By: Sahra M. There was something about hearing Darlene Love speak after watching her story unfold on screen that stayed with me. Special Sense was invited to a screening of Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been, where I had the opportunity to speak with Academy Award-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson and director Barry Avrich, …
Author: Sahra Mohamed
Sahra Mohamed
By: Sahra M. Prima Facie brings a personal story to the screen, focusing on sexual assault, the legal system and the difference between law and justice. The film stars Oscar-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo as Tessa, alongside Daniel Ings. I spoke with director Susanna White about bringing the story from the stage to the screen and …
At the Toronto International Film Festival, I had the opportunity to sit down with director Bassam Tariq and the cast of Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother, a film that brings together themes of family, faith, parenthood, grief and survival. The film follows Latif, played by two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali, as he tries …
By: Sahra M. Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts, Dianne Wiest and more gathered for Cody Fern’s Closing Night, as Special Sense caught up with Paulson on what drew her to the film. There is something about a film premiere that feels different when you are standing on the other side of the camera. At the Toronto …
By: Sahra M I was standing on the press line at Roy Thomson Hall when LISA walked right in front of me for the premiere of Always Lalisa. The reaction was immediate. As she made her way down the carpet, photographers called out for her attention while the crowd outside the theatre screamed her name. …
By: Sahra M. At the Toronto International Film Festival, I had the opportunity to cover Girl Group, Rebel Wilson’s new film, which she stars in, writes and directs. The film brings together an ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Coolidge, Randall Park, Nicole Scherzinger, Sheridan Smith and Sally Hawkins, alongside emerging talent including Miracle Washington and …
By: Sahra M. At the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, Clarissa brings Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel Mrs. Dalloway into Lagos, Nigeria, offering a new interpretation of the classic story through a Nigerian lens. Directed by twin brothers Arie and Chuko Esiri, Clarissa stars Sophie Okonedo as Clarissa, with David Oyelowo, Ayo Edebiri, India Amarteifio, Toheeb …
By: Sahra Mohamed My first day covering the Toronto International Film Festival began at TIFF Lightbox, where I was invited to attend the first Variety x YouTube Creator Festival. The afternoon included a screening of two new episodes of “You’d Be an Iconic Guest,” featuring Wanda Sykes and Hasan Piker, followed by a Q&A with …
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival is once again bringing the worlds of cinema, fashion and celebrity together on the Lido di Venezia. Running from September 2 through September 12, the prestigious festival has welcomed an impressive lineup of international stars for highly anticipated premieres, industry events and some of the most glamorous red carpet …
John Galliano’s cancelled Met exhibition has raised a difficult question in fashion: where does accountability end, and where does artistic legacy begin? The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s decision to abandon its planned 2027 exhibition dedicated to Galliano followed renewed criticism of the designer’s 2011 antisemitic and racist remarks. Galliano ultimately withdrew from the exhibition, acknowledging …
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