Asia's largest film festival will open in Busan Thursday featuring a stronger presence by up-and-coming filmmakers in the region, according to organizers.The 18th installment of the annual Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is set to feature 301 movies from 70 countries around the world, with 95 films having world premieres. The selection is slightly smaller compared to last year's 304 films from 75 countries but comprises more world premieres and works by newbie Asian directors. Ninety-fo

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The New York City Opera said Tuesday it would close and file for bankruptcy after 70 years, having failed to secure desperately needed millions through an emergency fund-raising appeal.The second opera company in the city considered the cultural capital of the United States opened in 1944 and had set out to make the art more accessible and affordable to the masses.But the deadline on an emergency appeal expired at midnight Monday with the company collecting only $2 million of th

SYDNEY (AFP) ― Hollywood A-lister Angelina Jolie will direct her new film “Unbroken” in Australia, using Sydney and rural parts of New South Wales state as locations, it was announced Tuesday.The World War II movie is only Jolie‘s second foray into directing, after the critically-acclaimed 2011 movie “Land of Blood and Honey,” and the actress has been in Sydney with her children in recent weeks scouting locations.NSW deputy premier Andrew Stoner said the Universal Pictures production would injec

At some point in life, everyone has to say goodbye to a loved one, even fictional families.Al Jean, the executive producer of the U.S. cartoon sitcom “The Simpsons,” said Friday that he will kill off one of the main characters, during a recent phone conference with the press to promote the 25th season premiere of the iconic show. Though he did not say which character will be terminated, Jean said the actor playing this character has won an Emmy for his or her performance in “The Simpsons.” The h

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The New York City Opera seemed destined for bankruptcy Monday, lacking a substantial portion of the $7.0 million it needs to continue operation.The city’s second opera company, dubbed “the people’s opera,” set out to make the genre more accessible to the masses at an affordable price when it opened its first season in 1944.But as of Monday morning, the establishment had collected only $2 million of the $7 million it needed to keep its doors open.“The New York City Opera plans to

NEW YORK (AP) ― YouTube is launching its own music awards and Lady Gaga will perform at the first-time event.The Google Inc.-owned company announced Tuesday that Eminem and Arcade Fire also will perform at the YouTube Music Awards on Nov. 3. It will take place at Pier 36 in New York City and stream live online.The awards show will honor “artists and songs that YouTube fans have turned into global hits over the past year.” Nominees will be announced Oct. 17.Actor Jason Schwartzman will host the Y

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― The much-anticipated final episode of “Breaking Bad” drew the cult TV show‘s largest ever audience ― 10.3 million viewers ― but there were also more than 500,000 illegal downloads, figures showed Monday.The series, centered around once humble chemistry teacher turned drug lord Walter White, ended Sunday with a thrilling climax to its fifth and final season a week after winning best drama at the Emmys, television’s Oscars.In doing so it drew 3.7 million more viewers than the p