Isabel Sandoval’s new indie drama “Lingua Franca” arrived on Netflix this month. She produced, wrote, and stars in the film as an undocumented trans Filipina living in New York City.

The Business

Isabel Sandoval stars as Olivia in her film “Lingua Franca,” now streaming on Netflix. Image courtesy of Array.

The Romanian movie “Collective” is in Oscar contention for both Best International Film and Best Documentary. Directed by Alexander Nanau, “Collective” follows a group of sports reporters in Bucharest who uncovered a massive scandal in Romanian hospitals that led to dozens of needless deaths. 

Director Alexander Nanau on the Romanian documentary ‘Collective’

George Clooney and his long-time producing partner Grant Heslov talk about their new movie “The Midnight Sky,” a post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama, now on Netflix. Heslov and Clooney discuss recent sea changes in the industry, especially at Warner Brothers, the studio they called home for 20 years. Plus, the politically engaged pair addresses the recent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. 

George Clooney and Grant Heslov on ‘The Midnight Sky’

Bryan Fogel won Netflix its first feature documentary Oscar with his Russian doping exposé “Icarus.” Critics at Sundance raved about his latest film, “The Dissident,” about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. So why didn’t Netflix call to lock up the rights? Fogel shares why his new documentary had streamers running scared. And Tom Ortenberg, the executive who had the guts to distribute the film, explains why his company Briarcliff Entertainment wanted to take it on. 

Bryan Fogel and Tom Ortenberg on ‘The Dissident’

Abigail Disney’s father Roy was Walt's nephew. For her, being a Disney came with so much baggage that she almost ditched the name altogether. In part two of our interview, Abigail Disney explains why she feels it’s her duty to speak out when the company that bears her family’s name seems to have gone astray. And banter buddies Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw look at the year to come in Hollywood. 

Growing up Disney, 2021 look-ahead banter

The pandemic pummeled production. WarnerMedia started a war with its windows-shattering sneak attack. And Quibi, we hardly knew you. Banter buddies Matt Belloni and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw join Kim Masters for a 2020 mega banter. Plus, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans ranks the streamers. 

2020 mega banter, ranking the streamers

Abigail Disney's father was Walt’s nephew Roy. He led a shareholder revolt in 2004, when he got fed up with Michael Eisner's management of the Mouse House. Abigail Disney keeps close tabs on the company and has lots to say about current management. As 32,000 theme park workers lost their jobs while top executives had their full salaries restored, Disney says, “I don’t believe the company and the magic can survive this kind of corporate behavior.”

Abigail Disney believes ‘there’s a moral disconnect’ at Disney

With Hollywood fuming following WarnerMedia’s announcement that all its 2021 movies will stream on HBO Max the same they open in theaters, prolific producer Jason Blum weighs in. Blum has long thought the theatrical window should be shorter, but not totally smashed. And Kim Masters and Matt Belloni banter about the continued industry blowback directed at WarnerMedia and Disney’s recent investor presentation.

Producer Jason Blum on Hollywood’s WarnerMedia upheaval

WarnerMedia announced it will put Warner Bros.’ entire 2021 movie slate on HBO Max the same day those films open in theaters. The move will change theater-going as we know it. Then, Kamilah Forbes created a stage version of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s powerful book “Between the World and Me” in 2018. She explains why and how she adapted again, this time for the screen. Her film version of “Between the World and Me” is now on HBO Max.

WarnerMedia shatters windows, Kamilah Forbes on ‘Between the World and Me’

Director Aneesh Chaganty wanted an actress who really uses a wheelchair to star as a teenaged girl with disabilities in his new thriller, “Run.” And she needed to be able to do action scenes. He found Columbia University student Kiera Allen. Now on Hulu, “Run” tells the story of a mother-daughter relationship gone extremely awry. It’s the first thriller to star an actor who uses a wheelchair since the 1940s.

Aneesh Chaganty and Kiera Allen on Hulu’s ‘Run’

Paramount Pictures chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos has weathered some big storms in the movie business, though nothing compares with COVID. But even as productions struggle and theaters are shuttered, Gianopulos has faith that one day, people will go back to the movies. 

Paramount chief Jim Gianopulos on running a film studio during a global pandemic

Greta Thunberg began a school strike movement in 2018 outside the Swedish parliament. It gained momentum in Sweden, then spread through the rest of Europe and the world. Filmmaker Nathan Grossman documents her rise to become one of the world’s most prominent climate change activists. His new Hulu documentary is “I Am Greta.”

Nathan Grossman on ‘I Am Greta’

Danika Kohler Doman, a production supervisor who has been working as a “COVID manager,” talks about what it’s like to enforce Hollywood’s new coronavirus protocols.

What it’s like to be a Hollywood COVID manager

Steve James, the filmmaker behind “Hoop Dreams,” is out with a new series called “City So Real,” which documents Chicago’s political landscape and the lives of its residents.

Steve James on ‘City So Real’

Following Quibi’s announcement of closing, The Business e revisits an  interview with founder Jeffrey Katzenberg on his gamble to launch Quibi.

Revisiting Jeffrey Katzenberg on Quibi

Alex Gibney ’s documentaries often delve into high-level corruption. He’s out this fall with two projects that focus on the Trump administration.

Alex Gibney on ‘Agents of Chaos’ and ‘Totally Under Control’

The Business is a weekly podcast featuring lively banter about entertainment industry news and in-depth interviews with directors, producers, writers and actors. The show is hosted by award-winning journalist Kim Masters of The Hollywood Reporter...

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Isabel Sandoval stars as Olivia in her film “Lingua Franca,”...

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