When publicist Elizabeth McCall reached out to cover the Cirque Ma’Ceo, and after checking their website, www.CirqueMaCeo.com, I knew we were up, my sons and I, for a magical and enchanting event. Cirque Ma’Ceo is a mesmerizing live production under an intimate 650-seat Big Top, and with a captivating mix of dressage, liberty ( a method where a horse and trainer communicate without physical restraints, like a halter or lead rope, fostering a deep bond and trust through body languag...
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 2025:
BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!!!
Once again, Universal Studios Hollywood is launching the most fun and horrific moment of the year with their ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ (https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/hhn/en/us )
Until November 2nd, face and test your fears with more than alive Horror encounters with the themes of ‘Fallout’, ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, and the Iconic &lsq...
AKI
Tiff 2025
Interview with director: Darlene Naponse
Aki is A visual art documentary capturing seasonal changes in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek (formerly Whitefish Lake), director Darlene Naponse's Northern Ontario home community. This is a stunning “tour de force” doc about the overwhelming power of Mother Nature. This is even more amazing because this Doc is pretty much wordless and relies on the inspiring score to lift up your attention and your soul. It is also a magica...
GAGNE TON CIEL / COST OF HEAVEN
TIFF 2025
An interview with Director/writer Mathieu Denis.
In this captivating movie directed by maverick director Mathieu Denis, a family man, ‘Nacer Belkacem’ played by the brilliant Samir Guesmi, takes progressively darker actions in his desperate pursuit of a better life as he is facing financial hardship and craving prosperity. There is a heavy feeling as you watch this film, and you start to identify yourself with this man who ...
Lloyd Lee Choi interviewed by Emmanuel Itier
Meet Canadian Korean filmmaker Lloyd Lee Choi, making his feature writing and directing debut with ‘Lucky Lu’. This is a very emotional and hopeful portrayal of the immigrant experience in New York City. It’s about a delivery rider whose world is turned upside down when he loses his only source of income. With his long-estranged family finally on their way to reunite, Lu is forced to navigate the unforgiving city and fight to prot...
The Awards season has opened! And, as always, Nathalie Dubois had her first DPA gift suite (https://dpagroup.org) at the enchanting Luxe Hotel (https://www.luxehotels.com ). This year again, Nathalie was able to put together three amazing suites with so many new brands electing to promote their line of products during the busy Emmys’ weekend
Emmanuel Was Here...
(https://theemmys.tv ). So many Stars came to the DPA gift suite to get pampered and offered an endless...
Directed by Shyam Madiraju, 55 introduces audiences to a gripping underworld: a pickpocket gang in Mumbai where each member is named by a number. At its center is 55, an orphaned teenage pickpocket whose life spins into turmoil when he unknowingly befriends the daughter of a man who died by suicide after being robbed by him. As their connection deepens, 55 is forced to confront the weight of his past and question everything he’s ever known about loyalty, survival, and redemption. Executi...
Hasbro has done it again: setting the tone, the pulse of the Summer by its mind-blowing presence at the 2025 San Diego Comic Convention. Indeed, Hasbro set in fire it’s Booth #3213 and hosted the ultimate Fan Experience. And, of course, there were lines of devoted Hasbro followers to get their hands on the SDCC exclusive limited-edition collections.
This year Hasbro’s offering was TRANSFORMERS VOID RIVALS AUTOBOT JETFIRE, ZERTONIAN SOLILA, AND AGORRI...
Funko has always known how to be Alive and Kicking, indeed! Proof is again this year's splendid success, with sold-out lines to acquire some of the most memorable Funko products. We were lucky to be given a press tour and to experience the amazing impact and passion that Funko creates with its loyal fans.
Some of the many exclusives Funk fans were after were the ‘Bitty Pop!: Marvel – Fantastic Four 4pk’. Just in time with the huge successful release of the new Marvel sup...
ECHOES OF OUR ANCESTORS
‘Echoes of our ancestors’ (www.PeopleOfAr.org ) is an epic musical and visual odyssey that celebrates Armenian history. It features an incredible lineup of artists, including Serj Tankian, Tigran Hamasyan, Sebu, and Isabel Bayrakdarian, all led by maestro Sergey Smbatyan. This one-night event, at the Greek Theatre on September 12, aims to honor our heritage and revive our collective memory. As it’s written on their promotional site...
As anticipated, legions of fans rushed from the first to the last day to the impressive Mattel booth #2945! We were lucky with my kids to be welcomed by publicist Marqui MacLachlan from www.TheBrandamp.com, who promotes Mattel products with member of the medias like me. She helped us navigate through the Mattel maze and showed us all the super limited-edition collectibles like the ‘Hot Wheels Jaws 50th Anniversary’ set and the ‘Hot Wheels Back to the Future 40th Anniversary&r...
We have been coming to Legoland California (https://www.legoland.com/california/ ) since our firstborn son, Felix, was 5! That’s 15 years ago, and we keep coming back, every summer, for a 24-hour extravaganza between enjoying one of the two Lego hotels, this year the Castle Hotel, and the three parks for a long, fun day under the California sun.
We have 3 boys now, Felix (20), Max (13), and Rex (11), and their love for Legos and Legoland California is still skyrocketing hi...
Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the release of JAWS and for the worldwide success of the new ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’, Universal Studios Hollywood (https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/web/en/us ) has launched a terrific summer promotion: until August 10th and to celebrate the summer, Universal Studios Hollywood is having a mega deal: “Buy a Day ticket and get a second day for FREE!”. Such a treat for such an amazing park!
We ...
Be ready! Mattel will blow your mind and your senses, again, with their new line of collectibles to be exclusively sold at Comic Con on July 24th (https://creations.mattel.com/pages/san-diego-comic-con-2025 ).
Make sure to visit Mattel’s booth #3029 for some guaranteed fun and a chance at buying super exclusive items. As always, Mattel positions itself as the leader of toys for both boys and girls…as well as for more “mature” customers like me who have the nostalgic f...
COMPULSION: THE PULSE OF THE NIGHT IS DEADLY.
Neil Marshall, successful director of ‘The Descent’, ‘Dog Soldiers’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ has re-united with acclaimed actress Charlote Kirk. Together they experienced a solid run with movies like ‘The Reckoning’, ‘The Lair’ and ‘Duchess.’ This time their new thriller, ‘Compulsion’, co-written by Kirk and Marshall, will take you in Malta where it was entirely filme...
Welcome to the show; to the Big One that is!
Yes, Circus Vargas (www.CircusVargas.com ) is bigger and more breathtaking than ever. Circus Vargas is actually one of the World’s largest traveling circuses still using a big top tent! We love Circus Vargas as we attended their show for at least a decade or more with my three sons: Felix, Max and Rex. Truly, going to Circus Vargas is of the most memorable experience your family will have, pure magic for the eyes and the soul. Ev...
Led by Multi-GRAMMY® Award-Winning Engineer, Mixer, Producer, and Musician Rafa Sardina
Abbey Road Institute, a leading international professional music production school, is proud to announce the opening of its newest campus in the heart of the global music industry, Los Angeles, California. Set to open in 2025, the new campus will be launched by 19-time GRAMMY® and LATIN GRAMMY® winner Rafa Sardina, and its location will be announced shortly.
Sardina, whose extensive list of aw...
UPPERCUT
A movie by director Torsten Ruether.
Interview by Emmanuel Itier
Put on your boxing glove and jump on the cinematographic ring of director Torsten Ruether new wonder film: ‘UPPERCUT’. And meet Luise Grossmann playing a young bad ass female boxing player, ‘Tonit’ who will end up being coached by the legendary Ving Rhames aka ‘Elliott’. This the journey of a young woman redefining herself and what it means to be a female today, in a sport, boxing, ...
Nathalie Dubois did it again! With her pre-Oscars DPA gift suite (https://dpagroup.org ), set up at the amazing exclusive LUXE hotel (https://www.luxehotels.com ) she created an oasis of Peace and Love to celebrate talent, harmony and unity. In these very divisive insane times, I must salute and honor such a stand.
One has to start with a glass raised to the Glory of the Oscars and for this reason, Nathalie strucked a deal to get Perduret Champagne (https:/...
The Burbank Music Center officially opened its doors on Sunday, February 2nd. The event welcomed musicians, creatives, parents of students, and community supporters.
Hosted by TV personality and PR expert Louisa Sharamatyan, the celebration featured notable guests, including Burbank Mayor Nikki Perez, Council Member Konstantine Anthony, Dr. Armond Aghakhanian, President of the Burbank Un...
We started this year with terrible fires in Los Angeles, devastating the whole local economy and making so many people homeless. So, we needed to recover and start celebrating life again. What a better way but to start the award season with the Grammys and Nathalie Dubois’s DPA gift suite (https://dpagroup.org ) at the Luxe hotel on Sunset (https://www.luxehotels.com ).
Once again, Nathalie and her team put together a splendid and enchanting suite.
My fi...
Ho! Ho! Ho! Time to celebrate the good life at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Once again this is the time when it wouldn’t be a Holiday if one cannot celebrate “Grinchmas”! Since they are babies rolled in a bugaboo stroller, we have been coming, with my three sons, to Universal Studios Hollywood (https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/web/en/us ) to celebrate the end of the year and to zoom into the future of another brilliant coming era. Until January 6th you also ca...
‘Taste of Music’ received a standing ovation at the Norwegian Ravenheart film festival in Oslo. The promise of this short directed by the brilliant and talented Kyle Sevenoaks is about a man (played by the maverick Chris Wiborg) for is facing his music keyboard turned evil after a cosmic storm hitting the Earth. The question is, “what would you do if your keyboard became alive and ready to attack you”? I was lucky to connect with Kyle and Chris and to explore a little m...
Ali Samadi Ahadi was born in Tabriz, Iran, and is now based in Cologne, Germany. He’s an award-winning filmmaker, with directorial credits including Lost Children (05) and The Green Wave (10). Seven Days (24) is his latest film.
Interview by Emmanuel Itier
https://tiff.net/events/seven-days
TIFF invited an amazing director, Mr. Ali Samadi Ahadi, to showcase his very moving new film: Seven Days. You will have tears in your eyes whil...
DISNEYLAND PARIS September 2024
by Emmanuel Itier
“The Magic Kingdom” is indeed the perfect name for “Disneyland Paris” ( https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-usd/ ). From the first minutes we reached out to our destination via the bullet train TGV we were transported, at once, into an enchanting land unlocking the child within and ready for the adventures of a lifetime. And adventures we had through the many and various Disney theme sections of the two parks: Di...
Itier Emmanuel 
