‘The Dark Crystal’ Returns to Theaters for Jim Henson Company’s 70th Anniversary – Film News in Brief
The Jim Henson Company is turning 70, and to celebrate, Fathom Entertainment, Universal Pictures and The Jim Henson Company is bringing the beloved film “The Dark Crystal” back to the big screen.
The fantasy film co-directed by Frank Oz and Henson will include a special introduction from Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company and son of Jim Henson.
“The magic of Jim Henson and ‘The Dark Crystal’ has long been a hit with Fathom Entertainment audiences. We are honored to bring back this cinematic fantasy masterpiece and honor The Jim Henson Company in this, its 70th year of making fantasy magic for audiences of all ages,” said Ray Nutt, Chief Executive Officer, Fathom Entertainment.
The screenings will take place on Oct. 12-13. The Jim Henson Company will also host multiple activations and events that the legacy of creating productions and characters throughout 2025.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Announces 52nd Annual Student Academy Award Recipients
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted the winners of the 52nd Student Academy Awards. This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received 3,127 entries from 988 colleges and universities worldwide, selecting 14 students as the 2025 recipients.
The ceremony will be held on Oct. 6, taking place at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City during the New York Film Festival for the first time in partnership with Rolex.
First-time honorees consist of students from the University of Copenhagen, Gobelins, Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, London College of Communication and University of the West of England Bristol.
In addition, the winners of the awards will spend a weekend of education programming, networking, and exclusive access to Academy members. All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for the 98th Oscars in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Film category.
Read the full list of winners below.
Alternative/Experimental
Mati Granica, “flower_gan,” London College of Communication, United Kingdom
Xindi Zhang, “The Song of Drifters,” University of Southern California
Vega Moltke-Leth, “Without Perfection,” University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Animation
Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré & Maud Le Bras, “The Shyness of Trees,” Gobelins, France
Tobias Eckerlin, “A Sparrow’s Song,” Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Lucas Ansel, “The 12 Inch Pianist,” Rhode Island School of Design
Documentary
Rebeka Bizubová, “Confession,” Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia
Jane Deng, “I Remember,” New York University
Tatiana McCabe, “Tides of Life,” University of the West of England Bristol, United Kingdom
Narrative
Meyer Levinson-Blount, “Butcher’s Stain,” Tel Aviv University, Israel
Jan Saczek, “Dad’s Not Home,” Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Poland
Zefan Wang, “Kubrick, Like I Love You,” Columbia University
Guillermo Del Toro Set as Guest Artistic Director for AFI Fest 2025
American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro will serve as the guest artistic director for AFI Fest 2025. This year’s festival is presented by Canva and is set to take place in Los Angeles from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26 at the TCL Chinese Theatres.
“Guillermo del Toro is one of the great champions of the art form — a visionary filmmaker, a passionate cinephile, and a tireless advocate for bold, original storytelling,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “As Guest Artistic Director of AFI Fest, he brings a singular perspective that will inspire audiences of all generations.”
Previous guest artistic directors for AFI Fest include Pedro Almodóvar, Bernardo Bertolucci, Ava DuVernay, Greta Gerwig, David Lynch and Agnès Varda.
AFI Fest will open this year’s festival with “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” starring Jeremy Allen White and written for the screen and directed by Scott Cooper. The 39th edition of the festival will feature a curated selection of red carpet premieres, special screenings, world cinema, documentaries and short films.
The fantasy film co-directed by Frank Oz and Henson will include a special introduction from Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company and son of Jim Henson.
“The magic of Jim Henson and ‘The Dark Crystal’ has long been a hit with Fathom Entertainment audiences. We are honored to bring back this cinematic fantasy masterpiece and honor The Jim Henson Company in this, its 70th year of making fantasy magic for audiences of all ages,” said Ray Nutt, Chief Executive Officer, Fathom Entertainment.
The screenings will take place on Oct. 12-13. The Jim Henson Company will also host multiple activations and events that the legacy of creating productions and characters throughout 2025.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Announces 52nd Annual Student Academy Award Recipients
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted the winners of the 52nd Student Academy Awards. This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received 3,127 entries from 988 colleges and universities worldwide, selecting 14 students as the 2025 recipients.
The ceremony will be held on Oct. 6, taking place at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City during the New York Film Festival for the first time in partnership with Rolex.
First-time honorees consist of students from the University of Copenhagen, Gobelins, Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, London College of Communication and University of the West of England Bristol.
In addition, the winners of the awards will spend a weekend of education programming, networking, and exclusive access to Academy members. All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for the 98th Oscars in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Film category.
Read the full list of winners below.
Alternative/Experimental
Mati Granica, “flower_gan,” London College of Communication, United Kingdom
Xindi Zhang, “The Song of Drifters,” University of Southern California
Vega Moltke-Leth, “Without Perfection,” University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Animation
Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré & Maud Le Bras, “The Shyness of Trees,” Gobelins, France
Tobias Eckerlin, “A Sparrow’s Song,” Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Lucas Ansel, “The 12 Inch Pianist,” Rhode Island School of Design
Documentary
Rebeka Bizubová, “Confession,” Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia
Jane Deng, “I Remember,” New York University
Tatiana McCabe, “Tides of Life,” University of the West of England Bristol, United Kingdom
Narrative
Meyer Levinson-Blount, “Butcher’s Stain,” Tel Aviv University, Israel
Jan Saczek, “Dad’s Not Home,” Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Poland
Zefan Wang, “Kubrick, Like I Love You,” Columbia University
Guillermo Del Toro Set as Guest Artistic Director for AFI Fest 2025
American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro will serve as the guest artistic director for AFI Fest 2025. This year’s festival is presented by Canva and is set to take place in Los Angeles from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26 at the TCL Chinese Theatres.
“Guillermo del Toro is one of the great champions of the art form — a visionary filmmaker, a passionate cinephile, and a tireless advocate for bold, original storytelling,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “As Guest Artistic Director of AFI Fest, he brings a singular perspective that will inspire audiences of all generations.”
Previous guest artistic directors for AFI Fest include Pedro Almodóvar, Bernardo Bertolucci, Ava DuVernay, Greta Gerwig, David Lynch and Agnès Varda.
AFI Fest will open this year’s festival with “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” starring Jeremy Allen White and written for the screen and directed by Scott Cooper. The 39th edition of the festival will feature a curated selection of red carpet premieres, special screenings, world cinema, documentaries and short films.