The tenth installment of the “Fast and Furious” franchise has been released on home video this Tuesday. If you tune in just for Helen, you might be disappointed. Her annual cameo has been dialed down this time to only one short scene with Vin Diesel. The blink-and-you-miss-it appearance in the trailer was pretty much all there is. Screencaptures from the Blu-Ray have been added to the photo gallery.

We’re less than four weeks away from the theatrical release of “Golda”. Due to the dual strike in Hollywood, it’s unclear if the film will receive a promotional tour outside of the United States – or if there will be no promotion at all. We will see. In the meantime, a great batch of new production stills and on-set pictures from the film have been added to the photo gallery. Enjoy.

Bleecker Street has dropped the theatrical trailer (the same as the international one, sans the subtitles 🙂 ) for “Golda” – a “ticking-clock thriller set during the tense 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, faced with the potential of Israel’s complete destruction, must navigate overwhelming odds, a skeptical cabinet, and a complex relationship with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (Liev Schreiber), with millions of lives in the balance. Her tough leadership and compassion would ultimately decide the fate of her nation and leave her with a controversial legacy around the world”. Meir served as Israel’s prime minister between 1969 and 1974. She stood as a powerful global figure but is said to have held onto the guilt of those lost in the Yom Kippur War until her last days. “Golda” is set to premiere on August 25.

This weekend, Helen Mirren was invited as the Godmother to discover a dozen installations by national and international artists to illuminate areas of Alberobello – the City of Trulli. Mirren has become an emblem in the fight against the killer bacterium, xylella, which has exterminated most of the olive trees in Salento. From 22 to 30 July, the streets and squares of Alberobello will host light installations by national and international artists, transforming the entire city into a path of light and color that will embellish the priceless UNESCO heritage of which we are all custodians. According to their website, the Alberobello Light Festival is much more than an event: it is an engaging experience suitable for visitors of all ages, in a unique and unforgettable atmosphere. Pictures from the event have been added with credit to the festival’s Facebook page.

Screencaptures from one of Helen’s almost forgotten recent productions have been added to the photo gallery. “The Duke” fell victim to the Corona pandemic, finishing filming just as the world closed down for the first time. Despite a premiere at the 2021 Venice Film Festival, which Helen didn’t attend, the film’s theatrical release was rescheduled time and again. Unfortunately, director Roger Michell wouldn’t live to see the film’s final release in February 2022 to very welcoming reviews – he passed away in September 2021. If you haven’t seen it by now, make sure to browse for it on-demand, it’s a wonderful little gem with the always great Jim Broadbent. Many thanks to David for sending them in.

As earlier reported, Helen Mirren is visiting Israel to attend the 40th Jerusalem Film Festival. “Golda” has been chosen as the fest’s opening film and Helen will also receive a Life Achievement Award while being there. You can read a comprehensive summary of the rather entertaining press conference at The Jerusalem Post – I’ll leave you with this bit: Asked about the coincidence of the fact that she is participating in another festival movie – she is the voice of the narrator in Barbie, which is having its sneak preview there – she said, “I think that we need a Golda Meir Barbie,” a remark which brought down the house and concluded the event. A couple of pictures from the press conference and the screening have been added to the photo gallery. In this excerpt of her acceptance speech, Mirren acknowleged the just announced actor’s strike in Hollywood.

Members of my tribe can be found in Germany, Belgium, the United States. Palestinians, Israelis, Africans. They are the tribe to whom I really want to dedicate this award and say thank you. I had the greatest time on “Golda” because immediately I felt that I belonged. Thank you to my wonderful tribe of actors, all over the world in every language there is. (Helen Mirren, Jerusalem Film Festival)

For the third year in a row, Helen Mirren was among the many celebrity guests of Dolce & Gabbana’s lavish Italian weekend festivities Alta Moda. She joined the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kerry Washington, Angela Bassett, Christian Bale, and hundreds of other guests for a swirl that featured back-to-back glamorous events over five days including a concert by Diana Ross. On the first night’s welcome event, Mirren took the stage and pointed out that some of the region’s olive trees are as old as – or even older – than Rome’s Colosseum. The famous Roman structure has a couple of millennia on Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s business, but at 40 this year, their brand is its own kind of Italian institution: colorful, proud, and rooted in family and tradition, but also quite alive in the popular imagination. Pictures from the festivities – alongside another recent Italian appearance – have been added to the photo gallery.

We have established that Italy loves Helen Mirren – apparently, they adore her husband, too. On Saturday, Taylor Hackford received a Life Achievement Award at the 50th Premi Internazionali Ennio Flaiano in Pescara, and Helen was on hand to support her hubby, famed for “An Officer and a Gentleman”, “White Nights”, “Dolores Claiborne”, “The Devil’s Advocate” and “Ray”. A couple of pictures from the ceremony have been added to the photo gallery. According to their website, the Flaiano International Awards, founded in 1973 by Edoardo Tiboni to honor Ennio Flaiano, consist of a series of events, exhibitions, conferences, shows in which concrete cultural motives converge – literary, theatrical, cinematic and television. Many thanks to Joan for the heads-up. Edit: Lots of additional photos and a couple of videos from the event have been added. Check the list below for updates.

We’re really blessed right now with all the press coverage for “1923”‘s FYC campaign and the upcoming press cycle for August’s theatrical release of “Golda”. Helen Mirren graces the cover of the British Saga Magazine’s July issue as well as another cover on The Los Angeles Times’ The Envelope supplement. Both can be found in the photo gallery. Enjoy reading.

A fantastic batch of new production stills from the upcoming “Golda” have been added to the photo gallery. We’re a good two months away from the film’s theatrical release, so it’s great to see promotion slowly starting. Hopefully we’ll get to see a first trailer soon.