Viraldice

A new film season is breaking down barriers for Disabled filmmakers

November 30, 2021

This weekend, the BFI Southbank will host Busting the Bias, a series of screenings, talks and presentations showcasing Disabled practitioners’ work. The programme aims to create ongoing discourse for improved access for Disabled talent to work in the screen industries, and advocate for authentic on-screen representation and leadership off-screen. All screenings will be presented with subtitles for the D/deaf and people experiencing hearing loss.

Love, directed by Jane Ashmore and starring Jules Robertson, is a great example of what can happen when the industry eschews ‘cripping up’ (where disabled parts are played by non disabled actors) and you get a sense of the lived experience the actor can bring to the role. This bittersweet film tells the story of Oscar, a complex character with unique needs but the same hopes and desires as anyone. The ‘straight’ manner in which Oscar’s lines are delivered might seem comedic to a person that does not have autism, but they are not meant as such – in this sense the film accurately conveys the way autism is often misinterpreted.

Next up is The Multi, a short film that tackles how a Black woman uses the order in her life to hide the trauma that was inflicted on her by her father during childhood. This trauma rears its head when her sister’s wedding has to relocate to her father’s house due to the pandemic. Chats over Zoom with her sister about her upcoming wedding capture the loneliness and isolation that comes from your office space being the same as your personal space. The film was made semi-remotely with a majority d/Deaf cast and crew. The standout performer is Natasha Ofili, who also wrote and produced the film.

Another film that was made remotely is Aimee Victoria, a deaf queer love story made during the height of lockdown in 2020. It poses the question that many of us have asked since March last year – how do you celebrate special occasions virtually? For this reason, the film really strikes an emotional chord. The answer for Aimee is to create a beautiful poem for her girlfriend, Victoria, which she performs for her as she stands on her balcony, like a modern-day deaf queer version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

These films are free from the stereotypes of disabled people that you often see on screen – we are to be pitied, to be feared, to be reduced to our disabilities like caricatures. We are complex people with our own flaws, desires and hopes, and these films portray us as such. As someone who is passionate about accurate representation of disabled people in film and media, Busting the Bias feels like a real game-changer.

Busting the Bias runs at BFI Southbank 3-5 December. For more info and to book tickets visit whatson.bfi.org.uk

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Reality Tea

Ramona Singer Accuses Gizelle Bryant Of Bringing Her Up For Press; Ramona Says She “Doesn’t Care About” Gizelle

November 30, 2021

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The Hollywood Gossip

Josh Duggar Confessed to Molesting Girls at Age 12, Family Friend Testifies in Court

November 30, 2021

Josh Duggar goes on trial for child pornography possession at 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday, November 30.

On Monday, however, Josh, his legal team and the prosecutors were in court for a three-hour pre-trial hearing that focused on one important topic:

Duggar's admission in 2015 that he molested a number of female children when he was 15 years old.

As it turns out, he first inappropriately touched these minors when he was even younger than that.

The revelation came about because Duggar's lawyers are trying to argue that the jury should NOT hear anything about this scandal.

They believe the issue at hand is whether or not their client downloaded sexually graphic material of little kids from his workplace computer in May 2019 -- and Josh's past sins are not relevant to the case.

Conversely, prosecutors wish to establish a pattern of behavior; they think this molestation confession is important to present to jurors because it helps prove that Duggar is the type of person who would download this material.

The judge has not yet ruled on whether anything related to the scandal will be permitted at the actual trial.

"Let's have a trial about what actually happened in May of 2019," one of Duggar's attorneys urged the judge on Monday.

With Anna Duggar sitting in the front row, meanwhile, Bobye Holt was then called to testify.

A close friend of this infamous family, Bobye is married to a man who has known Jim Bob Duggar since seventhh grade.

"We loved them," she said on the stand. "We loved Josh."

The couple's oldest daughter even dated Josh for several months between 2002 and 2003.

But the relationship ended on March 30, 2003 after Jim Bob called the Holts over to tell them "what Josh had done," Bobye said yesterday.

"[Josh] explained that Jane Doe four was sitting on his lap during Bible time and he touched her inappropriately," she told the judge of what allegedly happened on that date.

"He told us that he touched her vaginal area."

Josh also admitted to touching three other girls, Bobye said, each of them on their breasts and genitals.

Bobye also testified that Duggar admitted to inappropriately touching girls -- each of whom were younger than 10 -- in February 2002.

She said in the courtroom that it's her understanding Josh started this behavior at age 12 and that it continued until he was 15.

Jim Bob Duggar has previously said that Josh only groped his victims over the shirt while they slept.

HOWEVER, Bobye choked up on the stand upon recounting how Josh touched at least one girl in 2003 outside and then inside her genitals.

In yet another incident, Bobye detailed, Josh "said that he went to [one of the girls] as she was sleeping and got up under her blanket to start touching her and she woke up and hit him."

Then, the girl told his parents.

"I went to go tell Jim Bob and Michelle but they said they didn't want to hear it," Bobye added.

Jim Bob, for his part, also took the stand.

And he was combative throughout.

When asked about the police report from Josh's molestation scandal during his testimony on Monday, Jim Bob said "I can't remember" and called it "tabloid information" because the public learned about what transpired from an In Touch Weekly report.

"I'm not going to allow it, are you going to allow for that?" he reportedly asked judge Timothy L. Brooks, who fired back to Jim Bob that "if there is [an] objection to be made, someone will make it but it won't be you."

Jim Bob mostly pleaded ignorant to what he remembered about the incidents with his son's four victims, but did at one point tell the judge that his son told his mom and dad about "inappropriate touching" of a minor.

"Josh confessed everything to Arkansas State Police," added Jim Bob, who said he and Michelle took Josh to the authorities in 2006 on the recommendation of Jim Holt, Bobye's husband and an elder in their church.

"We tried to handle things in house," Jim Bob also said.

"It was a very difficult time in our family's life."

When the 2006 police report came up again during his testimony, Jim Bob complained:

"For you guys to use a tabloid to bring it back up is very unprofessional."

This earned him a rebuke from Brooks.

"Mr. Duggar, I recognize this is perhaps a very unfair position that you're placed in and I appreciate that," the judge said. "This is not a debate."

Josh Duggar has been accused of downloading files depicting child sexual abuse on May 14, 15 and 16 of 2019 on the computer at his then-workplace, a used car lot in Arkansas.

If convicted of the charges against him, Duggar faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and up to $250,000 in fines on each of the two counts for a total possible sentence of 40 years.

As for his history of molestation?

This is what he told People Magazine six and a half years ago:

"As a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret.

"I hurt others, including my family and close friends ….

"I would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions. I sought forgiveness from those I had wronged and asked Christ to forgive me and come into my life."

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Little White Lies

Adrienne

November 30, 2021

“Simultaneously magical and unfair,” is how Paul Rudd describes the night his friend Adrienne Shelly’s Waitress debuted to acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007. Less than three months before this triumphant moment, the director was found dead by her husband, Andy Ostroy, in the bathroom of her office. The scene had been staged to look like suicide, but when pressed to investigate, the police found evidence proving homicide and apprehended the culprit.

Now, 15 years later, Ostroy’s grief is still palpable and his directorial debut explores Shelly’s career trajectory from indie ingenue to a name lit up on a Broadway marquee. It is a bittersweet success story running in tandem with the tragedy casting a shadow over the filmmakers’ legacy – and the loved ones she left behind.

Candid conversations with family (including Shelly’s now 17-year-old daughter Sophie), friends and colleagues are entwined with archival footage, home movies, journal entries, and additional clips of Shelly’s work that punctuates this loss with questions of what could have been. It is a deeply personal documentary depicting Shelly’s bright life (as well as her career struggles) and the raw emotions describing this loss will have you reaching for the tissues.

There is no space between director and subject, which is a benefit when capturing the memoir-like aspects of major milestones. However, the close proximity of the director to the violent crime is occasionally detrimental to the final film. Two dominant threads take hold early on and elements leaning toward the true crime narrative occasionally threaten to overwhelm the woman at the heart of the story – a later interaction is unflinching and uncomfortable.

Perhaps some of the discomforts felt watching the thornier moments are a reflection of how unfathomable this tragedy is and the lack of a roadmap for grieving a senseless death. An intimate and deeply familiar discussion of her legacy is born out of Shelly’s relationship with Ostroy and the warmth emanating from the interview subjects. No doubt, the light he shines on her work will encourage viewers to explore Shelly’s back catalogue.

A wealth of options include Hal Hartley’s indie classics The Unbelievable Truth and Trust, as well as the material Shelly wrote, directed and starred in. Even if you aren’t familiar beyond the Keri Russell starring Waitress, you will come away from Adrienne with a sense of who the filmmaker was and could have become.

Humour and sorrow are inextricably linked in Shelly’s writing, and similarly, contradicting themes persist in this documentary. The joy of Waitress becoming a Tony-nominated musical is coupled with a profound sadness that Broadway audience members have never even heard of Adrienne Shelly, or that she struggled as a filmmaker before her biggest hit occurred posthumously.

Outside of personal relationships, the documentary is at its best when it captures how prolific Shelly was as she noodled with ideas; clips from an abandoned documentary on the theme of happiness are hilarious and heartbreaking.

Ostroy briefly discusses the need to “spin some gold” from this “horrifying negative” with the creation of the Adrienne Shelly Foundation to support women filmmakers and more time in the documentary dedicated to this endeavour would have been beneficial. The number of projects left unfinished and unrealised cannot be measured and this contribution to the arts is a fitting and affecting tribute.

ANTICIPATION.
A long-overdue celebration of Adrienne Shelly’s personal and professional legacy. 4

ENJOYMENT.
An unflinching and raw portrayal that runs the gamut from beautiful to uncomfortable. 4

IN RETROSPECT.
A striking portrait of Shelly’s life that will have you seeking out her work and wondering what could have been. 4

Directed by
Andy Ostroy

Starring
Adrienne Shelly

The post Adrienne appeared first on Little White Lies.

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Little White Lies

C’mon C’mon

November 30, 2021

Kids can be safely relied on to say the darnedest things, and in Mike Mills’ latest feature, indeed they do. But they also say everything else – the funniest things, the saddest things, the strangest things, the most wondrous things.

Precocious little Jesse (cherubic Woody Norman) often manages all of this at the same time, his youthful lack of filter combining with his born sensitivity in such remarks as when he informs uncle Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) that the man’s not very good at expressing his emotions.

The deceptive maturity of children, when played against the limits of how much an adult can fairly expect on that front, makes for gentle drama in Mills’ study of a hurting family’s unconventional healing. Johnny has built his career around the concept that our offspring know more than we realise, though he has none of his own; Phoenix portrays the host of a radio show who travels the country interviewing young people about their lives.

On paper, he’s the ideal temporary guardian for Jesse once Johnny’s sister Viv (Gaby Hoffmann) needs some time for help bipolar husband Paul (Scoot McNairy) through an episode of instability. But all Johnny’s curiosity and empathy can’t prepare him for the practical challenges of time management in childrearing, or the possibility that Jesse may have inherited some of his father’s behavioural patterns.

This falls into the tradition of movies about closed-off guys learning to feel from the innocents left in their charge, but Mills skirts triteness by softening Phoenix’s usual intensity. He’s not starting from a place of emotional rigidity, as made clear in his treatment of the subjects in his polite, studied recording sessions. Instead, he’s merely a bit sad and lonely, two inner holes filled with the energising purpose of surrogate parenthood.

The black-and-white photography is Mills’ big formal choice, its effect not disagreeable despite hard-to-discern motivations. In practice, cinematographer Robbie Ryan’s monochrome has a way of making disparate pockets of America look unified, despite the location shooting bringing out their individual beauty.

Jesse has an odd pre-bedtime routine of pretending that he’s an orphan, talking about the contemptible conditions at his orphanage, and asking if he can’t stay the night in his own bed. It weirds Johnny out the first time he sees it, and the audience is right there with him, but we both come to understand the rationale.

In this film full of people hesitant to open themselves up, acceptance becomes a naked plea that demands to be made every day. The tone never defines the stakes in such grave terms, but that’s the key to the potency of Mills’ cinema: life’s pivotal turns come in idle moments, from inconspicuous sources. All it takes is the willingness to listen.

ANTICIPATION.
Five years since Mike Mills’ last feature is entirely too long. 4

ENJOYMENT.
With results like these, he can take as much time as he needs. 4

IN RETROSPECT.
Truth, from the mouths of babes. 4

Directed by
Mike Mills

Starring
Joaquin Phoenix, Woody Norman, Gabby Hoffmann

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Reality Tea

Melissa Gorga Launching A Podcast Called “Melissa Gorga On Display”

November 29, 2021

It’s about time that we added to the ever growing list of celebrity podcasts, said none of us, but here we are! This time, it’s a housewife looking to expand their platform to the world of podcasting. Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Melissa Gorga has recently announced her new podcast venture, Melissa Gorga on Display, debuting December 2nd on PodcastOne.

The RHONJ star opened up about the podcast, the title of which being a hallmark to Melissa’s song, On Display, released a decade ago this year.

If you know me, you know I speak my mind. Now I have the perfect platform to do just that.” she revealed to People “As someone who has lived a life in front of the cameras for over a decade, I’m excited to get behind the mic.”

If you’re wondering what Melissa’s podcast will cover, Melissa explains ” each week my celebrity guests and I will share stories and chat about all sorts of things like fashion, family, show business, entrepreneurship, and of course, treating yourself.”

Melissa appears to be teasing RHONJ fans about exclusive tea in the podcast that doesn’t get seen on the show, explaining “believe it or not, there are stories that the cameras do not tell, and that’s what you’re going to get with this podcast. It’s life unfiltered.”

RELATED: Teresa Giudice Says She Bonded With Melissa Gorga While Filming Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip

As to who will get the honor of first guest, Melissa plays coy for a moment: “My first guest is none other than a successful businessman, comedian, father, and… husband to an amazing wife (wink); It’s Joe Gorga!” She continued, “Were going to talk all about this crazy life we have. Things like our relationship, our family, our business ventures, and obviously, how we’re going to survive this holiday season,”

PodcastOne President Kit Gray, for one, is confident the podcast will be a success. In a press release, they explained, “There is absolutely no denying the immense popularity of Melissa Gorga and the impact her presence has had on pop culture around the world. Her podcast is exactly what audiences want in a celebrity-hosted podcast and listeners will not be disappointed.”

Melissa is certainly keeping busy. Between this new podcast and starring on Real Housewives of New Jersey since it’s 3rd season, viewers can also catch her on Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.

The spin off show features a cast of all stars from different franchises, in a tropical location on a 8 day trip. Melissa’s OG status definitely crept up on us. Although we admit to have been slightly surprised like sister in law Teresa Giudice to hear about Melissa’s addition to the show… now, there is no denying her staying power.

RELATED: Melissa Gorga Says “There’s No Excuses” For Ramona Singer’s Behavior On Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip; Says She Holds Ramona “Close To Her Heart”

TELL US- WOULD YOU TUNE INTO MELISSA’S PODCAST? ARE YOU SICK OF CELEBRITY PODCASTS? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF RHUGT CASTING?

[Photo Credit: Bravo]

The post Melissa Gorga Launching A Podcast Called “Melissa Gorga On Display” appeared first on Reality Tea.

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The Mary Sue

Prince Charles Denies Accusation That He Asked About Skin Tone of Meghan and Harry’s Baby

November 29, 2021

Since the Oprah interview where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said that a member of the Royal Family inquired about the skin tone of their first child, there has been much speculation as to who made the comments. An upcoming book has claimed that it was none other than the Prince of Wales himself, Prince Charles.

NBC has reported that, according to Brothers and Wives: Inside the Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan by royal writer Christopher Andersen, during breakfast with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince asked, “What do you suppose their children’s complexion might be?”

Andersen says that these comments were “twisted into something toxic” by royal advisors and then passed along the gossip grapevine to Harry and Meghan. Meghan, being biracial and having already dealt with racial issues from outside the Palace, and Harry, who had been trying to protect her, would no doubt feel a way about that kind of comment.

However, Prince Charles’s spokesman has called this “fiction” and “not worth further comment,” according to Reuters. Currently, Prince Charles is on the island of Barbados to celebrate the island transitioning to a republic, no longer part of the Commonwealth. So, I could imagine him not wanting to entertain such comments while on an island of mostly Black people.

Andersen says the book’s claims were verified by “multiple sources” and details other alleged dramatic moments among the royals. Apparently, William told Harry to “take whatever time you need to really get to know this girl,” meaning, of course, Meghan and Harry reacted poorly.

Of course, the rift between William and Harry has been something discussed frequently and only got worse once Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal duties.

Another incident being shared is that, in 2019, before Queen Elizabeth II recorded her traditional Christmas broadcast message, according to the book, she asked that a photo of Harry, Meghan, and Archie be removed. When William saw it was gone, William told his wife, Kate, that Harry would be “terribly upset.”

“She loves all of her children and grandchildren, there’s no doubt about that,” Andersen told TODAY. “But when it comes to the firm, as they call it in the royal family, she is all business. That’s why she wouldn’t allow Harry and Meghan to remain as part time royals on the terms that they wanted.”

A spokesperson for the Queen said, “We don’t comment on books of this kind as to do so risks giving it some form of authority or credibility.”

None of us will know the full truth of this any time soon, but one thing is for sure: When it comes to the Royal Family looking outdated and problematic, they have a lot of issues. The treatment of Meghan Markle has been a softball they should have hit out of the park, but instead, they missed and have only walked out looking even more irrelevant.

(via NBC, image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

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The post Prince Charles Denies Accusation That He Asked About Skin Tone of Meghan and Harry’s Baby first appeared on The Mary Sue.

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Viraldice

A new film season is breaking down barriers for Disabled filmmakers

Ramona Singer Accuses Gizelle Bryant Of Bringing Her Up For Press; Ramona Says She “Doesn’t Care About” Gizelle

RELATED: Gizelle Bryant Would Go On A Date With Ramona Singer’s Ex-Husband, Mario Singer, “To Make Ramona Mad”

RELATED: Gizelle Bryant Says Ramona Singer Is “Insane” For Kicking Her Out Of Photo

Josh Duggar Confessed to Molesting Girls at Age 12, Family Friend Testifies in Court

Adrienne

C’mon C’mon

Melissa Gorga Launching A Podcast Called “Melissa Gorga On Display”

RELATED: Teresa Giudice Says She Bonded With Melissa Gorga While Filming Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip

RELATED: Melissa Gorga Says “There’s No Excuses” For Ramona Singer’s Behavior On Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip; Says She Holds Ramona “Close To Her Heart”

Prince Charles Denies Accusation That He Asked About Skin Tone of Meghan and Harry’s Baby

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