Sundance Review: Mariama Diallo’s ‘Master’

Fêted and eternally fabulous, Isabelle Huppert is this year’s Berlin Film Festival honorary Golden Bear laureate for her life’s work so far, with an accompanying program of some of her most celebrated films. About Joan is her newest, screened out of competition as a Berlinale Special gala (though Huppert was unable to make the trip to Berlin after testing positive for Covid). That is quite a lot of weight to carry for Laurent Larivière’s slender story about the malleability of memory. That subject in itself, broad and deep as it is, may be too much for this rickety film to bear, even with Huppert’s flickering brilliance in the title role.

EastEnders actress June Brown has turned another year older and marked her 94th birthday on February 16.The soap icon is beat known for playing Dot Cotton and joined the BBC One soap back in 1985.In 2005, she won Best Actress at the Inside Soap Awards and previously received the Lifetime Achievement award at the British Soap Awards.June was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to drama and to charity.In 2009, she was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress, making her the second performer to receive a BAFTA nomination for their work in a soap opera, after Jean Alexander.It was announced in February 2020 that June had decided to leave EastEnders behind and quit her role as chain-smoking Dot permanently.To celebrate the birthday girl, Daily Star has taken a look back at her wild life from opening up about being "sick and tired" of having sex to her unexpected friendship with pop sensation turned Hollywood actress Lady Gaga.June was born on 16 February 1927 in Needham Market, Suffolk and was one of five children.Her younger brother John Peter died of pneumonia in 1932 at 15 days old, and her elder sister Marise died in 1934 aged eight from a meningitis-like illness. She was educated at St John's Church of England School in Ipswich and then won a scholarship to Ipswich High School, where she passed the school certificate examinations.During the Second World War, she was evacuated to the Welsh village of Pontyates in Carmarthenshire.

Amanda Holden turned up the heat on Wednesday in honour of her 51st birthday.MORE: Amanda Holden's £35k wellness spends revealed: From fat-burning treatments to facialsThe Heart FM star took to Instagram to share a daring new snapshot with fans, showing her posing in a black bra.WATCH: Amanda Holden's 7 best bikinis and swimsuitsAmanda looks glamorous in the photo with her hair tousled into loose waves, heavy eye makeup, a nude lip and statement heart earrings. "Hello 51," she captioned the post.READ: Amanda Holden's pescatarian diet: the TV star's daily meals revealedMORE: Amanda Holden just did a workout in a mini dress and knee-high boots!The mum-of-two was quickly inundated with birthday well wishes from fans and friends – including Saira Khan, John Torode, Keith Lemon, Myleene Klass and Jess Wright.A post shared by Amanda Holden (@noholdenback)Amanda looks incredible in the daring photographAmanda is no stranger to risqué photographs.

Asha Chopra, 20, is showered with designer gifts and expensive meals from her 29-year-old loaded older man.While people believe she is only in it for the money, the 20-year-old swears this isn't the case in an exclusive interview with the Daily Star.“With my current sugar daddy I realised it was much more than just money very quickly,” she told us.“I feel good when I am around him, I actually get excited to speak to him and don’t feel like I'm waiting for the conversation to be over so I can get some money.“I started to notice little things which made me so attracted to him such as the way he smiles, his sense of humour which is very similar to mine, the way he looks at me and so much more.”The 20-year-old says the pair of them have a lot in common and want the same things in life.She explained that the two of them can spend hours talking to each other and she doesn’t get bored.Asha added: “I realised I was falling in love when I truly started to believe that I would give up any gifts I have received if that is what I had to do to be with him.“Yes it is true what people said, I did fall in love with the money but now it is getting much deeper than that.“Our relationship is amazing right now, we get along very well, we enjoy each others company and spend most of our free time either with or talking to each other.“He is such a kind soul, he is very loving and affectionate. He enjoys making me smile and puts me first always, he is very funny and stylish too.”He has told Asha that he is 29, meaning there is a nine-year age gap between the two.

OnlyFans model Lana Wolf is fuming after the viral app TikTok introduced a ban on sexualised content that she says will require her to cover up her "big natural chest". In a series of posts to her Instagram story, the Rangers fan blasted TikTok for the "For You" changes to their terms and conditions after her recent skit success on the app.

Michelle Dockery! Not only has the Downton Abbey star got engaged, she will soon be seen on the big screen for the film's highly anticipated sequel - and now it has been announced that she will be teaming up with her co-star Michael Fox for an exciting new venture.MORE: Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery confirms engagement to Phoebe Waller-Bridge's brotherThe pair, who first met on the set of hit TV period drama, have been signed by Decca Records Label Group.WATCH: Downton Abbey shares new trailer - but is there trouble ahead for one couple?After becoming firm friends during filming, they soon discovered their shared passion for music. Connecting immediately, both on voice and guitar, Micheal and Michelle started playing regularly as a duo.MORE: Downton Abbey's Elizabeth McGovern on watching on-screen daughters 'grow with confidence'READ: Downton Abbey writer Julian Fellowes on the difficulties of killing off beloved charactersNow, six years later, they make it official with their first record deal and debut EP, The Watching Silence, due for release on 6 May.

A botched butt injection could have killed a woman who was found with no clothing from the waist down and needle marks all over her behind.Maxine Messam, 53, was dropped off at Jacobi Medical Centre, Bronx, New York by two women at around 1.30am on Tuesday, February 15.The women drove Maxine in her own car. It was there that doctors found injection marks all over her behind.She died at the hospital at around 2am and the police were informed.Detectives are considering whether she was the victim of a botched injection and are looking to speak with the two women who dropped her off at the hospital before walking away.

Lorraine Kelly hosts her self-titled show five days a week, though she famously takes her time off during the half term.Usually, Christine Lampard will take over Lorraine's hosting duties for the week, much to many viewers' joy, but Andi Peters seemed to forget.On Wednesday morning Andi was seen in Paris while leading up his usual competition segment, and as he started speaking to Christine about the fact that he's in France and making the most of it.After telling viewers about what they could win if they enter the usual ITV competition, he confessed he had bought a padlock - but with Lorraine's initials on.Standing by lovelock bridge in Paris, he pulled out the padlock which had the letters A.P and L.K engraved into it.Andi confessed that he completely forgot that Christine was on the show as he quickly attempted to rectify the awkward blunder and pulled out a pen.He said: "Christine, I didn't know you were on this week, poor planning, so I had a padlock made but since as we now know after yesterday that Frank doesn't watch, I'll just cross that out and put C.L. Look at that! Now you're talking Christine." Andi proceeded to put their padlock on the bridge with the permanent marker finish of Christine's initials.However, the lock won't look entirely out of place as many people purchase the locks and write their names or initials with a permanent marker too.Christine was definitely happy to be back on screens while Lorraine is taking some deserved time away and relaxing during the half term.

Carol Vorderman is used to updating her 210,000 Instagram fans with her daily adventures - but for the last ten days, the mother-of-two has been absent from social media.MORE: Carol Vorderman surprises fans with underwear picture – but it's all for a good causeOn Tuesday, however, fans would have been relieved to see her return to Instagram to share some news about her daughter Katie, who recently passed her PhD in Nanotechnology at Cambridge University.WATCH: Carol Vorderman glows in bikini videoTaking to her Stories, the former Countdown star wrote: "My girl @katie.science all animated, helping children to learn a bit of science with @techshecan."WOW: Carol Vorderman looks incredible in curve-hugging activewear on Portuguese health retreatREAD: Carol Vorderman addresses fan confusion with important messageIn her Story, Carol had embedded Katie's original post which saw a video of Katie animated alongside a dog called Tex.A post shared by Katie King (@katie.science)Katie proudly showed off her latest project"WAAAHHH!!!!!!!! The first episode and 'Katie and Tex' launched today," Katie wrote alongside it.She continued: "Animations to teach kids aged 5+ about tech. Do you recognise the voice of Katie? Watch this space… more to come. Couple of BTS shots from a few months back! CONGRATS TECH SHE CAN AND THANK YOU!"It's definitely been an exciting start to the year for Katie and her proud mother Carol.

Arsenal will battle it out with Premier League rivals Manchester City for the signature of 17-year-old Brazilian wonderkid Savio.The Gunners, along with the Red Bull group which includes RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg, were reportedly leading the race for the teenage Atletico Mineiro winger after making contact with the South American club in December.But according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Man City have now launched their own £5.5million bid plus add-ons which threatens to hijack Arsenal’s interest.The deal is expected to include a sell-on clause while negotiations ensue, with City looking to loan the player out to PSV Eindhoven next season if they manage to sign him in the summer.Savio was handed his debut back in September 2020, aged just 16.He has made 23 appearances already for the side on the left-flank, catching the eye of some of Europe’s most elite clubs.City’s proposal is understood to be similar to the one they launched to successfully sign another Brazilian teenager - Kayky - from Fluminense last April.Do you think Man City will win the race for wonderkid Savio? Let us know in the comments section.Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news?Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star football email newsletter!From the latest transfer news to the agenda-setting stories, get it all in your email inbox - don't miss a thing.It only takes a matter of seconds.Simply type your email address into the box at the top of this article and hit 'subscribe'.And that's it, job done.

THE Chase fans were so impressed with a player that they called for him to be offered a JOB on the show. Viewers called for the contestant to become the show's new Chaser after he banked £11,000 in the cash builder round.

K.J. Yossman RTL Deutschland has inked an exclusive multi-year content deal with Warner Bros.

predominantly white institutions (PWI), can be a daunting task often confounded with feelings of isolation and even terror. In her feature film debut Master, filmmaker Mariama Diallo grapples with the psychological effects of racial terror and the pitfalls of ignoring the lessons of history. Set at a New England-based Ivy League University, Master centers on Gail Bishop (Regina Hall).

“Bless your heart,” a former congregant says to Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall), the first lady of the Atlanta-based Baptist megachurch Wander To Greater Paths. As the film crew that’s been following the first lady for weeks looks on, Childs’ immediate reaction, Hall has always been a killer emotive actor, is to hold back the flurry of insults swirling underneath her polite grimace-smile.

Even right down to the title this religious comedy debuting appropriately today on a Sunday  in the Premieres section of the Sundance Film Festival can’t seem to decide what it wants to be. Is it Honk For Jesus.? Or is it Save Our Soul.? OR is it as the credits say both? It is a indication of the main problem with this self-styled satire on scandal-ridden Southern Baptist megachurches. Is it supposed to be a comedy? Or is it aiming to be something deeper and more dramatic?  Or is it both?  Even for the best of satirists trying to keep an even tone without watching the whole souffle fall is a slippery slope, one that writer/director Adamma Ebo hasn’t quite solved, but not for lack of trying. As many have discovered, drama is easy, comedy is hard.

Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticHow to take on the hypocrisy of megachurch culture on a micro budget? That’s the quandary at the center of the Ebo twins’ “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” An easy-target satire of a disgraced Southern Baptist pastor and the First Lady who stood by his side amidst scandal, packed as a Christopher Guest-style mock documentary, writer-director Adamma Ebo’s indie comedy (produced by sister Adanne) should tickle those who share her skepticism of organized religion — especially the profit-oriented variety — but doesn’t go much deeper than the 15-minute short film on which it’s based.The biggest upgrade here comes from recasting power couple Lee-Curtis and Trinitie Childs with Sterling K.

Centuries-old grandiose red brick, white-trimmed buildings fill the frame at the start of Mariama Diallo’s striking debut feature film “Master.” Ivy-clad collegiate walls are a staple in the horror genre; the grounds are confined, and there’s something inherently creepy about old buildings. But here, Diallo uses this setting not just for aesthetic frights but because it is these very venerated walls from which the terror at the center of her story finds its origin.

Centuries-old grandiose red brick, white-trimmed buildings fill the frame at the start of Mariama Diallo’s striking debut feature film “Master.” Ivy-clad collegiate walls are a staple in the horror genre; the grounds are confined, and there’s something inherently creepy about old buildings. But here, Diallo uses this setting not just for aesthetic frights but because it is these very venerated walls from which the terror at the center of her story finds its origin.

Tomris Laffly There is something inherently unsettling about an elite university’s aura of vanity. Few other contemporary locations summon such a sense of reverence, exclusivity and historical angst — especially if the college is somewhere in brisk New England and adorned with the Ivy League distinction.

Sundance Film Festival is offering its expansive slate online. Festival Director Tabitha Jackson and Producing Director Gina Duncan initially hoped to do a hybrid festival, offering in-person and virtual screenings. However, amid the Omicron surge, filmmakers and audiences are connecting in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

score record-breaking pacts despite the fact that all-night bidding wars were conducted over Zoom.This year’s festival has a number of high-profile features that should attract buyers’ attention, either because they feature A-list stars like Lena Dunham, Dakota Johnson and Regina Hall or because they deal with hot topics like abortion rights and religion. There are also a number of documentaries exploring everything from the rise of TikTok to the fight to prevent a climate change catastrophe that could score major sales.