Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Palestinian director shows everyday struggles in Gaza with film on puberty in Toronto festival

A Palestinian drama filmed ​entirely in Gaza aims to show the world the everyday struggles of Palestinians, filmmaker Hosam Abu Dan ​said. "Thirteen in Gaza," which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on ‌Tuesday, ​tells the story of Raghad, a 13-year-old girl who has just entered puberty, as she navigates life with her father in the Gaza Strip, struggling to find a safe space for her confusion and desperate for care and support.

Netflix's 'Monsters' explores Lizzie Borden mystery in first female-focused season

Ella Beatty believes her portrayal of Lizzie Borden in "Monster: The ‌Lizzie Borden Story," the first female-focused installment of the "Monsters" anthology TV series, marks a new direction for the Netflix biographical crime drama. "It's a very new chapter for the show," the American actor said in an interview, adding that anthology creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan were passionate about exploring the story of a woman accused of murder.

Peter Max, known for groovy art that came to symbolize the 60s, dies at 88

Pop artist Peter Max, whose dreamy, boldly colored works provided an ‌artistic backdrop for the 1960s US hippie movement and made him a commercial art powerhouse, died on Monday at the age of 88 following a long illness, a spokesperson for his family said on Wednesday. Max's visions – ‌often influenced by his love of astronomy – were everywhere in the '60s and '70s and almost as much a part of the decade's youth culture as sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. They were like artistic renderings of an acid trip and were, in the vernacular of the time, really groovy.

Disney names insider Adam Smith as chairman of streaming business

Walt Disney on Thursday named insider Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, as the company seeks to sharpen its focus across its direct-to-consumer platforms such as Disney+ and Hulu. The company also named Joe Earley president of Disney Entertainment ⁠Television Franchise and ​Content Strategy, creating a new role focused on developing television ⁠franchises and maximizing their value across the company.

Large cast, high stakes: Creators of new ‘Hunger Games’ film tease one character's origin

For producer Nina Jacobson, filming “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” was mayhem. The film, due out in November, is the sixth installment in “The Hunger Games” film franchise, based on ⁠the dystopian science-fiction novels by Suzanne Collins. Set in the nation of Panem, “The Hunger Games” follows children known as tributes who are forced to fight to the death in an annual spectacle orchestrated by the nation's corrupt rulers.

Ed Sheeran's opening acts quit tour ​after Macklemore axed for pro-Palestinian remarks

Pop star Ed Sheeran's opening acts and his own band have quit his U.S. tour in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was cut from the musical lineup over his "free ⁠Palestine" remarks on stage criticizing Israeli government actions in Gaza and the West Bank. The backlash from Sheeran's touring companions came after the English-born singer-songwriter, one of the world's top-selling recording artists, distanced himself from Macklemore's ouster, saying on Tuesday the decision to dump the rap star came from tour organizers, not ⁠him.

Ireland ​will boycott Eurovision 2027, RTE says

Ireland will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for the second year in a row, broadcaster RTE said on Thursday, citing the ongoing loss of life in Gaza. Ireland was one of five countries to not take part in the 2026 edition in protest at Israel's participation, with Iceland, Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain. Dutch public broadcaster AvroTros last month said it would boycott again in 2027.

British director says Canada ⁠can be global filmmaking hub with support for local talent

British director Andrew Haigh said Canada has the talent, landscapes and production infrastructure to be a major filmmaking hub, but Canadian filmmakers need more support to create internationally ⁠competitive projects. Haigh, best known for writing and directing "Weekend", "45 Years" and "Lean on Pete", ⁠spoke to Reuters after the Toronto International Film Festival screening of "A Long Winter" on Wednesday.

Canadian director Nelson explores family's Alzheimer's journey in dark comedy 'Tangles'

Canadian director Leah Nelson says she was inspired by her family's experience with Alzheimer's when making "Tangles," an animated dark comedy that weaves together heartbreak, humor and love even as memory fades. The hand-drawn, black-and-white animated film ‌is Nelson's feature debut and an ‌adaptation of Canadian cartoonist Sarah Leavitt's graphic-novel memoir "Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer's, My Mother and Me." The film screened at ​the Toronto International Film Festival after its Cannes premiere.