Movies

There are plenty of movies based on true stories these days, but probably none quite as wild as The Red Sea Diving Resort starring Chris Evans. The upcoming Netflix film tells the story of an unusual spy mission: rescuing Jewish refugees under the guise of running a cheesy beachfront resort.

In the 1980s, following the Ethiopian Civil War, a large number of Ethiopian Jews needed to leave Africa and emigrate to Israel, but getting out of war-torn Ethiopia to Israel proved to be a challenge. Activists who supported the immigration of diaspora Jews to Israel, as well as Israeli Mossad agents, formed a plan. The agents were based in Sudan, and they put out a call to the Ethiopian Jewish community with a promise: come to Sudan, and we'll get you to Israel. They called the operation "Operation Brothers," and it's this operation that The Red Sea Diving Resort depicts.

The general idea was to help the Ethiopian Jews, also referred to as "Beta Israel," get to Israel by taking them in a roundabout way on a journey through Europe. At the time, Ethiopian Jews were facing prejudice and persecution in their home country, as well as general famine and strife following the civil war. In theory, this could get them out of what was becoming an unsafe situation, and it was supported by Israel, which was encouraging diaspora Jews to settle in Israel.

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Of course, things didn't quite go to plan. In 1983, with travel restrictions in Ethiopia loosened, more and more Jewish refugees began arriving at the camps in Sudan. The camps weren't prepared for such an influx, and situations rapidly deteriorated. Camps had poor conditions and a lack of food, resulting in thousands of deaths by 1984 as the Mossad was unable to get everyone out in a timely manner.

In the film, Mossad agents and their Ethiopian allies take over a deserted holiday resort in Sudan, using the retreat as a front in order to start smuggling thousands of the remaining refugees out of Sudan and get them to their final destination of Israel. The resort is called "Arous on the Red Sea" (hence the film's name) and is operated, at least in the film's version of events, by the Mossad. Agents would bring groups of refugees to the resort under cover of darkness, then help them onto rafts out to sea, where they could be met by Israeli naval forces to help complete their journey.

In real life, international intervention had to happen before all of the refugees were able to be moved out of Sudan. In November 1984, "Operation Moses" began, with the Sudanese government submitting to American pressure and allowing around 7,200 Ethiopian Jewish refugees to emigrate out of Sudan and to Europe, where they were then able to make the trip directly to Israel. A second wave, in early 1985, was overseen by the US Air Force directly and evacuated the remaining 494 refugees who had not made the first wave for one reason or another.

It's a story that entangles international politics, immigration bureaucracy, and some downright wacky spy hijinks. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, the film's writer-director Gideon Raff explains how some of the details of the "resort" cover wound up a little too good of a cover.

"Real tourists were the best cover they could ask for," Raff explains, and that's exactly what happened: actual tourists showed up, and the agents had to maintain cover by running the hotel, teaching classes on the beach, and even sending travel brochures for their fake resort to European travel agents. It's one of those stories that's so strange, you wouldn't believe it — except that it really happened.

Straight from San Diego Comic-Con, Paramount Pictures has released the first Top Gun: Maverick trailer featuring Tom Cruise returning to the title role. Check it out below along with the official poster in the gallery!

Top Gun: Maverick is said to be set in a world of drone technology and fifth generation fighters along with exploring the end of the era of dogfighting. Maverick (once again played by Tom Cruise) is now a flight instructor, who takes Bradley Bradshaw (played by Miles Teller), the son of Maverick’s late partner Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, under his wing. The film also stars Jon Hamm, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell and Ed Harris.

Joseph Kosinski, who previously directed Cruise in Oblivion, will helm the sequel, with Peter Craig, Justin Marks and Eric Warren Singer penning the script. Although the title Top Gun: Maverick floated around briefly, the film is currently without an official title.

A follow-up to Tony Scott’s 1986 hit has been in the works for quite some time, with Tom Cruise interested in reprising his role as United States Naval Aviator Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer previously outlined that the film will deal with the rise of unmanned drones and pilots becoming a thing of the past.

The original Top Gun was directed by Tony Scott and also starred Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards and Tom Skerritt. The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Take My Breath Away” performed by Berlin. In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Paramount Pictures has set a Top Gun sequel release date for June 26, 2020.

Some crew members on the set of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood were reportedly urged not to look Leonardo DiCaprio in the eye.

A source from the set of Quentin Tarantino’s sprawling Los Angeles drama told The Hollywood Reporter that some crew members were “instructed to avoid making eye contact” with the Oscar-winning actor.

The revelation was made as part of an article looking into the 44-year-old’s unique brand of movie stardom, which differs from many other figures in modern Hollywood and is more akin to the big beasts of the New Hollywood era in the 1970s and 1980s.

DiCaprio is described in the piece as being surrounded by a “carefully crafted air of mystery," despite being one of the most famous men in the world.

It’s a persona that would appear to suit his Once Upon a Time in Hollywood character, Rick Dalton, who Tarantino has described as “a man full of inner turmoil."

The film focuses on DiCaprio’s Dalton, as well as his stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), as they navigate the Hollywood of the 1960s. Crucially, the duo live near the house of Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who was murdered by the cult of followers behind Charles Manson in 1969.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a lengthy standing ovation, as well as positive reviews from critics.

DiCaprio won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2016 for The Revenant, after having previously been nominated for an Oscar five times. His next project is likely to be Martin Scorsese’s crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, which follows an FBI murder investigation in the 1920s.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood arrives in US cinemas this Friday

Priyanka Chopra is feeling the love from her Jonas family.

The former Quantico star turned 37 on Thursday, and her husband, Nick Jonas, couldn't help but share a romantic and sweet birthday post dedicated to his "whole heart." Nick posted two photos of his lady love, in which she is wearing a pink saree and smiling wide.

"Light of my world. My whole heart. I love you baby. Happy birthday," the "When You Look Me in the Eyes" crooner commented on his sweet birthday tribute. His post was quickly filled with a slew of comments from fans, wishing his wife a happy birthday.

Nick's brother, Joe Jonas, also took to his Instagram Story to wish his "sis" a happy birthday. The singer, who is on his honeymoon with wife Sophie Turner, posted a selfie of himself holding a magazine with Priyanka on the cover.

"Happy birthday sis! Love ya! Look it's you!" he wrote on the pic.

Kevin Jonas' wife, Danielle, also shared a black-and-white photo of herself sitting with Priyanka.

"Happy birthday @priyankachopra! i hope your day is as bright and beautiful as you ? love you!," she captioned her post.

ET caught up with Nick in April, where he called blending his and Priyanka's family a "beautiful thing."

Bring the whole family and enjoy music from the beloved 1994 classic, plus a spectacular all-star cast that includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumba and Billy Eichner as Timon.

Want to get first dibs on the highly anticipated The Lion King? Globe has got you covered with its exciting promos!

Score two movie invites on GMovies when you apply or renew your postpaid plan to The PLAN PLUS 1299 or above via the Globe Online Shop or Globe Stores until 31 July.

Score two movie invites via GMovies by applying for a Globe At Home Postpaid plan buntil 15 August via the Globe Online Shop or Globe Stores. Successful applications will receive an email containing the Gmovies code within two working days from installation.

Purchase a Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi or Xtreme Prepaid WiFi from the Globe Online Shop until 7 August and receive GMovies invites for four people.

Fresh from winning the Nikkei Prize for Culture and Community, the Cinemalaya Foundation, in partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines, celebrates 15 years of introducing best independent cinematic works to the Filipino and international film communities on Aug. 2 to 11, at various venues of the CCP.

The 15th edition of the country’s biggest independent film festival goes nationwide as it will be simultaneously screened on Aug. 7 to 13, at selected Ayala Cinemas and Vista Malls in Manila, Pampanga, Naga and Legaspi in Bicol, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Davao.

Ten full-length films and ten short feature films take the spotlight. The 10 full-length films in competition are: ANi (The Harvest), directed by Kim Zuniga and Sandro Del Rosario; Belle Douleur (Beautiful Pain), directed by Joji V. Alonzo; Children of the River, directed by Maricel Cabrera–Cariaga; Edward, directed by Thop Nazareno; Fuccbois, directed byEduardo Roy Jr; Iska, directed by Theodore Boborol; John Denver Trending, directed by Arden Rod Condez; Malamaya (The Color of Ash), directed by Danica Sta. Lucia andLeilani Chavez; Pandanggo Sa Hukay, directed by Sheryl Rose M. Andes; and Tabon, directed by Xian Lim.

For the short feature main competition, the finalists are: Disconnection Notice, directed by Glenn Lowell Forneste Averia; Gatilyo (Trigger), directed by Harold Lance Pialdal; Heist School, directed by Julius Renomeron Jr; Hele ng Maharlika (Lullaby of the Free), directed by Norvin De Los Santos; Kontrolado Ni Girly Ang Buhay N’ya (Girly Is In Control of His Life) directed by Gilb Baldoza; Sa Among Agwat (In Between Spaces), directed by Don Senoc; Sa Gabing Tanging Liwanag Ay Paniniwala (Belief As The Light In Darkness), directed by Francis Guillermo; Tembong (Connecting), directed by Shaira Advincula; The Shoemaker, directed by Sheron Dayoc; and Wag Mo ‘Kong Kausapin (Please Stop Talking), directed by Josef Gacutan.

Film enthusiasts can look forward to the exhibition films in the festival’s mainstays: Dokyu, the documentary section; Best of the Festivals, which showcases the best films from local festivals; Indie Nation, a special section featuring independent films; Visions of Asia, featuring award-winning Asian and Netpac films.

This year, Cinemalaya brings back the Premiere section, where newly-made films will make their screen debut. The Retrospective section will feature not only the 2018 Cinemalaya Best Film, Audience Choice and Special Jury Prize winners, but also the best films of Cinemalaya from its inception in 2005.

Cinemalaya will pay tribute to actor Eddie Garcia, actress Armida Siguion-Reyna, and production designer Cesar Hernando – all of them have made significant contributions to the Philippine film industry.

This year, Cinemalaya partners with microcinemas in Metro Manila and in the regions for “Kinse sa Sandaan: Cinemalaya Wave at the Microcinemas.”

On its 31st edition, the Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, considered the longest-running independent film competition of its kind in the ASEAN region, will once again harvest the best films which will compete in various categories such as Short Feature/Narrative, Experimental, Documentary and Animation. Finalists from the different categories, as well as a specially-curated section exhibiting selected participating entries, will be screened on Aug. 3 to 5 at the CCP Tanghalang Manuel Conde (Dream Theater). Awarding rites for the Gawad will be on Aug. 5, 7:00 p.m., at the CCP Dream Theater.

The Cinemalaya Campus, a major component of Cinemalaya, expands its reach to the regions. The Regional Cinemalaya Campus kicks off a one-minute filmmaking competition for students. Dubbed Short Shorts Competition, it aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of young Filipino talents from Bicol, Western Visayas and Davao City. The top 10 Shorts Shorts finalists will be screened in Legazpi, Naga, Bacolod, Iloilo and Davao City.

Cinemalaya introduces the Mini-Versity, a new component of the festival which is envisioned to spur interest on filmmaking among the youth. From Aug. 2 to 11, at the Silangan Hall, those who are interested can have engaging conversations on various aspects of filmmaking with industry practitioners.

The Cinemalaya Awards Night will be held on Aug. 11, at 7:00 p.m., at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

Since 2005, Cinemalaya has continued to discover, encourage and support the cinematic works of upcoming and veteran Filipino filmmakers who boldly articulate and freely interpret the Philippine experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.

To date, Cinemalaya has supported and promoted the production of Filipino full feature independent films and short films. Many of these films have won awards in local and international competitions and festivals. Through the annual festival, Cinemalaya has showcased over 1,000 works by independent filmmakers including full feature films, shorts, documentaries, Filipino film classics, and art films.

For more information about Cinemalaya, visit www.cinemalaya.org, www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and the Cinemalaya Facebook page. You can call the CCP Film and Media Arts Division at 832-1125 local 1704 & 1712. Tickets and festival passes are available at CCP Box Office, call at 832-3704.