadwyler ‘The Piano Lesson’, and ‘The Wild Robot,’ were among the winners this year!

    Photo Cred: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content

    The 16th Annual African American Film Critics Association Awards (AAFCA) ceremony was held on February 19, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel. The venue was filled with AAFCA winners, Oscar nominees, honorees and many more. It was a lively room filled with talented actors, actresses, producers, directors and creatives Yes, it’s true — Tyler Perry made a grand appearance to honor Ambassador Nicole Avant, Former US Ambassador, political activist, producer ‘The Six Triple Eight’ and ‘The Black Godfather’ and 2025 honoree of the Beacon Award. Tyler Perry gave a heartfelt, memorable tribute to a legendary trailblazer (Nicole Avant)! This year’s ceremony was hosted by Amber Ruffin, comedian, writer and actress who hosted her own late-night talk show titled The Amber Ruffin Show on Peacock. Ruffin is also known for her work for Late Night with Seth Meyers and it’s safe to say Amber Ruffin kept the audience engaged with her electric energy jokes around DEI rollbacks, Beyonce’ Cowboy Carter concert tickets, egg prices nowadays and so much more.

    “We’re going to be more than alright,” Ruffin expressed. “We create in spite of. We love to tell our stories in spite of. We excel in spite of, and tonight we celebrate with each other in spite of.”

    Photo Cred: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content

    Other attendees were Nicole Avant, RaMell Ross, Malcolm Washington and more were honored. Winners Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Danielle Deadwyler, Kris Bowers, Ray Fisher, Greg Kweder, Clint Bentley, and Clarence Maclin were in attendance to accept their awards alongside AAFCA President and Co-Founder Gil Robertson, who presided over the event. Additional attendees included Ted Sarandos, Tyler Perry, Questlove, Lynn Whitfield, Kym Whitley, Tyler Lepley, Robert Ri’chard, Kat Graham, and more. AAFCA proudly included and honored first responders as special guests at this year’s ceremony in honor of their heroic efforts.

    As for the red carpet, Latasha M. Ford of course graced the carpet interviewing AAFCA winners, honorees and many more. The energy on the carpet was electric, to say the least.

    Check out some of the red-carpet interviews below:

    Photo Cred: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content

    Kym Whitley presenting AAFCA’s Tribute to First Responders

    Ray Fisher ‘The Piano Lesson’ Honoree: Breakout Performance

    Clarence Maclin AAFCA Winner: Best Supporting Actor ‘Sing Sing’

    Robert Ri’chard presenter of Best International Film ‘Emilia Perez’

    Glynn Turman, presenting Best Actor to Colman Domingo ‘Sing Sing’

    Datari Turner presenter of Best Independent Feature ‘She Taught Love’

    Ruth E. Carter, presenting Innovative Award to Paul Tazewell ‘Wicked’

    Danielle Deadwyler ‘The Piano Lesson’ & Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson ‘The Nickel Boys’

    Photo Cred: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content

    The Full Winners List

    Colman Domingo ‘Sing Sing’ won for Best Actor, Marianne Jean-Baptiste ‘Hard Truths’ won for Best Actress, Danielle Deadwyler ‘The Piano Lesson’ won for Best Supporting Actress. Below is the complete list of winners:

    Best Actor: Colman Domingo ‘Sing Sing’

    Best Actress: Marianne Jean-Baptiste ‘Hard Truths’

    Best Supporting Actor: Clarence Maclin ‘Sing Sing’

    Best Supporting Actress: Danielle Deadwyler ‘The Piano Lesson’

    Best Ensemble: ‘The Piano Lesson’

    Best Original Score: Kris Bowers ‘The Wild Robot’

    Best Original Song: Andra Day, Cassandra Batie & Jherek Bischoff (Bricks) ‘Exhibiting Forgiveness’

    Best Screenplay: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar ‘Sing Sing’

    Best Documentary: Daughters (Netflix) and Dahomey (Mubi)

    Best Animated Feature: ‘The Wild Robot’

    Best International Film: ‘Emilia Pérez’

    Best Independent Feature: ‘She Taught Love’

    Beacon Award: Nicole Avant

    Emerging Director Award: Malcolm Washington ‘The Piano Lesson’

    Breakout Performance Award: Ray Fisher ‘The Piano Lesson’

    Spotlight Award: RaMell Ross ‘The Nickel Boys’

    Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell ‘Wicked’

    Photo Cred: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content

    About AAFCA
    Established in 2003, AAFCA is the premier body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment highlighting the Black experience in the US and throughout the rest of the African Diaspora. For more information on AAFCA and its programs visit http://AAFCA.com