Yanira D. Kivi 
Deadline reports that Jennifer Hudson, Kate Winslet and Glenn Close have joined the cast of “Baba Yaga,†an immersive short that will premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Daisy Ridley also stars in the project, which will feature an element of personal choice. Hudson is also an executive producer.
The experience centers on the witch Baba Yaga (Winslet) who uses her powers to stop the villagers whose colony is encroaching on her enchanted forest (Hudson). When the spectator’s mother, the Chief (Close), falls ill, it’s up to them and their sister Magda (Ridley) to enter the Forbidden Rainforest, uncover its hidden mysteries, and obtain Baba’s Cure. Yaga.
Eric Darnell, known for having directed “Madagascar”, directs with Mathias Chelebourg. The film will be available on the Oculus Quest.
“Baba Yaga is great animation work and I was honored to be an executive producer alongside my talented people at Baobab Studios,†said Hudson. “Although the story is rooted in classical folklore, we were inspired to bring it to modern light by focusing on environmental themes and strong female characters, themes the world must explore more than ever. J I was thrilled to be a part of the strong female cast alongside Daisy, Kate and Glenn. “
Jennifer won the Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for her portrayal of Effie White in Dreamgirls. His cinematic performance also won a Screen Actors Guild Award and a NAACP Image Award. Additional movie credits include Sex and the City, Secret Life of Bees, Winnie Mandela, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, and Black Nativity. His highly acclaimed album, JHUD, fell into the top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 last fall.
Right before that, she released singles including recently Grammy nominated “It’s Your World” with R. Kelly; “He Ain’t Goin ‘Nowhere”, with Iggy Azaelea; “I Can’t Describe,†produced by Pharrell and starring TI; and “Walk It Out”, with Timbaland. Most recently, Hudson was featured on Gorgon City’s chart-topping track, “Go All Night”, from their new album, Sirens. Hudson’s 2008 debut album went platinum and entered Billboard’s Top 200 at No.2, marking the biggest first week sale for a female R&B entry since 2004. The album was nominated for four. Grammys and won the award for “Best R&B Album”. In 2009, Hudson released his second album, I Remember Me, which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200 and R&B Albums charts and has since been certified as Gold in the United States.
Read the original story on Deadline.
