One of the most important Southeast Asian filmmakers of our time, Nugroho captures his love for Indonesia, his people and the Javanese culture through the camera, while keeping to an undeniable poetic, reflective film style that resonates strongly with audiences. His natural filmmaking flair was recognised from the very start, with his debut fiction feature film “Love in a Slice of Bread” (1991) clinching the Best Film Award at the Indonesian Film Festival that year. He went on to receive various awards for his films – “Letter for an Angel” (1994) won Best Film, while “Leaf on a Pillow” (1998) won the Special Jury Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

A recipient of the French honorary decoration Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, he was also accorded the Best Young Director prize at the Asia Pacific International Film Festival in Seoul in 1992, Best Director at the Pyongyang International Film Festival and the Young Filmmakers Jury Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1994. Gaining critical attention internationally, he made the region proud by directing a gamelan musical “Opera Jawa” (2006) as part of a commission by the government of Austria for the 250th Anniversary of Mozart’s birth. His latest black-and-white silent movie “Setan Jawa” (2017) impressively combined the performances by a traditional Javanese gamelan ensemble with a modern symphony orchestra in his expression of the complexities of Indonesia.

The Cinema Legend Award this year will be conferred on Japan’s leading actor, Koji Yakusho. The award recognises the body of work of Asian actors while celebrating their talent and outstanding achievements in bringing Asia’s story to life on screen.

Best known for his sensitive portrayals of the common man, Yakusho rose to stardom with his breakout role of feudal lord Oda Nobunaga in the NHK drama, “Tokugawa Ieyasu” in the 1980s. Having worked on more than 60 films, including Palme d’Or winner “The Eel” (1997), “Shall We Dance” (1996), “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005), “Babel” (2006) and “13 Assassins” (2010), he was also a recipient of multiple awards that recognise his prolific career. This includes the Shiju Hosho Medal of Honour from the Emperor of Japan for his outstanding achievements, making him a recipient at the youngest age for an actor. He continues to inspire with his lifelong dedication to acting with his latest works, including Japanese thriller “The Third Murder”, an official selection in competition at 2017 Venice International Film Festival, and a special appearance in “Oh Lucy!”

Festival-goers can look forward to meeting and interacting with both Yakusho and Nugroho at their masterclasses at ArtScience Museum on December 2, and the National Museum of Singapore on December 3 respectively.

The 28th SGIFF, which runs from November 23 to December 3, will take place across various venues, including Marina Bay Sands, Shaw Theatres Lido, National Museum of Singapore, National Gallery Singapore, The Arts House, Filmgarde Bugis+, Objectifs and SCAPE.

Another three Marvel box office hits – “Black Panther” (release date: February 15), “Avengers: Infinity War” (release date April 26), and “Ant-Man and the Wasp” (release date July 5) –are part of the special benefit programme.

This exclusive marketing event is being held at Major Cineplex cinemas across the country and those applying for membership will receive collectible Year of Marvel M Gen cards with official pictures from 4 Marvel movies,The Walt Disney Company (Thailand) has granted Major exclusive rights to produce series of the collectible Year of Marvel M GEN cards – 20,000 cards for each of the 4 movies. M-Card members who are true fans of Marvel can claim the cards now at only Bt160 per card, with a complimentary “Thor: Ragnarok” ticket. The special Ragnarok card will be included in the collection book with the Marvel Studios cover, which can be printed only by Major Cineplex group, the authorised license holder. The cards from the other 3 films will be available for pre-sale 2 weeks prior to the release date of each film.

In addition, Major is also authorised to produce Marvel dolls as souvenirs for Marvel fans to collect. Starting with the Thor and Hulk plush from “Thor: Ragnarok”, M Generation members can use 200 points to redeem 1 doll for free, or use 10 points plus Bt300.

Those who hold the collectible Marvel M GEN cards can purchase the doll at Bt350. Other customers with “Thor” tickets can purchase the doll at Bt399 down from the regular price of Bt690.

At the end of the campaign, M GEN members who watch all 4 films will get a chance to win a free tour package to Hong Kong Disneyland with accommodation.

Disney Thailand also offers a Marvel Box experience for the 4 movies with interactive activities. Marvel’s rare items will be available for sales and life-size models will be displayed for fans to appreciate and take pictures. To herald the release of the first movie in the campaign, “Thor: Ragnarok”, Thor and Hulk life-size statue are now showing at the Paragon Cineplex until November 12. “Thor: Ragnarok” tickets can be used to obtain up to 20 per-cent off purchases. The Marvel Box will return to meet Marvel fans at every Marvel movie screening under the campaign Year of Marvel at Major Cineplex.

Find out more at http://www.MajorCineplex.com.

The two-time Oscar winner Spacey, for years considered one of the most gifted actors of his generation, and whose collaboration with Netflix put the streaming giant on the map, has in just days gone from esteemed actor to entertainment pariah.

Reportedly being investigated by British police for assaulting a man in London in 2008, he has been publicly accused of attempting to rape a 15-year-old boy in New York and of making advances on a 14-year-old.

Already dropped by his publicist and agent, Netflix became the latest entity to cut ties with Spacey, saying it would be involved in no further production of its hit series “House of Cards” that includes the 58-year-old. Production of the last and final season, which had been due to air in 2018, has already been suspended.

The streaming service also said it was abandoning the release of an upcoming film “Gore” that had also starred the actor, whose glittering career is now collapsing around him.

“Netflix will not be involved with any further production of ‘House of Cards’ that includes Kevin Spacey,” a spokesperson said.

The channel said it would work with the show’s production company, MRC, “to evaluate our path forward as it relates to the show.”

Eight current or former employees on the award-winning “House of Cards” told CNN that Spacey turned the set into a “toxic” environment through a pattern of sexual harassment of younger, male crew members.

In London, police said that they had opened an investigation into an allegation of sexual assault. Officers do not publicly identify the subject of an inquiry unless they are charged, but British media said it was Spacey.

Since the allegations first surfaced Sunday, Spacey has made no comment other than declaring he was “beyond horrified” by the first allegation dating back 31 years, which he claimed not to remember.

– ‘Credible’ rape claim –

It remains unclear if “House of Cards” can now go ahead in any form.

Actor Anthony Rapp opened the floodgates by saying the actor tried to “seduce” him and lay on top of him when he was 14 years old at Spacey’s New York apartment 31 years ago.

A 48-year-old East Coast artist told Vulture he began a sexual relationship with Spacey when he was 14 that ended when he was 15 after the actor, then 24, allegedly tried to rape him.

Mexican actor Roberto Cavazos was another who claimed he fended off “unpleasant” advances while at The Old Vic, the London theater where Spacey was artistic director from 2003-2015.

Weinstein, once one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, and Spacey are the most high-profile scalps in a month-long torrent of allegations bringing down like dominoes male power players from the worlds of politics, finance, entertainment and journalism.

Some 100 women have since early October accused Weinstein, a father of five, of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to rape, sparking police investigations in London, Los Angeles and New York.

On Friday, New York police confirmed that officers were gathering evidence for a possible arrest warrant in connection with Weinstein’s alleged double rape of “Boardwalk Empire” actress Paz de la Huerta at her New York apartment in late 2010.

“She put forth a credible and detailed narrative to us,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce told reporters. The former producer, his career in tatters, denies any non-consensual relations.

“If this person was still in New York and it was recent, we would go right away and make the arrest, no doubt. But we’re talking about a seven-year-old case and we have to move forward in gathering evidence first,” said Boyce.

“We have an actual case here,” he added. “Mr Weinstein is out of state. We would need an arrest warrant to arrest him. So right now we’re gathering our evidence. We continue to do so. Every day.”

The Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed it had assigned a senior sex crimes prosecutor to the case.

Weinstein, once one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, and Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey are the most high-profile scalps in a monthlong torrent of allegations bringing down like dominoes male power players from the worlds of politics, finance, entertainment and journalism.

Around 100 women have come forward since early October to accuse Weinstein, a twice-married father of five, of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to rape, sparking police investigations in London, Los Angeles and New York.

On Friday, a top Manhattan detective confirmed that officers were gathering evidence for a possible arrest warrant over Weinstein’s alleged double rape of “Boardwalk Empire” actress Paz de la Huerta at her New York apartment in late 2010.

“She put forth a credible and detailed narrative to us,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce told reporters. The former producer, now dumped by the company he co-founded and ostracized by Hollywood, denies any non-consensual relations.

“If this person was still in New York and it was recent, we would go right away and make the arrest, no doubt. But we’re talking about a seven-year-old case and we have to move forward in gathering evidence first,” said Boyce.

“We have an actual case here,” he added. “Mr Weinstein is out of state. We would need an arrest warrant to arrest him. So right now we’re gathering our evidence. We continue to do so. Every day.”

It is at least the third Weinstein case New York police have investigated in recent years, and Boyce did not rule out others.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed it had assigned a senior sex crimes prosecutor to the case.

Spacey, whose once glittering acting career is now also in serious jeopardy, is reportedly being investigated by British police for assault in 2008, accused of attempting to rape a 15-year-old boy in New York and of making advances on a 14-year-old.

British police said only that they had opened an investigation into an allegation from a man of sexual assault in 2008. Officers do not publicly identify the subject of an inquiry unless they are charged, but British media said it was Spacey.

– London investigation –

“Officers from the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command are investigating,” said a spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police, giving no further details.

Spacey’s publicist and talent agency have dropped him, and he has made no public comment other than declaring that he was “beyond horrified” by the first allegation from actor Anthony Rapp, which he claimed not to remember.

Eight current or former employees on Netflix hit series “House of Cards” told CNN that Spacey turned the set into a “toxic” environment through a pattern of sexual harassment of younger, male crew members.

It was a stunning fall for an actor who chilled and thrilled audiences in equal measure in memorable roles such as corrupt US president Frank Underwood in “House of Cards,” a midlife-crisis-ridden father in “American Beauty” and as a serial killer in “Seven.”

Netflix and “House of Cards” production company, MRC, said they were previously aware of only one complaint against Spacey, in 2012, but that it had been resolved.

The award-winning show, of which Netflix had already announced the upcoming sixth season would be its last, now hangs in the balance.

MRC said it was “deeply troubled” by the latest allegations, implemented a complaint hotline and offered crisis counselors and legal advisors to the crew, and would “thoroughly investigate” all claims formally brought to its attention.

Rapp opened the floodgates by saying the actor tried to “seduce” him and lay on top of him when he was 14-years-old at Spacey’s New York apartment 31 years ago.

A 48-year-old East Coast artist told Vulture he began a sexual relationship with Spacey when he was 14 that ended when he was 15 after the actor, then 24, allegedly tried to rape him.

“It seems the only requirement was to be a male under the age of 30 for Mr Spacey to feel free to touch us,” said Mexican actor Roberto Cavazos, who claimed he fended off “unpleasant” advances while at The Old Vic, the London theater where Spacey was artistic director from 2003-2015.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if there were similar numbers to Weinstein’s.”

The Luang Prabang Film Festival, taking place in the former capital of Laos from December 8 to 13, will have a bumper crop of Thai movies, including Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Rak Ti Khon Kaen” (“Cemetery of Splendour”) and the international hit “Chalard Games Gong” (“Bad Genius”).

“Dao Khanong” (“By the Time It Gets Dark”) – which won the Subhanahongsa Award for best picture and was Thailand’s bid for a foreign-language Oscar – will be screened. So will Pimpaka Towira’s “Mahasamut Lae Susan” (“The Island Funeral”), the independent documentary “Mon Rotfai” (“Railway Sleepers”) and the 1954 classic “SantiVina”.

The others are “The Couple”, “Heart Attack”, “In My Hometown”, “Legend of the Broken Sword”, “Snap” and “Wandering”.

The festival’s “Spotlight on Thailand” segment will see Bangkok Post film critic Kong Rithdee – who serves as the festival’s “Motion Picture Ambassador for Thailand” – leading the daylong programme of Thai films and a discussion about contemporary Thai cinema.

Opening the festival will be “The Anniversary”, a new Lao feature directed by Chilasak Saysanith, the trailer for which is posted on the website – LPFilmFest.org.

Set in Vientiane, it’s about Vin, a young man whose bad timing combines with unexpected events to sabotage his romantic relationships before they can get to the first anniversary. Enter Vahn, whose disdain for the higher social classes force Vin to hide his wealth.

The festival will show both features and short films, including a selection from this year’s Vientianale, and – at the day venue in the Sofitel Luang Prabang – will host discussions on film preservation in the digital age, “Muslim voices” in Southeast Asia, and financing non-fiction projects.

There’ll be a Talent Lab led by the Tribeca Film Institute on pitching concepts, after which one project will be selected for marketing in New York as part of the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.

All participants in the Talent Lab will get preferential consideration for TFI grants, with Aurora Media Holdings offering production startup funds of Bt340,000.

A documentary-production workshop is also planned, sponsored by the US Mission to Southeast Asia and the American Film Showcase and led by Filipino-American director Ramona Diaz (“Imelda”, “Don’t Stop Believin’”).

As happens every year, the official film selections will have directors, producers and actors in attendance who participate in numerous festival events, including post-screening Q&A sessions.

Visitors can also enjoy an exhibition of the photographs of Philip Jablon, who in 2008 began his Southeast Asia Movie Theatre Project, creating the single most comprehensive collection of the region’s cinematic theatres ever compiled.

The photos on display at this year’s festival will depict some of the theatres captured during Jablon’s tour of Mon State in Myanmar in February and March this year.

Find out more at LPFilmFest.org and keep up to date at Facebook.com/lpfilmfest.

THE FULL FILM ROSTER

– “2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten” (Philippines)

– “The Anniversary” (Laos)

– “Bad Genius” (Thailand)

– “Blood Road” (Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia)

– “Burma Storybook” (Myanmar)

– “By the Time It Gets Dark” (Thailand)

– “Cemetery of Splendour” (Thailand)

– “The Couple” (Thailand)

– “Die Beautiful” (Philippines)

– “Fanatic” (Vietnam)

– “Father and Son” (Vietnam)

– “Heart Attack” (Thailand)

– “In Exile” (Myanmar)

– “In My Hometown” (Thailand)

– “The Island Funeral” (Thailand)

– “Jailbreak” (Cambodia)

– “Khuannang” (Laos)

– “Legend of the Broken Sword” (Thailand)

– “Mind Cage” (Cambodia)

– “Motherland (Philippines)

– “Ordinary People” (Philippines)

– “Railway Sleepers” (Thailand)

– “Redha” (Malaysia)

– “Rina 2” (Brunei, Laos)

– “Santi-Vina” (Thailand)

– “Saving Sally” (Philippines)

– “Snap” (Thailand)

– “Turah” (Indonesia)

– “Unlucky Plaza” (Singapore)

– “Wandering” (Thailand)

– “Women of the Weeping River” (Philippines)

– “You Mean the World to Me” (Malaysia)

Taika Waititi, the New Zealand director at the helm of Marvel Studios’ third instalment in the “Thor” franchise —“Thor: Ragnarok” has a confession to make.

“I said ‘yes’ to the film because I so wanted to immerse myself in another world and in another culture. I’ve wanted to be a space Viking or an Asgardian since I was a kid. I’m a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and also the Marvel Comic Universe,” he says with a grin.

Not only was Waititi inspired from a fan perspective, his creative side was also up for the challenge to do something new and different. “I come from humble background, and I am more known for independent storytelling or storytelling on a budget,” the director says. “I’ve made my mark in that world, and I thought it was time for me to expand.”

Waititi has brought his signature comedic sensibility but says he wanted to “have a balance or a mix that’s hopefully very funny but also resonates and connects with an audience on some sort of deeper level.

“I thought that the way that I would approach this film would be very different from the first two films. And Marvel was okay with that. One of the things that also attracted me to the project was when Marvel told me that they wanted to really charge up the franchise. They wanted to take Thor in a new direction and put him into outer space with as little time on Earth as possible. They wanted to make him fun and have an adventure.”

Asked about the meaning of the word “Ragnarok”, Waititi says: “Ragnarok is from Norse mythology and it’s sort of like the end of the world – the Apocalypse or Armageddon. But I think what Ragnarok really signifies is a rebirth. It’s the start of a new cycle in the life of the world or the realms of the universe. It’s the destruction of the old and the rebirth of the new.”

In the film, even Bruce Banner/the Hulk gets Waititi’s brand of Ragnarok. “To me, the old Banner died and was rebirthed into this new, energetic, wide-eyed and very adventurous and curious Banner,” remarks the director. “Mark Ruffalo is going to bring something very different to the Bruce that what we’ve come to know from the other films. When he finally comes back from being the Hulk, it’s been two years since he’s actually been Bruce Banner. So in a sense Bruce has been locked away in the Hulk’s subconscious for two years.”

A new character in the film is Hela, played by Cate Blanchett. Hela holds a special place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the director explains, “Hela is the first female villain that we’ve had in a Marvel film.

“She’s destroyed the idea of your typical villain. She’s not only strong and all of that and beautiful but she’s also funny. And she’s also flawed. She has layers; she’s tormented. She’s got a lot more going on than some of the more typical villains that you see in these kinds of films. She’s not just about taking over the world or owning the universe; she wants something that I think a lot of people can relate to – recognition.”

Also new is Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson. “Valkyrie is one of the most popular characters from the Thor comics,” says Waititi. “She’s a strong woman from the warrior class. It’s actually fantastic because the fans have been wanting this character for a long time, and it’s amazing to be able to give it to them.”

Describing another new character, the Grandmaster, played by Jeff Goldblum, Waititi says: “The Grandmaster is a fantastic character. He’s quite an eccentric character and a bit of a game player. One of the big things that he would do in the comics was a thing called the contest of champions where you would pit favourite heroes against each other and make them play games or make them fight. We’re doing our own spin on that where he is the master of Sakaar, the world that Thor finds himself on. And Thor must fight through this contest of champions really to get out of Sakaar and win his freedom. So, Thor must win his freedom by fighting his old friend, the Incredible Hulk.”

In “Thor: Ragnarok” Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth are reprising their roles of Loki and Thor. “The relationship between the two brothers is similar to before with a lot of bickering, but I think underneath it all there’s also a lot of love,” Waititi says.

“If you think about family relations, there always is that dynamic. It’s a dynamic of someone who you know almost better than yourself, someone who’s your best friend and your worst enemy. And that continues. We’re going to see some further development where they trust each other a little more.”

Thor also goes through some changes in the new movie. “In this film, you’re also going to see Thor in a way that no one’s ever seen him before. He’s brash. He’s adventurous. He’s all the things we’ve come to love. But then we’ve also added more. We’ve expanded him.”

Working with Chris Hemsworth was a positive experience for the director, who says of the actor: “It was exciting to work with Chris on this film and have him doing what he does best, which is a multitude of things.

“Not only is he a great action star but he’s also a great actor. He has great ideas and he really cares about the character. Chris bares it all. He puts his whole personality out there on the screen. He puts his heart out there. He’s professional and a perfectionist.

“I love what Chris does with Thor. I love the excitement and the exhilaration that we all get from seeing him fight and throw the hammer and fly and do all these incredible super human feats. But he also makes the character very human and relatable in this film as well,” concludes Waititi.

Waititi had a style on set that created camaraderie from the getgo. Explaining how he brought everyone together, he offers, “Every single person on a set is vital and is a very integral part of the process. So I try to instil some love and some pride in what we’re doing and make the whole process enjoyable.

“I’ve heard about these sets where everyone’s stressed out, and it’s often completely silent. You could hear a pin drop. I don’t want to hear a pin drop. Who’s interested in that? I’ve heard a pin drop, and there’s nothing interesting about that. I want to hear noise, and I want to hear music.

“I want to hear a cacophony of stuff going on.”

Summing up what he wants audiences to experience, Waititi says, “I want this film to be a fantastic cosmic adventure that is a fun ride but also has high stakes and emotional truth. When films have an emotional authenticity that is when an audience invests emotionally. An audience wants to be part of the journey, and they want to see it through.

“That’s what I want to bring to this film. I want to really engage the audience and give them a thrill ride, which is both dramatic and emotional but also funny and exciting. And by the end of the film you feel like you’ve have been to different worlds and had many crazy experiences.

“And you will have really gone through the fire with Thor.”

Titled Gong Shou Dao, which means the art of guard and defense, the 20-minute movie, which will not be seen in cinemas, is set to be released on November 11.

“That night … that dream,” Ma wrote in a post attached the movie’s poster on China’s microblogging platform Weibo on Saturday, without giving any details of the plot.

Jet Li, the movie’s executive producer, told Sina, one of China’s leading Internet-based media groups, “We all have the same dream to use the movie to promote traditional Chinese culture and pay a tribute to the predecessors in the field of Chinese kung fu.”

Other big names among the film’s crew include action stars Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Wu Jing and Sammo Hung Kam-bo, boxing star Zou Shiming, Thai actor Tony Jaa and retired Mongolian sumo champion Asashoryu Akinori.

Ma, the executive chairman of the Alibaba Group, has long expressed interest in traditional Chinese culture, especially kung fu, and has practiced tai chi for many years.

In a recent interview, Hemsworth offered some insight as to where we find Thor at the start of the film and how he felt working on the set in his native Australia. Excerpts:

How do you perceive your character today after playing him for so long?

I’ve been playing the character seven years now, which on one hand seems like a lifetime ago yet it seems like only yesterday that we were shooting the first film. The first film was so much fun because it was one of my first big jobs. It was all so new. I was in the hands of Ken Branagh, which was just wonderful. He brought the Shakespearian tone, history and the comic books to life in a way that I don’t think anyone else could have.

This film in particular is the biggest character shift and a gearshift tonally in the storytelling, so that affects my approach. That was all birthed through Taika’s vision and his sense of humour, his attitude and his need for exploration. Doing something different really paralleled what I wanted to achieve in this and what the studio wanted to do. Kevin Feige and the team at Marvel wanted to see where we could take it, and it’s been of the most exciting and fun sets I’ve ever been on.

Where do we find Thor in this story?

The last time we saw Thor on screen was in “Avengers: Age of Ultron”. At the end of that film, Thor basically sets off to search deeper into the villain who seems to be orchestrating all of the problems that are affecting the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But in this, we don’t really get bogged down with a lot of that back story. We made this one a unique story of its own. At the beginning we find Thor in a bit of a journey of self-discovery. He’s from Asgard but turned down being king and lived on Earth. But still he’s not from Earth, so he doesn’t quite fit in there. So, he’s off searching for answers.

On his way, he discovers all sorts of chaos throughout the realms and villains that have been unleashed. And no one’s stopping them, so he returns home to ask his father what’s going on and why the fires are not being put out. As we know from the last film, his father may not be his father. It may be Loki doing some sort of illusion. So we have some fun with that and then it really kicks off from there into the rest of the story. But that’s where we pick it up, and that’s where Thor starts.

What are Thor’s physical transformations?

There are a few physical changes with the character in this film. The first one is he loses his hair. He’s in a gladiator world where part of their processing is to chop the hair off, which happens off screen. And he turns up with his hair hacked off. It certainly gave me a different attitude. Different costumes, different weapons, different, cast of characters to work off give you a different energy. And so even having a different haircut can affect the way you move.

Then he also loses his hammer. It’s destroyed by Hela, the villain in this film. That forces him to question everything in existence and his own strength and his own history and past, and sends him again on a different journey. It was about stripping him back physically, but also emotionally, in order to rebuild him in some way or have him have to rediscover something. So that is a great way to break him down.

Does losing his hair and hammer affect his strength?

Initially Thor thinks it’s going to affect his power. He feels that the hammer is the source of his power. It’s that classic idea that the power is really within you. The hammer was just something that orchestrated it.

What is Ragnarok?

Ragnarok is the end of all things; the end of the universe. Life itself as we know it ends. Ragnarok in this film applies to Asgard and the ticking time bomb was to prevent Ragnarok from occurring in order to save Asgard.

What does Thor encounter in this film?

He’s from a world where he is by far the most able and strong and powerful character. He then is thrust into the world of the planet Sakaar where one no one cares that he is a prince of Asgard. So that doesn’t buy him any power or value. His powers are reduced due to obedience discs that are attached to him. He’s an equal now. He doesn’t sit above the normal folk of the town. And that was a very smart way of stripping back his powers and making him relatable.

Talk about Hela, the first female villain.

Cate [Blanchett] is just brilliant as Hela. She is one of the greatest actors that has ever been. I was so excited to see what she was going to do with Hela. I had ideas of what she might do but I was completely blindsided by the outcome. She just has this insane off-kilter attitude or look or kind of movement to her character. At times you find yourself empathising with Hela and then you remember that she is slaughtering people and destroying everything. That kind of conflict within an audience makes for a far more interesting film and journey to watch.

What is the relationship between Thor and Loki in this story?

Thor has always given Loki a second chance and trusted him time and again but in this one it’s different. He accepts what Loki is and leaves him at that. And maybe that’s out of a more intelligent attempt to bring him back. Or maybe Thor truly has run out of options and ideas to bring him back.

And it seems to get through to Loki this time. Who knows for how long? I think inherently there is good in Loki but he has a warped view and an entitlement of where he should be and what he should be given. But it was fun to play that change in Thor’s attitude and to do something different, yet we still have great brotherly moments in amongst that attitude.

How did the production wind up in Australia?

I asked if we could shoot in Australia and thankfully the Marvel guys said they would look into it but couldn’t promise anything. To me, being home again for more than two weeks would be fantastic. And it worked out.

It was so good. It was so nice being there. There’s just such a familiarity with the crew and everything here. And I get to sleep in my own bed. But I also t think there’s such wonderful talent here as well, in the cast and crew across the board. So it was fantastic. And the weather was brilliant. I don’t think we got rained out at all. It’s just been one of the best shoots I’ve been part of.

Describe a day on set with the director, Taika Waititi.

There’s lots of music and usually some dancing, lots of jokes, lots of craziness, lots of insanity and lots of fun. Lots of exploration, lots of just trying things and then seeing where we could push it, and so on. I’ve got to say it’s definitely the most light-hearted and fun set I’ve been on. The tone of the film is responsible for the environment that Taika created. It makes you feel okay about trying something you might not have tried before or taken outside the box. You feel in safe hands. And you’ve got to trust the director to do that. I think everyone’s felt like that on this film. It’s been great.

The first six episodes of “Star Trek: Discovery” are currently available to stream on Netflix. All new episodes are available weekly on Mondays, exclusively for Netflix subscribers globally (except US and Canada). As previously announced, “Star Trek: Discovery” will air in two chapters. The final episode of chapter one will debut on Monday, Nov 13, and the second chapter, featuring the remaining six episodes, will return in January 2018.

“Star Trek: Discovery” follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself.

The new series will feature a new ship and new characters, while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers.

Star Trek: Discovery’s cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Jason Isaacs, Anthony Rapp, Michelle Yeoh, Shazad Latif, Mary Wiseman, Mary Chieffo and James Frain.

Star Trek: Discovery is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Secret Hideout, Living Dead Guy Productions and Roddenberry Entertainment. The series released in the US and Canada via CBS All Access and outside the US on Netflix.

New accusations of sexual assault have continued to pour in since investigations in the New York Times and New Yorker three weeks ago exposed the tycoon as a relentless, bullying sexual predator.

More than 50 women including stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Mira Sorvino have accused 65-year-old Weinstein of sexual abuse and harassment, although he denies forcing himself on anyone.

“In light of Mr. Weinstein’s widely reported behavior — with new reports continuing to surface even now — the Producers Guild’s national board has voted unanimously to enact a lifetime ban on Mr. Weinstein, permanently barring him from PGA membership,” the guild said in a statement.

“This unprecedented step is a reflection of the seriousness with which the guild regards the numerous reports of Mr. Weinstein’s decades of reprehensible conduct. Sexual harassment can no longer be tolerated in our industry or within the ranks of Producers Guild membership.”

The announcement came as accusations of serious sexual assault continued to pile up against Weinstein, whose films have received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes.

Hope Exiner d’Amore has accused Weinstein of raping her in a hotel room in the 1970s, according to a Times article published Monday, while Cynthia Burr said he attacked her in an encounter that ended with forced oral sex in a hallway.

A third complainant, Ashley Matthau, a dancer with a bit part in one of his movies, says he pushed her down on a bed in a 2004 attack, masturbating while straddling her.

On Saturday the New Yorker ran an interview in which actress Annabella Sciorra — an Emmy nominee for her role in the acclaimed television series “The Sopranos” — accused Weinstein of forcing his way into her apartment and violently raping her in the 1990s.

Last week, according to the Times, the actress Dominique Huett filed a lawsuit claiming that in 2010, Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her, while Mimi Haleyi, a former production assistant, told a news conference in New York he had attacked her in 2006.

Police in New York, Los Angeles and London have all confirmed criminal investigations into Weinstein’s activities.

The toppled tycoon was sacked as co-chairman of The Weinstein Company and also resigned from its board.