The former mogul — once the toast of Hollywood, whose films won scores of Oscars — smirked as he was escorted into a Manhattan courtroom in handcuffs to face the first criminal charges lodged against him.

Weinstein, a 66-year-old twice-married father of five, was charged with rape in the first and third degrees, stemming from an attack on a woman in 2013, and a criminal sex act against another woman in 2004. Neither victim was named.

“Today’s charges reflect significant progress in this active, ongoing investigation,” said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, thanking “brave survivors” for coming forward and urging others to call a sex crimes hotline.

Standing alongside his defense attorney, the former Tinseltown powerbroker looked glum during the brief arraignment, agreeing to post bail at $1 million cash, surrender his passport and be fitted with a GPS monitoring device.

Weinstein’s career went down in flames in October over sexual assault allegations following explosive articles in The New York Times and New Yorker, which sparked a sexual harassment reckoning across the United States, in multiple industries.

Nearly 100 women have now accused Weinstein of crimes ranging from sexual harassment to assault and rape going back decades.

New York authorities have been investigating the disgraced producer for months, under growing pressure from Hollywood actresses to bring him to justice, and their probes are ongoing.

Weinstein already faces a slew of civil lawsuits, is reportedly under federal investigation, and his former studio has filed for bankruptcy.

But these were the first criminal charges against Weinstein.

Defense attorney Ben Brafman told reporters that his client would plead not guilty and still denied any non-consensual sexual activity.

“We intend to move very quickly to dismiss these charges,” Brafman said.

“Bad behavior is not on trial,” he added. “Mr Weinstein did not invent the casting couch in Hollywood.”

His case was adjourned until July 30.

Handcuffs

The former studio boss surrendered to police shortly before 7:30 am (1130 GMT) wearing a white shirt, pale blue sweater and dark blazer, as dozens of television cameras and photographers mobbed the street outside.

He walked into the station clutching several books, apparently including the Rodgers and Hammerstein biography “Something Wonderful” and a volume on late director Elia Kazan.

He left handcuffed, without the books, after his mugshots and fingerprints were taken.

Police said he was “arrested, processed and charged with rape, criminal sex act, sex abuse and sexual misconduct.”

Out on bail, Weinstein’s travel will be restricted to New York and the neighboring state of Connecticut.

‘Inevitable descent to hell’

Former actress Lucia Evans, who said Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him in 2004, is thought to be one of the women whose cases triggered the New York charges.

New York police previously confirmed another credible rape allegation after “Boardwalk Empire” actress Paz de la Huerta accused the former producer of raping her twice at her New York apartment in late 2010.

Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie are among more than two dozen actresses who say they were sexually harassed by the producer. A few, including Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, said they were raped.

“I have to admit I didn’t think I would see the day that he would have handcuffs on him,” McGowan told ABC television.

“Today Harvey Weinstein will take his first step on his inevitable descent to hell. We, the women, finally have real hope for justice,” tweeted Argento.

The Time’s Up anti-harassment movement — launched on January 1 — said the producer “shattered the lives of an untold number of women,” adding that it looked “forward to seeing justice prevail.”

The #MeToo movement has seen people around the world come forward with cases of sexual mistreatment, leading to the downfall of powerful men across industries, including Oscar winner Kevin Spacey.

Weinstein has reportedly spent months in treatment for sex addiction. His fashion designer wife, Georgina Chapman, has left him.

But for all the media circus, experts warn that any trial — let alone a criminal conviction — would still be a long way off.

Sexual assault cases, particularly those that allegedly happened years ago, are notoriously difficult to prosecute and often lack substantive forensic evidence.

Weinstein’s lawyer is one of America’s most celebrated criminal defense attorneys. His past clients include former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who escaped criminal prosecution for alleged sexual assault in 2011.

In mythology, however, these aquatic beings are far from benign, and would prey on hapless seafarers by luring them with their hypnotic song.

It’s these vicious mermaids of ancient times that are wreaking havoc in the new American drama series “Siren”, which makes its debut on June 4 at 8.45pm on Blue Ant Entertainment available on TrueVisions Channel 337 and on AIS Play.

Legend has it that mermaids once lived on what is now Bristol Cove, a quiet coastal town on the Pacific Northwest. The town folklore would soon prove more than a fairytale with the sudden appearance of a young woman who calls herself Ryn (Belgian actress Eline Powell). The mysterious visitor catches the eye of local marine biologist Ben Pownall (Alex Roe), whose interest in the strange woman arouses suspicion from fellow marine biologist, Maddie Bishop (Fola Evans-Akingbola).

Others, like deepsea fisherman Xander McClure (Ian Verdun), are also on a quest to uncover the truth beneath the waves, while town eccentric Helen Hawkins (Rena Owen) seems to know more about the local legend than what Bristol Cove has been led to believe.

Tension rises between the denizens of land and sea as predatory mermaids seek to claim their birthright.

One of the most highly acclaimed movies in competition for the coveted Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival is the Russian film “Leto” (“Summer”) by Kirill Serebrennikov.

Serebrennikov came to Cannes in 2016 with “The Student”, which was selected for the Un Certain Regard category but this year, his first time in the main competition, was prevented from attending by his government. The director is currently under house arrest on charges of alleged corruption, though many believe the real reason is his criticism of Vladimir Putin’s government.

Filmed in black and white, “Leto” is set in the Soviet Union of the 1980s and tells the story of the early years of two Soviet rock stars – Viktor Tsoi of Kino band and Mike Naumenko of Zoopark band. Tsoi, the country’s first rock superstar, became a legend following his untimely death in 1990.

A Russian of Korean descent, Tsoi is portrayed in the film by Teo Yoo, a South Korean actor born and raised in Germany even though he doesn’t speak a word of Russian. Since graduating from the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, Yoo has been appeared in a variety of foreign productions, among them the Vietnamese film “Bitcoin Heist” director Ham Tran.

In 2017, Teo Yoo was cast in the Thai film “The Moment” directed by Laddawan Rattanadilokchai. He played Kim, the head of the creative department at a Korean company who falls in love with Karn (Kan Kantathavorn), his colleague from Thailand.

“I got a call from a friend of a friend who knows Laddawan. They were looking for an English-speaking Korean actor willing to play a gay character. I made a tape of myself and sent it to them,” he says.

“The Moment” was followed by “Leto”.

“Again, it started with a call from a friend last May,” Yoo tells XP. “He told me that a famous Russian director wanted to cast Viktor Tsoi. He asked me ‘Do you know any Korean actors in their early 20’s or late teens who might be interested in the role?’ I’d lost some weight at the time, and have curly hair like Tsoi in real life, so I sent my photos and bio. A week later, they wanted to see photos of me playing a guitar, so I sent those too and I was then called to Moscow for an audition. Kirill had been in preproduction for six months and still hadn’t found anyone for the role so I knew I was in with a chance.

“I didn’t know a word of Russian. During the audition, they told me to work in English as I would need to be dubbed in the film anyway. I did that and sang two of Viktor Tsoi’s songs. When I got the role and returned to Moscow for the shoot, I found out I needed to do it in Russian because the lips had to match! I didn’t sign up for that, but as an actor, my philosophy is that I’m the instrument for the director to present his vision. So I started memorising the lines in Russian phonetically. I took the script and worked solidly in my hotel room for three weeks. I learnt Russian by osmosis and by default,” he laughs.

“My role model is Asano Tadanobu. I met him at the Busan International Film Festival and we became friends. Whenever I have to go to other countries to film, I ask him for advice. He’s worked in other countries without speaking their language or even English,” Yoo says of the Japanese actor who starred in Pen-Ek Ratanaruang’s “Last Life in the Universe” and “Invisible Waves”.

“As an actor, you play with fear in your head and you trust the production. In the end, it’s all about love – the language of cinema is the same everywhere. You fight time. You have a limited budget. Everybody gets a little bit hysterical. You get drunk. You cry. You laugh.”

Yoo looks at Tsoi as someone who created a culture. “Tsoi was a young kid who was inspired by American music and he added some Korean poetry and charisma. He put the cultures together and created something new, instead of ripping them apart. His music brought all the production together. I am really grateful for that.”

The 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which wrapped on Sunday, was another triumph for Asian cinema with veteran Japanese filmmaker Koreeda Hirokazu winning the Palme d’Or for “Shoplifters”, a touching tale of outsiders, and becoming the second Asian film this century to do so. The last, film fans will remember, was Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”, which took home this prestigious award back in 2010.

Asian titles did well in other categories too, with the Lebanese film “Capernaum” directed by Nadine Labaki awarded the Jury Prize and the Iranian film “3 Faces” by Jafar Panahi recognised with Best Screenplay.

Veteran South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong was back in Cannes this year with his latest film “Burning”. The director’s sixth feature film, a mystery drama based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, did not win one of the official awards but received good reviews from critics and took home their prize – the Fipresci Award.

“There is no red carpet and no bright lights on this stage, but the red carpet and the lights always feel a unrealistic to me. My film ‘Burning’ is about the border between the unrealistic and the realistic. I’m really thankful to the audience for their appreciation of this film,” director Lee said in his acceptance speech last Saturday.

The protagonist of “Burning” is Jongsu (played by Korean star Yoo Ahin), a delivery boy who dreams of becoming a writer. Jongsu runs into his childhood friend Haemi (Jun Jongseo), who has undergone plastic surgery and now looks very different. Haemi sleeps with Jongsu and asks him to look after her cat – an animal Jongsu is not sure really exists – while she goes away. When Haemi returns from her trip to Kenya, she introduces Jongsu to Ben (Steven Yeun), a mysterious rich man who has a strange hobby of burning abandoned greenhouses.

Yoo Ahin is well known to audiences for his roles in such television series as “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” and “Jang Okjung, Living by Love”. He has also appeared in several films, among them “Antique”, “Punch” and “Veteran”. “Burning” is his first time working with Lee Chang-dong, and he tells XP that he saw it as an important opportunity.

“To work with director Lee is so special for me. It makes me realise who I really am and what it means to be an actor,” he says.

“I was first contacted by director Ryoo Seungwan with whom I worked on ‘Veteran’. He told me that director Lee wanted to meet me so we fixed a time and he told me almost immediately that he wanted me to work with him if I was okay with that. Lee likes to choose his actors by networking,” Yoo says with a smile.

“Burning”, he says, is very different from the usual mainstream films in which he has appeared in the past.

“It’s more arthouse than commercial. And what makes is really interesting is the different perception the audience has of the story. For me, the best part was the freedom I was given in how I portrayed the character. I understood immediately that it was very important to show how the character feels. Jongsu is like most young ordinary people in our society, but is also a kind of loser or outsider. I wanted to show how an ordinary young man can feel helpless and lonely,” the actor explains.

Ben, the mysterious young rich man, is played by Steven Yeun, a Korean-American actor who mainly works in the US and is best-known for his role in the hit series “The Walking Dead”. “Burning” is Yeun’s second Korean film after Boon JoonHo’s “Okja” in 2017.

“I was in London and at 3 in the morning director Bong Joonho texted me and asked me to call him right away. I did and he told me director Lee wanted to meet me about this film. We met and after talking with him and reading the script, I felt that I had to do it, not least because I really wanted to work with director Lee. He told me he knows when he has found his character, and that’s a wonderful gift a director can give to an actor, because it makes you feel brave,” says Yeun.

As an actor raised in America, Yeun might be very different from Ben but nonetheless felt connected to him for the word go.

“Ben is a Korean native, but he has travelled extensively in spirit if not in person. I am a Korean-American and I have been to and experienced different countries. With the stuff the Internet is force-feeding young people these days, you get to know other countries even without physically going there. And you quickly realise that each place has different rules, which means that there are no rules. We make them up and you see chaos, sorrow and happiness and fear, because there are no rules. As a Korean-American, you can feel that as you are living between the gap of America and Korea.”

With almost 10 years of acting in the US, Yeun found that working on a Korean production gave him more freedom. “I’m very spoilt to have worked in Korea with director Bong and director Lee. In some ways, I felt freer working on a Korean production than I do on American productions, because the directors gave us space. I had heard that Korean productions could difficult, but problems arise in American productions too and I certainly didn’t face any problems with either of these directors. I have been very lucky.”

One of the most important characters of the film is Haemi, the young girl to whom Jongsu is attracted. She’s played by 22-year-old rookie Jun Jongseo, who joined the auditions for the role and found herself working with an internationally acclaimed director.

“I was really nervous during the audition but when I came on to the set, director Lee left me free to act, which was really good for me,” says Jun Jongseo. “Haemi is like Jongsu in that she is also an outsider, but I feel that her character is also strangely free.”

And even though “Burning” didn’t win any of the festival’s prizes, simply being in Cannes and in the competition was a great moment for all the cast.

“‘Burning’ and experiencing Cannes have been really special. It’s a great honour to work with director Lee and I will remember this for the rest of my life,” says Yoo.

For all you fans out there, here are a few fun facts about his adventure.

VEHICLES & SPACESHIPS

• Han’s speeder is dressed with items as diverse as a Morris Minor bonnet hinge, a set of baguette warmers and a re-fuelling nozzle from a Vickers VC10 aircraft.

• The 1960s-style chrome bezels and switchgear for the dashboard were purchased at a second-hand auto parts sale.

• The final design of the white stripes on Han’s speeder were the result of almost 100 variations of width, shape, length, colour and position!

• For stunt work, two of Han’s speeders were built on a custom-built chassis with a V8 engine, allowing them to reach more than 160 kph!

• During the shoot, more than 80 tyres were used on the two stunt-driving speeders due to wear and tear.

• Two of Moloch’s speeders were also built on a custom-built chassis with a V8 engine.

• There is a real air intake from a helicopter incorporated into the Moloch vehicle grille design.

• Three electric tugs were built, incorporating some triangular flood defence barriers for their front bodywork, which were obtained from a government surplus supplier.

• The tugs were christened Huey, Dewey and Louie, after the Disney cartoon ducks because they looked like ducks. Their names are written in Aurebesh on the fronts.

• A speeder that appears in the background in Corellia is very well travelled. It first appeared in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in Abu Dhabi; it was then revamped and travelled to Iceland for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, and was then revamped for a second time and shipped to the UK for this film.

• A Corellian factory vehicle and a mining vehicle in Kessel use a similar engine component to that which appears on Rey’s speeder in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.

• During the kit-bashing process, as part of the skiff design, parts of Anakin’s podracer were used on the concept model. When this model was scaled-up, these design details were also scaled up and can be seen on the finished vehicle.

• The engine surrounds on the skiffs are actually made from the chrome wheel trims from a 1966 Singer Chamois car.

PRODUCTION DESIGN

• The bridges in the frontier town of Fort Ypso were made “wobbly” using springs from a Land Rover.

• The exterior Millennium Falcon build weighs 31 tons and has to be moved around using two cranes.

• The interior Millennium Falcon set on C stage took three months to build. It is the largest interior Falcon set ever made on any Star Wars film due to the addition of new areas.

• On the Interior Millennium Falcon cockpit set, rear projection screens have been utilised so that the actors can see and react to pre-designed animations flying and entering hyperspace!

CREATURES

• More than500 designs for the creatures were produced in the design process for the film.

• Six Eyes is the most sophisticated mechanical head ever produced. It has 50 servos inside the head with on-board intelligence.

• This is the first film to feature Chewbacca in a lead role, so to achieve this level of on-screen action, production produced eight suits and 10 heads.

PROPS

• Nine copies of Beckett’s rifle were made. It is the rifle that ultimately becomes Han’s pistol.

• Beckett, played by Woody Harrelson, has two pistols in the film. There are 10 copies of each one for various purposes, such as soft ones for the fight scenes.

• Enfys Nest’s chainsaw pike had 14 copies of it made from a stunt version to ones that open. One version was even made with pyrotechnic capabilities.

• There are 25 pairs of the iconic gold dice that hang in the Millennium Falcon. Three of these were made by Tiffany.

• An R2 unit was turned into a BBQ fire pit for one of the scenes.

• Moloch’s staff features a carving of many faces; one of these faces has glasses on as the designer decided to carve his own face into the staff.

• In Dryden’s yacht there are display cabinets, and among all of the treasures in them are some that might be recognised from another film franchise: “Indiana Jones”. There are the Sankara Stones from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, the fertility idol from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and also the Holy Grail itself.

• More than 100 E-11 mudtrooper blasters were made for the battlefield scenes on Mimban.

VISUAL EFFECTS

• The visual effects crew spent approximately 44 hours of airtime in helicopters in the Dolomites and Fuerteventura scouting, shooting plates and photo-modelling.

• They also measured and mapped the interior and exterior of Fawley Power Station and most of the surrounding site with sophisticated laser scanning equipment (Lidar). Around 200 acres in total!

• The visual effects team digitally scanned over 500 characters, props and sets.

• The on-set data wrangling team captured photo reference (still images), witness camera data (small video cameras), and set survey data along with other reference information. These data totalled about 40TB, which were sent to Industrial Light & Magic, who use the data to assist in creating the visual effects shots for the movie.

Barack and Michelle Obama have entered into a multi-year agreement to produce films and series with Netflix, the world’s leading internet entertainment service announced on Monday.

The former first couple have launched Higher Ground Productions to produce a variety of content for the video streamer, possibly including scripted series, documentaries and features.

“One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience,” Obama, who served two terms in the White House from 2009, said in a statement.

“That’s why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix. We hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world.”

The Obamas already have a large social media presence – a combined 150 million followers on Twitter and Instagram – but the deal will see their influence boosted significantly by Netflix’s 125 million subscribers in 190 countries.

“Barack and Michelle Obama are among the world’s most respected and highly-recognized public figures and are uniquely positioned to discover and highlight stories of people who make a difference in their communities and strive to change the world for the better,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos.

The statement didn’t discuss money, but their time in the White House has already begun to reap lucrative dividends for the Obamas, who negotiated book deals last year reportedly worth more than $60 million.

A much-awaited memoir by Michelle Obama is due to be released on November 13, publisher Penguin Random House said in February, describing her as “one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era.”

The Obamas met while he was an intern and she his adviser at a Chicago law firm, and they were soon married. She became his closest confidante during his political rise.

Michelle used her influence as one of the world’s most high-profile public figures to advocate for the rights of women and girls and campaigned for Americans to live healthier lives.

The Obamas are not planning to use Netflix to counter President Donald Trump or other conservatives, but will focus instead on “storytelling to inspire us, to make us think differently about the world around us, and to help us open our minds and hearts to others,” the former first lady said.

The movie, the 11th installment in the X-Men series based on characters from Marvel Comics, netted $174.9 million abroad, the biggest foreign debut ever for an R-rated title.

The movie features Ryan Reynolds playing the foul-mouthed and irreverent title character as he forms an X-Force team to protect a young mutant from the evil Cable (Josh Brolin).

For an uber-bad guy, Brolin is having a very good week. He also plays world-destroying villain Thanos in Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War,” which led North American ticket sales before “Deadpool” bumped it off.

“Avengers” — the fourth highest-grossing film in history, starring Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth — took $29.5 million, pushing its global take past $1.8 billion.

Third in theaters was Paramount’s new rom-com “Book Club,” at $13.6 million. The film stars Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen as aging friends who decide to read the steamy “Fifty Shades of Grey” and find it expanding their literary and personal horizons.

In fourth was “Life of the Party,” a Warner Bros. comedy, at $7.6 million. Melissa McCarthy, who co-wrote the script with her husband, director Ben Falcone, plays a newly divorced mother who returns to the college she dropped out of, where her daughter now studies.

And in fifth was Universal thriller “Breaking In,” at $6.8 million. Online reviews collator Rotten Tomatoes, summing up the critical reaction, described the film as a “disposable action thriller.”

But critics praised Gabrielle Union’s performance as a mother trying to protect her children from hostage-takers.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Show Dogs” ($6 million)

“Overboard” ($4.6 million)

“A Quiet Place” ($3.9 million)

“Rampage” ($1.6 million)

“I Feel Pretty” ($1.3 million)

 Eleven silent films from around the world come to Bangkok this week as the popular Silent Film Festival returns to Scala Theatre to kick off its fifth edition.

Running from Thursday through May 31, the cinematic menu features such major silent movie stars as Buster Keaton and China’s Ruang Lingyu.

Organised by the Film Archive with the collaboration of Goethe-Institut Thailand, the festival opens Thursday night with the French film “The Passion of Joan of Arc” accompanied by Maud Nelissen on piano.

Directed by Dane Carl Theodor Dreye, “The Passion of Joan of Arc” is considered one of the greatest films of all time for its groundbreaking techniques and direction, as well as the superb performance by Renee Falconetti.

A re-telling of the story of Joan of Arc, who was burned at the stake on May 30 and declared a martyr in 1456 by Pope Callixtus III, the film was edited into various versions. However, the print being screened here is Dreyer’s original 1928 version that was finally found in 1981, and digitally restored in 2015.

Following the opening, the festival moves to Lido Multiplex.

Other films hail from German, Mexico, France, the Netherlands, Russia and China. The German expressionist movie “Journey into the Night” by FW Murnao is one of his earliest surviving films. The filmmaker is recognised as a pioneer for his innovative cinematography and editing techniques, including the incorporation of stage play conventions and the use of insert shots to heighten dramatic tension. The film tells the story of Eigil, a middle-aged doctor who leaves his fiancee for Lily, a charming cabaret performer. The new couple sets up a love nest in a countryside villa, where their love is tested by the appearance of a mysterious blind painter.

“The Devious Path”

“The Devious Path” is a family drama directed by Weimar-era master director, GW Pabst and is notable for having created a memorable female character with the performance of Brigitte Helm. “The Devious Path” tells the story of a woman whose affluent lawyer husband neglects her in favour of work. She soon embarks on a new romance with another man. Their marriage winds up in court when the husband submits a claim for divorce.

Mexican film “The Grey Automobile” was originally produced as a 12-chapter serial in 1919, but was later edited into a series of different versions. The most common of these versions is a two-hour cut. Here again, viewers will be lucky enough to see the longer version that runs more than 200 minutes, and is by far closest to the original in terms of content and film tinting. Restored by the Cineteca Nacional in Mexico, it tells the story of a police inspector who tries to follow a scandalous criminal gang and is based on actual events involving a gang that terrorised Mexico City in 1915. The producer brought in the actual detective who apprehended the gang to play himself and real gang members also appeared in some scenes.

“Dutch Types”

“Dutch Types” is the film from France and is a prime example of an early colour film hand-painting technique known as colour stencilling. This short documentary takes the viewer to Zeeland, a province made up of a series of small islands, to catch a glimpse of local life in the 1910s, including people in traditional costume, the architecture, canals, harbours, and iconic Dutch windmills. Meanwhile “The Secret of Delft” (“Het geheim van Delft”) from The Netherlands shows striking tinting techniques.

“The House on Trubnaya” (“Dom na Trubnoy”) is praised as one of the greatest Soviet silent films of all time for its outstanding cinematic and editing techniques. “Trubnaya” is a satirical comedy that subtly reflects social issues in Soviet-era through the story of a young woman, Parasha, who comes to Moscow to try her luck. She works as a maid to make ends meet but is ruthlessly exploited by her employers. Soon after, she is invited to join the worker’s union, and is later unexpectedly elected to the Moscow city council.

“The Goddess” is hailed as the greatest Chinese silent film ever made. The film stars Ruan Lingyu, the actress often referred to as China’s Greta Garbo and tells the story of a woman who becomes a prostitute in order to pay her son’s tuition fees after her husband commits suicide.

Three American silent films will showcase the world’s great masters of that era including “Foolish Wives”, which was proclaimed the “first million-dollar movie” to come out of Hollywood. This masterpiece was directed by and starred Erich von Stroheim.

Also showing is “45 Minutes from Hollywood”, the first movie in which Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy appeared together under the direction of Hal Roach, a renowned producer of the silent film era. Even though they were not the main characters and did not share any scenes in this film, they were paired up by Roach the following year, and soon rose to fame together as the world’s greatest comedy double-act.

“Sherlock Jr”

“Sherlock Jr” is a 1924 film directed by and starring Buster Keaton, otherwise known by his trademark nickname, “The Great Stone Face”. It focuses on a movie projectionist who daydreams of being a great detective. One day, he falls asleep and actually daydreams himself into the movie he is showing.

The 5th Silent Film Festival in Thailand will have two professional accompanists – Maud Nelissen and Richard Siedhoff – performing live for all 11 films. The pair will also be the guest speakers at the “Talk with Musicians” event on Friday.

They will also host a workshop for interested pianists at the Sri Salaya Cinema of the Film Archive at Buddha Monthon Sai 5. The workshop will be held over two days, with each session independent of the other.

On May 29, the trainer is Siedhoffm the new-generation pianist from Germany and on May 30 , Dutch national Nelissen takes over. The workshop, which is in English, runs from 1 to 5 on both days and is free.

What’s on when

Scala Theatre, Siam Square

Thursday, May 24

>> 7.30pm “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (France / 1928 / 96 min)

Lido Theatre, Siam Square

Friday, May 25

>> 6.30pm “Dutch Types” (France / 1915 / 4 min)*

>> “The Secret of Delft” (Netherlands / 1917 / 65 min)*

>> 8pm “Journey into the Night” (Germany / 1921 / 81 min)**

Saturday, May 26

>> Noon “45 Minutes from Hollywood” (US / 1926 / 22 min)**

>> “Sherlock Jr” (US / 1924 / 45 min)**

>> 2.30pm “The House on Trubnaya” (Soviet Union / 1928 / 84 min)*

>> 5pm Talk with Musicians

>> 7pm “The Devious Path” (Germany / 1928 / 98 min)**

Sunday, May 27

>> Noon “Foolish Wives” (US / 1922 / 101 min)*

2.30pm “Dutch Types’” (France / 1915 / 4 min) *

>> ‘The Secret of Delft’ (Netherlands / 1917 / 65 min)*

5pm “The Grey Automobile” (Mexico / 1919 / 223 min)**

Monday, May 28

>> 6.30pm “The Goddess” (China / 1934 / 78 min)*

>> 8pm “The Devious Path” (Germany / 1928 / 98 min)**

Tuesday, May 29

>> 6.30pm “The House on Trubnaya” (Soviet Union / 1928 / 84 min)*

>> 8pm “Journey into the Night” (Germany / 1921 / 81 min)**

Wednesday, May 30

>> 6.30pm “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (France / 1928 / 96 min)**

>> 8.15pm “The Goddess” (China / 1934 / 78 min)*

Thursday, May 31

>> 6.30pm “Foolish Wives” (US / 1922 / 101 min)*

>> 8.30pm “45 Minutes from Hollywood” (US / 1926 / 22 min)**

“Sherlock Jr” (US / 1924 / 45 min)**

*Accompanied by Maud Nelissen

** Accompanied by Richard Siedhoff

TALKING MOVIES

•   Tickets for the screenings cost Bt120 with the exception of “The Grey Automobile” when they go up to Bt200.
•  All films have Thai and English intertitles
•  Pianists wanting to attend the workshop should apply before Friday at https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSeE5nNOXkder4Nx_E…/viewform.
•  For more information, check out Facebook.com/The Silent Film Festival in Thailand

A feast of glitz, glamour and Bollywood’s finest talent, global dignitaries, world media, Indian cinema fans and enthusiasts from across the globe will be heading to the Thai capital to take part in the star-studded weekend.

Fans of the biggest celebration of Indian cinema will see rising star Kartik Aaryan and Ayushmann Khurrana host the vibrant IIFA Rocks 2018 while the NEXA IIFA Awards have Karan Johar and Riteish Deshmukh as their emcees.

Performers in the running for awards include Bollywood megastars Ranbir Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor.

This year, IIFA has proudly partnered with Woosh Washing Expert, to support the cause of equality at home – “Barabari Ghar Se Shuru”. This partnership provides a platform to contribute and raise awareness for Women Empowerment and Gender Equality.

In its continuing effort to campaign about environment protection, the IIFA and the United Nations Environment Programme are launching the campaign, “Beat Plastic Pollution”, combining the power of the IIFA platform to combat one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time.

This year the IIFA Foundation will be collaborating with Osian’s auction house, to showcase vintage cinema memorabilia at an exhibition event,which will be held at the Bangkok Marriott Marquis, Queens Park hotel from June 21 to 23.

“I was privileged to be at the Millennium Dome in London when the IIFAs were born and I’ve participated in the journey across the world. My father and I have been part of the IIFA Advisory Board and share the passion to take Indian cinema across the world. The impact of the IIFAs can be felt in the growth of distribution and film incentives in key markets around the globe. I wish the IIFAs well and more power to the organising team of Wizcraft,” Karan Johar says.

Fans and media can keep abreast of the latest news and details on IIFA and Hindi cinema by logging on to http://www.Iifa.com or checking out http://www.Instagram.com/iifa.

As a child, Rohena Gera never understood why her family’s live-in nanny, the “woman she loved like a second mother” was kept at arm’s length by her Indian family.

“I didn’t understand why this person who took care of me, who I loved… was so separate.”

In a country where millions of servants sleep on the floor of the homes they work in, the idea that a “master” might fall for the meek low-caste woman who is there to cook and scrub for him seemed “inconceivable”, she says.

But that is the premise of Gera’s new film, “Sir”, an upstairs-downstairs love story of a kind she says has never been seen in an Indian movie.

That the maid is a widow – whose lives can be severely circumscribed in India – adds another layer of taboo to the tenderly told tale which premiered at the Cannes film festival on Monday.

Young property developer Ashwin and his maid Ratna may live “under the same roof but they are in completely different worlds,” Gera notes.

“They do not even speak the same language,” with him coming from the English-speaking Mumbai elite and her a poor villager.

Even if by some miracle he married her, his family and friends might object to sharing a table with her.

Nor would she “be able to sit on a sofa with his sister”, Gera adds.

“Indian society is pretty rigid. It not so much the caste system as class these days which plays out as caste… And we accept it. No one is doing anything actively to challenge it.”

The director saw the divide more starkly when she returned from college in the US. “You see these dramatic inequalities but I didn’t know what to do about it.

“I couldn’t be holier than thou because I am part of the problem,” Gera admits.

So rather than making “some preachy story or tell people what to think”, instead she spun a subtly revealing study of thwarted love.

It is more Bergman than Bollywood, but as Gera jokes, “it does have two dance numbers”.

“As you get older, you begin to realise how love operates, how we allow ourselves to love who we love,” says the filmmaker, whose documentary “What’s Love Got To Do With It” was about arranged marriages.

“They are both victims in a way. He is in his gilded cage of privilege but he can’t live his dreams.”

Ratna the maid, played by rising star Tillotama Shome, is in some ways freer than him, Gera claims, fired by a fierce determination to make the best of her circumstances.

“People not familiar with India might think, ‘Oh my god, she sleeps on the floor in this little tiny room,” but in Indian terms she is in a relatively privileged situation for a maid, the director insists.

“She is earning money and she has her dreams. She is not judging where she sleeps. It is not so different to what happened in England and Europe a few generations ago.”

Following those dreams as a widow sets her apart in a country where patriarchal attitudes have become more entrenched under the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Widows are still seen as cursed or bringers of bad luck by some, Gera says.

“They are denied a lot of joy and from wearing certain colours… Even in the supposedly progressive cities I have friends whose mothers lost their husbands in their forties and they never really moved on. You can’t date in India if you are a widow and you have a child.

“For a widow to have desire is seen as preposterous.”

“I don’t know how people will take that,” says Gera, who hopes the film will be seen widely in India.

“I think it will make some people extremely uncomfortable, which isn’t a bad thing. But I think it will give others hope,” she adds.

But in the film Ratna – who has been brought up to be docile and deferential, anticipating her employer’s every whim – manages not just to free herself but also her master, without losing her dignity.

The film was warmly received by critics, with The Guardian calling it a “delicately observed and attractive drama with some great Mumbai cityscapes and an excellent performance from Shome”.

The French press was equally smitten by the actress best known for “Monsoon Wedding”.

With two Indian women directors selected for Cannes for the first time ever this year, Indian indie cinema seems to be on the up.

“It is a good year for Indian women at a very bad time for Indian women,” Gera says dryly. “Our voices need to be heard.”