Cinthya Brasil is a Brazilian comedian, writer, and actor based in Los Angeles. A regular at The Ding Dong Show at The Comedy Store, she has performed internationally in Australia, Brazil Canada and toured all over the US. Her sharp wit and sarcastic humor often parody cultural stereotypes, horror and the unique experiences of growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness.

Beyond stand-up, Cinthya has worked with industry veterans like Brett Gelman, Eric Roberts, Tiffany Haddish and Harry Lennix. She also collaborated on a song with Jerry Ropero and acted on two episodes on a children’s YouTube TV show, recording several songs for the series. Coming from a family with deep artistic roots, their great-grandfather, Adolfo Machado, acted alongside Sônia Braga in A Moreninha.

Currently, Cinthya Brasil is focused on growing in Standup Comedy, testing new strategies to expand her audience. She is also producing comedy shows all over LA.

You moved from Brazil to LA. Did you come mainly to work in entertainment?

CINTHYA: I moved here to study theater full time.

Can you tell how you got into comedy and standup? 

CINTHYA: The lack of autonomy in acting drove me to comedy. I never thought I had the guts to do standup. But after covid I missed being on set, so I was having fun doing cute TikTok videos with a voice over on the background. Little did I know those were bits from a standup comedian. One day I post one and my mom watched and said: why don’t you make your own videos instead of dubbing someone else’s? And that’s when I found out those were short clips of standup. So, I started watching those on TikTok and then on Netflix. But while I was watching those just the thought of being onstage terrified me more than swimming with great whites. I decided to study it online. I’ve always loved writing so that wasn’t hard, but I was way too scared to go onstage. So, I decided to do an in-person workshop. After my first performance I told myself: Well, I didn’t die. So, let’s keep doing this as a challenge. I never thought I’d love it as much as acting yet here we are and now I equally hate both. I’m just kidding. 

People say comedy is dead today. What do you find most challenging about being a comedian today?

CINTHYA: What don’t I find challenging in comedy would be a shorter answer. Comedy will always be challenging because we are constantly trying to break barriers that society imposes on people. But comedy is not for the weak or the scared. I believe once you conquer your fear you become stronger, and it gives you a sense of self love and respect that no money can buy. So yes, it is and it will always be challenging but so is life and more important than just doing to better yourself as you break barriers and stereotypes you motivate others to do the same. Kind of like the 4-minute mile. If I can do it as a female Brazilian, so can many women.

How do you prepare for a stand-up routine? 

CINTHYA: I scream into a pillow for a couple of minutes and I ready to go. 

Do you have a writing process you go through for your material? 

CINTHYA: I like observing people, not like a stalker per se but in a sense of storytelling. So, when funny situations happen, I write the concept on my notes and as I shower, play the piano or while I do yoga the joke about that subject comes to my mind. Once i

Cinthya Brasil is a Brazilian comedian, writer, and actor based in Los Angeles. A regular at The Ding Dong Show at The Comedy Store, she has performed internationally in Australia, Brazil Canada and toured all over the US. Her sharp wit and sarcastic humor often parody cultural stereotypes, horror and the unique experiences of growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness.

Beyond stand-up, Cinthya has worked with industry veterans like Brett Gelman, Eric Roberts, Tiffany Haddish and Harry Lennix. She also collaborated on a song with Jerry Ropero and acted on two episodes on a children’s YouTube TV show, recording several songs for the series. Coming from a family with deep artistic roots, their great-grandfather, Adolfo Machado, acted alongside Sônia Braga in A Moreninha.

Currently, Cinthya Brasil is focused on growing in Standup Comedy, testing new strategies to expand her audience. She is also producing comedy shows all over LA.

You moved from Brazil to LA. Did you come mainly to work in entertainment?

CINTHYA: I moved here to study theater full time.

Can you tell how you got into comedy and standup? 

CINTHYA: The lack of autonomy in acting drove me to comedy. I never thought I had the guts to do standup. But after covid I missed being on set, so I was having fun doing cute TikTok videos with a voice over on the background. Little did I know those were bits from a standup comedian. One day I post one and my mom watched and said: why don’t you make your own videos instead of dubbing someone else’s? And that’s when I found out those were short clips of standup. So, I started watching those on TikTok and then on Netflix. But while I was watching those just the thought of being onstage terrified me more than swimming with great whites. I decided to study it online. I’ve always loved writing so that wasn’t hard, but I was way too scared to go onstage. So, I decided to do an in-person workshop. After my first performance I told myself: Well, I didn’t die. So, let’s keep doing this as a challenge. I never thought I’d love it as much as acting yet here we are and now I equally hate both. I’m just kidding. 

People say comedy is dead today. What do you find most challenging about being a comedian today?

CINTHYA: What don’t I find challenging in comedy would be a shorter answer. Comedy will always be challenging because we are constantly trying to break barriers that society imposes on people. But comedy is not for the weak or the scared. I believe once you conquer your fear you become stronger, and it gives you a sense of self love and respect that no money can buy. So yes, it is and it will always be challenging but so is life and more important than just doing to better yourself as you break barriers and stereotypes you motivate others to do the same. Kind of like the 4-minute mile. If I can do it as a female Brazilian, so can many women.

How do you prepare for a stand-up routine? 

CINTHYA: I scream into a pillow for a couple of minutes and I ready to go. 

Do you have a writing process you go through for your material? 

CINTHYA: I like observing people, not like a stalker per se but in a sense of storytelling. So, when funny situations happen, I write the concept on my notes and as I shower, play the piano or while I do yoga the joke about that subject comes to my mind. Once i

The poster of the 64th Semaine de la Critique shows one of the heroines of Queens of Drama raising their hand to the heavens, challenging us and beckoning us to ecstasy. A vibrant tribute to all kinds of performance, Alexis Langlois’ film is a love letter to film, music, and celebration.

This young generation of filmmakers breathes new life into the artform, absorbing the codes and casting their very own glow; asserting the freedom to take possession and enhance all images to reinvent them. 

With every edition, La Semaine de la Critique marvels at the unremitting talent of the directors whom we are incredibly fortunate to accompany as they make their first steps onto the international stage. Every year, our feature and short film selection committees are delightfully surprised by bold, unique works that open new perspectives and lead us on unexplored paths.

La Semaine de la Critique - the parallel selection of the Cannes film festival dedicated to first and second films - will be held in Cannes from May 14th to 22nd 2025.

THE 44th ISTANBUL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL SELECTIONS AND AWARDS

11-22 April 2025

Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), the Istanbul Film Festival is set to return from 11 to 22 April 2025. The festival, sponsored by N Kolay, once again brings together pioneering filmmakers whose stories and styles are redefining today's cinema.

Marking its 44th year, the Istanbul Film Festival is a remarkable celebration of cinema, showcasing a wide array of films that connect lives, cultures, and continents in the vibrant atmosphere of Istanbul. The festival's programme includes feature films, documentaries, and short films, along with special screenings, retrospectives, and sessions with renowned film professionals.

The festival will screen 139 films in 13 sections over 12 days. In addition to the screenings, the festival will also feature talks, special screenings and events with the participation of guest directors and actors.

44th Istanbul Film Festival Cinema Honorary Awards

The prestigious Cinema Honorary Award, given by the festival to those who have made significant contributions to cinema, will be presented to the talented actress Zuhal Olcay at the festival's opening ceremony on 11 April, Friday.

This year, the festival will present the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award to Gülin Üstün, who took on the role of director of the festival’s co-production platform, Meetings on the Bridge, between 2010 and 2023.

Festival films will be screened in six film theatres

The festival will screen films at a selection of prestigious cinemas across the city such as the historic Atlas 1948, just down the street Beyoğlu Sineması or CineWAM Premium City's Nişantaşı at the city’s European side. Across the Bosphorus, Kadıköy Cinema, Sinematek / Sinemaevi and Paribu Cineverse Nautilus will feature screenings in Kadıköy on the Asian side. Lastly, the Pera Museum Auditorium will host special press and industry screenings, providing an exclusive setting for film professionals to engage with the festival.

Köln 75 to open the festival after its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival

The 44th Istanbul Film Festival opens this year with Köln 75, which premiered at a special gala at the Berlin Film Festival this year. Telling the moving true story of Keith Jarrett's 1975 live album The Köln Concert, the film marks the 50th anniversary of the concert. The Köln Concert is the best-selling solo album and the best-selling piano album in jazz history, and the film was made possible by the extraordinary efforts of a 17-year-old high school student. 

What’s on the festival?

The 44th Istanbul Film Festival programme has 13 different sections. The traditional Young Masters section features promising talents as Mined Zone brings the rebellious and restless spirits of cinema together. Around the World includes mostly award-winning films from all over the globe and Cinemania features masters of the cinema.

Galas, one of the most beloved sections of the Istanbul Film Festival, will be featured this year with support by

By Jessica Herndon Spring is finally here, and it’s time to swap out the heavy layers of winter for something that feels fresh, breezy, and effortlessly stylish. This season, take some sartorial cues from Sundance-supported movies that deliver a serious spring vibe, showcasing everything from bold prints to sophisticated classics that feel just right for […]

The post 16 Looks From Sundance-Supported Films To Inspire Your Spring Wardrobe first appeared on sundance.org.

PARK CITY, UTAH – JANUARY 20: (L–R) Shoko Egawa, Chiaki Yanagimoto, Ben Braun, and Andrew Marshall attend the 2023 Sundance Film Festival “AUM: The Cult at the End of the World” premiere at the Library Center Theatre on January 20, 2023 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images) By Lucy Spicer During the […]

The post “AUM: The Cult at the End of the World” Examines How Evil Can Hide in Plain Sight first appeared on sundance.org.

Sarah Nocquet is a French American screenwriter and director. Born and raised in Paris, she moved to New York to pursue a degree in film & TV production at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and has since expanded her domain of work to include Paris, New York, and London. Her short psychological thriller Speed Queen 51 starring Rory Culkin premiered at Palm Springs Shortfest 2024, and her 5min drama Decoy starring Lia Williams is planning a festival run in 2025. Her short horror Open won her the Best Directing award at NFFTY 2019, and her sci-fi thriller feature Second Nature was a finalist in the 2023 Stowe Story Labs. Since 2021, Sarah runs an annual writer’s retreat during which all participants write the first draft of a feature film in two weeks. Outside of writing and directing her own projects, she can be found working as a writer for hire, music video director, assistant director, and script supervisor. She has written feature biopics for NYC-based Intrinsic Value Films and Paris-based Kaiwo Studio and has worked as story writer and script consultant on a variety of other projects. Sarah enjoys examining the inner life of female protagonists and toying with absurdism and irony in thrillers.

In an interview with Sarah about her short films, here is what she had to say:

Can you tell how you got into writing and directing? Is your main aim to both write and direct?

SARAH: Raised in a bilingual setting (French/English), I was always drawn to ways of marrying language and image together to communicate an idea that transcends monolingual description. Filmmaking came to me as natural expression of this interest, and I often co-opted school presentations, trips, and birthday parties to interpret them in moving image. I started formally writing and directing at NYU, where I studied film production as an undergrad. During COVID, with limited production opportunities, my focus shifted to writing, and I started an annual writing retreat during which my friends and I each write a feature first draft in two weeks (after a couple months of weekly outline meetings). We’re now going into our fifth year! The retreat has been a great way to push myself to generate material, and over the last few years, screenwriting has become a reliable creative habit for me.

SARAH CONT’D: Directing is much more dependent on external resources. Ever since graduating from NYU, I accumulated scripts and pictured directing them, but it all felt inaccessible and unrealistic. The blanket of COVID made it easy to push off my next directing endeavor. As restrictions lifted and film production returned, I came to consider what my next short film would be. A lot of my peers were tackling their first big projects out of college, and I was intimidated by the immensity of both their self-funded budgets and the scale of their productions. I’ve always been drawn to small scope premises where I can hone my craft with a focus on performance, rather than logistics; and slightly terrified at the prospect of all the factors that could go wrong with a complex shoot.

SARAH CONT’D: When I made my first film out of college, I went as far as I could to reduce difficulties and maximize my chances of success: keeping budget and crew size low, shooting locally, with actors I knew and didn’t have to audition, in one location. We shot Speed Queen 51 over two nights in my laundromat, across the street from my apartment. Although I had made short films before, this o