Movie watch

Punch fiction: Quentin Tarantino has apparently been up to no good again. Reports suggest that he was involved in a restaurant punch- up over, surprise, surprise, an issue of race. Tarantino allegedly landed a punch on Leila Mwangi, the girlfriend of his dining partner, Barron Claiborne, with whom the director had argued during the meal. Claiborne claims that Tarantino had expressed surprise "that white Americans accept Wesley Snipes because he's so African-looking". The spat developed before Tarantino apparently jumped to his feet and swung a punch at Claiborne, who ducked, leaving his girlfriend to take the blow. The assault charge that may arise follows a $5m suit from producer Don Murphy, who claims to have been the victim of an unprovoked attack by Tarantino; an allegation which Tarantino may have difficulty defending after a chat-show appearance in which he allegedly bragged that he had "bitch-slapped" Murphy.

Out and about: Coming out may have lost Ellen DeGeneres her sitcom, but it seems Hollywood is bravely coming to terms with the sexuality of Ellen's partner, Anne Heche. The Oscar-nominated actress, who impressed in Wag the Dog and Donnie Brasco, had been a casting-couch pariah since she came out as DeGeneres' lover. Recently, however, the actress reports that producers have been less queasy, and reports suggest that Heche is up for the Janet Leigh role in Gus Van Sant's re-make of Psycho.

Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's Ingmar Bergman. Sixteen years after the 79-year-old Swedish director retired with his Oscar-winning Fanny and Alexander, he announced at his first press conference in 10 years his intention to produce a new film. He described Trolosa (literally, "faithless') as "a passionate drama, almost a thriller". Cameras roll next summer, directed by Bergman's former lover Liv Ullman.