Actor and filmmaker Robert Redford opened the Sundance Independent Film Festival on January 19 by steering clear of politics and instead criticising the news industry.
“The news-media world has shrunk into more of a sound-bite world,” he said at the event’s opening news conference. “Everything’s so clipped and short, it gives you no time to digest, no time to contemplate – it’s already moving onto the next event.”
Documentaries are filling the gap, Redford said, highlighting their growing role at the industry’s biggest indie-film festival.
“I felt like documentaries are having a more important role than ever because it becomes long-form journalism,” he said. “It has a chance to really tell the story so the public can really digest it and see how they feel.” – Reuters
Melania Trump wears Lauren for inauguration
New US First lady Melania Trump wore a sky-blue cashmere jacket and mock turtleneck dress by Ralph Lauren, the brand that designed so many of Hillary Clinton’s pantsuits, to husband Donald’s inauguration as president on Friday in Washington DC.
“It was important to us to uphold and celebrate the tradition of creating iconic American style for this moment,” Lauren’s company said. Later, for the evening celebrations, she wore an ivory, off-the-shoulder gown by Herve Pierre, former creative director of Carolina Herrera, while first daughter Ivanka wore a sparkling, blush-tone gown by Herrera, Women’s Wear Daily reported.
On Friday morning, before the inauguration, Mrs Trump’s hair was in a soft updo and she wore long, sky-blue suede gloves and matching stilettos as she and her husband were greeted at the White House by departing president Barack and first lady Michelle Obama, the latter wearing a deep-red belted short-sleeve tweed dress by Jason Wu. It had black trim and a matching double-breasted coat. – AP
Cuba Gooding Jr files for divorce
American actor Cuba Gooding Junior has filed for divorce from his wife of 20 years, Sara Kapfer, TMZ reports. It comes nearly three years after Kapfer filed for separation from the actor, citing irreconcilable differences.
The American Crime Story and Pearl Harbor actor married Kapfer in 1994. Former high-school sweethearts, they have three children together, sons Spencer and Mason and daughter, Piper.
According to TMZ, Gooding Jr. is requesting joint legal custody and physical custody of their 10-year-old daughter and is willing to pay spousal support. He had hinted at a possible reconciliation in March last year, while appearing on The Steve Harvey Show. – The National Staff
Its all about shoes, says J-Lo
Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez believes having “high-quality footwear” is “not negotiable”.
The 47-year-old, who recently collaborated with fashion design Giuseppe Zanotti on her footwear collection – titled Giuseppe for Jennifer Lopez – says that as a performer, what she wears on her feet is paramount, reports people.com.
“I have always been a shoe girl,” she says. “It’s clear that I love gorgeous shoes and boots to make a statement or really complete a look. But it’s so much more than just the appearance of the shoes. As a performer, movement is very important to me, and it all begins with your feet.
“Whether I’m dancing and need a specific shape for certain choreography, or when I’m at an event and the height of the shoes completely changes my posture and walk, having high-quality footwear is not negotiable. Shoes go beyond simply accessorising. They dictate how you carry yourself while wearing them,” she added.
The Shades of Blue actress, who will launch the 16-piece capsule collection on January 23, says a woman's footwear can boost her confidence. – IANS
Dolly Parton receives sibling tribute
Dolly Parton is getting a tribute from her sister Stella, with an album and a UK tour celebrating the singer’s contribution to the music industry.
Stella Parton, 67, a country singer in her own right with more than 30 albums to her name, and older sister Dolly grew up as two of 12 siblings in the Tennessee mountains. Music was a big part of family life, Stella said.
“We didn’t have a telephone – we didn’t have a television until I was 10 years old, so music was a big part of our lives,” she said. “It was something that soothed us, it was something that we could be creative with, because my mother would soothe us with singing.”
Stella will perform songs from her 2016 album Mountain Songbird: A Sister's Tribute, and the More Power to Ya duet she recorded with Dolly, at a concert in London on January that kicks off the tour.
“My sister has written great story songs and that’s kind of what I’m going to be doing – telling my story about these songs from my perspective as a sister, and how much I love and respect the contribution she’s made to not only country music but to the world, hopefully,” Stela said.
She added that said she was unfazed by her award-winning sister’s fame.
“She’s my sister and she’ll always have my back and I’ll always have hers. She’s not a star to me – she’s just my sister,” she said. – Reuters
