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Channing Tatum Finds Grace in ‘Crazy’ True Crime Tale ‘Roofman’ 

US actors Channing Tatum (L) and Kirsten Dunst pose on the red carpet while arriving for the screening of "Roofman" during the BFI London Film Festival, in London, Britain, 14 October 2025. (EPA)
US actors Channing Tatum (L) and Kirsten Dunst pose on the red carpet while arriving for the screening of "Roofman" during the BFI London Film Festival, in London, Britain, 14 October 2025. (EPA)
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Channing Tatum Finds Grace in ‘Crazy’ True Crime Tale ‘Roofman’ 

US actors Channing Tatum (L) and Kirsten Dunst pose on the red carpet while arriving for the screening of "Roofman" during the BFI London Film Festival, in London, Britain, 14 October 2025. (EPA)
US actors Channing Tatum (L) and Kirsten Dunst pose on the red carpet while arriving for the screening of "Roofman" during the BFI London Film Festival, in London, Britain, 14 October 2025. (EPA)

Hollywood star Channing Tatum transforms into a gentle and goofy real-life criminal in the comedy drama "Roofman".

Directed and co-written by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Derek Cianfrance, the movie tells the story of US Army veteran and father of three Jeffrey Manchester, who was nicknamed "Roofman" for robbing over 40 McDonald's restaurants by breaking in through the roof.

Described by his friend as the "smartest dumb guy I know", the film sees Manchester being sentenced to 45 years in prison for his crimes and using his wits and observational skills to escape. Instead of going on the run, Manchester manages to hide in a toy store for months and falls for one of its employees, Leigh, played by Kirsten Dunst.

The movie tracks his efforts to evade capture and shows him winning over Leigh's daughters and charming the congregation of the church she frequents with his caring demeanor before eventually getting caught.

"I grew up in Florida and I've known people like Jeff. I was probably like two decisions away from being Jeff myself in certain aspects of my life," Tatum said as he premiered the movie at the London Film Festival on Tuesday.

"Jeff's story is about someone that just can't get out of his own way and I think a lot of us are like that. I think this movie is about empathy and grace," Tatum said.

"Blue Valentine" and "The Light Between Oceans" director Cianfrance said he was intrigued by the contradictions in Manchester's behavior.

"The crazy stuff that happens in the movie, I didn't have to make much up. I just had to tie a few things together for thematics," he said. "I just followed the crazy truth that I learned about. I felt like a kind of an emotional investigator."

Manchester has not been able to see the movie, but has felt the ripples of its release behind the bars, Cianfrance said.

"Some really positive things have happened. There's people in Jeff's life who he hasn't talked to in a long time who have started to see the film, and he's been starting to get in contact with them. They're answering his calls now. He called me about a week ago and said,' Derek, if I could give you a hug, I would'," Cianfrance said. "That was, yeah, that was a moment."

"Roofman" is out in US theaters now and released globally in October.

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Entertainment

Taylor Swift Bags Best-selling Artist of 2025 Award

FILE PHOTO: Taylor Swift poses at the red carpet during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, US, February 2, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Taylor Swift poses at the red carpet during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, US, February 2, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo
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Taylor Swift Bags Best-selling Artist of 2025 Award

FILE PHOTO: Taylor Swift poses at the red carpet during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, US, February 2, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Taylor Swift poses at the red carpet during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, US, February 2, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo

US pop star Taylor Swift was crowned the biggest-selling global artist of 2025, industry body IFPI announced Wednesday, the fourth consecutive year and sixth time she has claimed its annual prize.

The 36-year-old's success was turbo-charged by the October release of her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl", which set several streaming records, as well as the release of a docuseries about her record-breaking The Eras tour.

"2025 was another landmark year (for Swift), driven by exceptional worldwide engagement across streaming, physical and digital formats with the release of her 12th album ... and the documentary of her tour," IFPI said.

The body, which represents the recorded music industry worldwide, noted Swift had now won its top annual artist prize as many times as all other artists combined over the past 10 years, AFP.

IFPI hands out the Global Artist of the Year Award after calculating an artist's or group's worldwide sales across streaming, downloads and physical music formats during the calendar year and covers their entire body of work.

Swift beat out Korean group Stray Kids, which came in second -- its highest-ever ranking and the third consecutive year in the global top five.

Fresh from his Super Bowl halftime show, Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny placed fifth in the rankings, his sixth consecutive year in the chart.

American rapper Tyler, The Creator marked his first appearance on the chart, in 12th place, with IFPI noting he had "continued to generate strong vinyl sales across his catalogue".

Meanwhile Japanese rock band Mrs. Green Apple entered the rankings for the first time one place below him, following what IFPI called "the success of their anniversary album '10'".

Entertainment

Berlin Film Festival Rejects Accusation of Censorship on Gaza

Berlinale Festival Director Tricia Tuttle speaks during the Berlinale Camera award ceremony honoring British composer Max Richter during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, in Berlin, Germany, 18 February 2026. (EPA)
Berlinale Festival Director Tricia Tuttle speaks during the Berlinale Camera award ceremony honoring British composer Max Richter during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, in Berlin, Germany, 18 February 2026. (EPA)
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Berlin Film Festival Rejects Accusation of Censorship on Gaza

Berlinale Festival Director Tricia Tuttle speaks during the Berlinale Camera award ceremony honoring British composer Max Richter during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, in Berlin, Germany, 18 February 2026. (EPA)
Berlinale Festival Director Tricia Tuttle speaks during the Berlinale Camera award ceremony honoring British composer Max Richter during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, in Berlin, Germany, 18 February 2026. (EPA)

The director of the Berlin Film Festival on Wednesday rejected accusations from more than 80 film industry figures that the festival had helped censor artists who oppose Israel's actions in Gaza.

In an open letter published on Tuesday, Oscar-winning actors Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton were among dozens who criticized the Berlinale's "silence" on the issue and said they were "dismayed" at its "involvement in censoring artists who oppose Israel's ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza".

In an interview with Screen Daily, the Berlinale's director, Tricia Tuttle, said the festival backs "free speech within the bounds of German law".

She said she recognized that the letter came from "the depth of anger and frustration about the suffering of people in Gaza".

However, she rejected accusations of censorship, saying that the letter contained "misinformation" and "inaccurate claims about the Berlinale" made without evidence or anonymously.

The row over Gaza has dogged this year's edition of the festival since jury president Wim Wenders answered a question on the conflict by saying: "We cannot really enter the field of politics."

The comments prompted award-winning novelist Arundhati Roy, who had been due to present a restored version of a film she wrote, to withdraw from the festival.

Tuttle said the festival represents "lots of people who have different views, including lots of people who live in Germany who want a more complex understanding of Israel's positionality than maybe the rest of the world has right now".

German politicians have been largely supportive of Israel as Germany seeks to atone for the legacy of the Holocaust.

However, German public opinion has been more critical of Israeli actions in Gaza.

Commenting on the row to the Welt TV channel, German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer defended Wenders and Tuttle from criticism, saying they were running the festival "in a very balanced way, very sensitively".

"Artists should not be told what to do when it comes to politics. The Berlinale is not an NGO with a camera and directors," Weimer said.

Gaza has frequently been a topic of controversy at the Berlinale in recent years.

In 2024, the festival's documentary award went to "No Other Land", which follows the dispossession of Palestinian communities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

German government officials criticized "one-sided" remarks about Gaza by the directors of that film and others at that year's awards ceremony.

Entertainment

Over 80 Berlin Film Festival Alumni Sign Open Letter Urging Organizers to Take Stance on Gaza 

12 February 2026, Berlin: President of the Berlinale jury Wim Wenders waves to the audience on the opening night of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, before the premiere of the opening film "No Good Men" at the Berlinale Palast. (dpa)
12 February 2026, Berlin: President of the Berlinale jury Wim Wenders waves to the audience on the opening night of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, before the premiere of the opening film "No Good Men" at the Berlinale Palast. (dpa)
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Over 80 Berlin Film Festival Alumni Sign Open Letter Urging Organizers to Take Stance on Gaza 

12 February 2026, Berlin: President of the Berlinale jury Wim Wenders waves to the audience on the opening night of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, before the premiere of the opening film "No Good Men" at the Berlinale Palast. (dpa)
12 February 2026, Berlin: President of the Berlinale jury Wim Wenders waves to the audience on the opening night of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, before the premiere of the opening film "No Good Men" at the Berlinale Palast. (dpa)

More than 80 actors, directors and other ‌artists who have taken part in the Berlin Film Festival, including Tilda Swinton and Javier Bardem, signed an open letter to the organizers published on Tuesday calling for them to take a clear stance on Israel's war in Gaza.

"We call on the Berlinale to fulfil its moral duty and clearly state its opposition to Israel's genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against Palestinians," said the open letter, which was published in full in entertainment industry magazine Variety.

Multiple human rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say Israel's assault on Gaza amounts to genocide. Israel calls its actions self-defense after Hamas' October 2023 attack on Israel.

"We are appalled by Berlinale's institutional silence," ‌said the letter, which ‌was also signed by actors Adam McKay, Alia Shawkat and ‌Brian ⁠Cox, and director ⁠Mike Leigh.

It said organizers had not met demands to issue a statement affirming Palestinians' right to life and committing to uphold artists' right to speak out on the issue.

"This is the least it can - and should - do," the letter said.

The festival did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

THE MOST POLITICAL FESTIVAL

The Berlin Film Festival is considered the most political of its peers, Venice and Cannes, and ⁠prides itself on showing cinema from under-represented communities and young ‌talent. However, it has been repeatedly criticized by pro-Palestinian activists ‌for not taking a stand on Gaza, in contrast to the war in Ukraine ‌and the situation in Iran.

Calls have also previously been made for the ‌entertainment industry to take a stance on Gaza.

Last year, over 5,000 actors, entertainers, and producers, including some Hollywood stars, signed a pledge to not work with Israeli film institutions that they saw as being complicit in the abuse of Palestinians by Israel.

Paramount studio later condemned that ‌pledge and said it did not agree with such efforts.

ROY PULLS OUT

Tuesday's letter also condemned statements by this year's ⁠jury president, German director ⁠Wim Wenders, that filmmakers should stay out of politics, writing: "You cannot separate one from the other."

Wenders' comments prompted Indian novelist Arundhati Roy, winner of the Booker Prize in 1997 for her novel "The God of Small Things", to pull out of the festival earlier this week.

Roy, who had been due to present "In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones", a 1989 film which she wrote, in the Berlinale's Classics section, characterized Wenders' comments as "unconscionable."

In response, festival director Tricia Tuttle issued a note on Saturday defending artists' decision not to comment on political issues.

"People have called for free speech at the Berlinale. Free speech is happening at the Berlinale," she said.

"But increasingly, filmmakers are expected to answer any question put to them," she wrote, and are criticized if they do not answer, or answer "and we do not like what they say."