Legendary Actor Sir Patrick Stewart Dies at 86

The world of film and television is mourning the loss of Sir Patrick Stewart, the celebrated British actor whose remarkable performances in Star Trek and X-Men made him one of the most recognisable faces in international entertainment. Stewart died at his home in Los Angeles on October 28, 2026, aged 86. His death was announced the following day by his representative, who confirmed that the actor had experienced a brief period of illness involving Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, England, Stewart

Jafar Panahi Sentenced to Five Years in Prison in Iran

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has been sentenced to five years in prison by a Tehran Revolutionary Court in a new ruling. The verdict also imposes a two-year ban on international travel and social media use, along with an order to confiscate his assets. The latest sentence comes in addition to an earlier one-year prison term he was already facing. Panahi’s lawyer, Mostafa Nili, told the Emtedad News Agency that the latest verdict was delivered in absentia. According to Nili, the filmmaker’s bank accounts were unexpectedly frozen last week. When his legal

Oscar-Winning Actress Eva Marie Saint Dies at 102

Oscar-winning American actress Eva Marie Saint, renowned for her performances in On the Waterfront and Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest, has died at the age of 102. The Hollywood legend passed away from natural causes at her home in Los Angeles on October 6, 2026, according to her spokesperson. Her death marks the loss of one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood's golden age, leaving behind an extraordinary career spanning more than six decades. Born on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey, Saint developed an interest in acting while

Bangladeshi Short Film ‘Mariyam’ Screens at Religion Today Film Festival in Italy

Bangladeshi filmmaker Chaitali Somadder’s short film Mariyam has continued its international festival journey with a screening at the Religion Today Film Festival in Italy, adding another overseas platform to a film that has already received recognition at home and abroad. The 30-minute Bengali short centres on Mariyam, a 14-year-old schoolgirl living in a village, whose life and family are devastated after she becomes the victim of sexual violence. A video of the assault is subsequently circulated online, exposing the family to social isolation and pressure from within the community. The story

Hiralal Sen and the Lost History of Early Cinema

In October 1917, a devastating fire tore through a godown in Calcutta. It turned the surviving film collection of Hiralal Sen into absolute ash. Later that month, Sen himself succumbed to a long battle with cancer. His death was forever shadowed by the blaze that erased his cinematic legacy. As a documentary photographer working in Bangladesh today, I constantly grapple with the fragility of our visual archives. Sen’s loss represents an unparalleled, tragic erasure of a pioneer's vision. Long before he became a filmmaker, Sen was a photographer with a meticulous ' ...