Robert De Niro opens Sarajevo Film Festival
On Friday, Robert De Niro opened the Sarajevo Film Festival, which in turn honoured the star with a lifetime achievement award. The 72-year-old actor, who has starred in more than 100 films, received the event's Heart of Sarajevo award at an open-air viewing of Taxi Driver, one of his earliest films. De Niro earned an Oscar nomination for the 1976 film, directed by Martin Scorsese. More than 200 films will be screened at the 22nd edition of the festival, which runs until August 20 in the Bosnian capital. Created as an "act of resistance" during the 1992-95 siege of Sarajevo, the festival has regularly attracted big-name guests such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Juliette Binoche and Jeremy Irons. Eight films will compete for the best film prize, which will be awarded by a jury led by Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman. – AFP
Bon Jovi announce album without Richie Sambora
Bon Jovi have revealed that their new album – the first in the group's three-decade history without guitarist Richie Sambora – will be released on October 21. This House is Not for Sale is the 14th studio album from the New Jersey rockers and the first since the seemingly amicable departure in 2013 of lead guitarist Sambora, a long-time fixture in the group along with frontman Jon Bon Jovi. Sambora said he wanted to devote more time to his family rather than embark on another lengthy arena tour for which Bon Jovi is famous. Sambora last year told the site Ultimate Guitar Rock that his decision was also about music, as he felt "starved" for more improvisation and innovation after playing Bon Jovi's hits for so long. – AFP
New Rogue One trailer features Darth Vader
The second trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has been released, giving fans the first new – brief – footage of Darth Vader in more than a decade. The 135-second teaser also includes sweeping space-scapes, Imperial battleships, laser fire and Forest Whitaker. The highlight is a one-second cameo by Darth Vader, his back to the camera. It is the first glimpse of the character since the release of Revenge of the Sith, the third of George Lucas's prequel movies, in 2005. The first stand-alone Star Wars story, Rogue One is set just before 1977's A New Hope, the first film in the series. It stars Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen and Whitaker and tells the story of the mission to steal the plans for the first Death Star. The film is due for release on December 16 in the united States. – AFP
US defense department says no to Pokemon Go
United States Department of Defense officials have ordered employees not to download Pokemon Go onto government-issued smartphones. “You can imagine a number of reasons [why] that wouldn’t necessarily be a prudent thing to do,” said Pentagon deputy press secretary Gordon Trowbridge. “Aside from any security concerns, I think taxpayers would appreciate government phones being used for government business.” Pokemon Go is an augmented-reality app through which users hunt digitised creatures such as the furry yellow Pikachu, which have been scattered around their location. The game has become a global craze, with crowds of players dashing to locations to try to snag rare characters. Several military installations have warned troops about the possible perils of playing Pokemon Go on bases, including near runways. – AFP
Cricketer Dhoni snubs press at trailer launch
Cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni left the trailer launch of the film M S Dhoni: The Untold Story – a film based on his life story – without speaking to the media. When journalists asked director Neeraj Pandey the reason for the sportsman's quick exit, he said: "That's not my call, as you would understand, and it's not my place to answer on his behalf also. He is an individual who has his own choices. I don't know what the reason is." In a packed hall of fans and media, Dhoni did answer some questions posed by fans, but then left immediately. The film, starring Sushant Singh Rajput as the captain of the Indian cricket team, also features Anupam Kher, Bhumika Chawla, Rajesh Sharma and Kiara Advani, and is due for release in India on September 30. – IANS
Funerals held for Prince
Family members and close friends gathered at a Minneapolis church on Friday for a memorial to Prince. Another private service was held on Saturday at the musician’s Paisley Park home. A relative said the family is doing its best to preserve Prince’s image, as others have come forward with false stories about the superstar. Prince died on April 21 of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 57. A public tribute to the singer and musician is scheduled for October at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. – AP
