Saturday night meant another feather in the cap for Egyptian director Omar El Zohairy, whose Arab-language social satire “Feathers” took the Best Film prize on the awards night of the 5th Joburg Film Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa. His story centers on a father who literally turns into a chicken during a magic show at a son’s birthday party.
“Feathers,” also written by Zohairy, was winner of Cannes Critics’ Week in 2021 and bagged awards at the El-Gouna Film Festival, Carthage Film Festival and Pingyao Film Festival, as well as last year’s Rabat International Author Film Festival.
Meanwhile, “Faya Dayi,” the monochrome docu-drama from first-time Mexican-Ethiopian director Jessica Beshir, about growing the khat plant in Ethiopia, scooped the prize in the Best African Film category at the glitzy in-person ceremony, which took place inside the Nelson Mandela Square’s Theatre on the Square in Johannesburg.
The fest’s Best...
“Feathers,” also written by Zohairy, was winner of Cannes Critics’ Week in 2021 and bagged awards at the El-Gouna Film Festival, Carthage Film Festival and Pingyao Film Festival, as well as last year’s Rabat International Author Film Festival.
Meanwhile, “Faya Dayi,” the monochrome docu-drama from first-time Mexican-Ethiopian director Jessica Beshir, about growing the khat plant in Ethiopia, scooped the prize in the Best African Film category at the glitzy in-person ceremony, which took place inside the Nelson Mandela Square’s Theatre on the Square in Johannesburg.
The fest’s Best...
- 2/5/2023
- by Thinus Ferreira
- Variety Film + TV
Returning to Johannesburg cinemas for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the Joburg Film Festival kicked off its 5th edition with a joyful relaunch on Tuesday night, as local luminaries walked a gold carpet in Nelson Mandela Square in honor of the festival’s slogan, “Our Stories. Our Gold,” and the crowd was serenaded with a soaring performance from South African soprano Zandile Mzazi and singer Thandiswa Mazwai.
The event, which runs Jan. 31 – Feb. 5, bowed with the African premiere of “Xalé” (pictured), from veteran Senegalese director Moussa Sène Absa, a story of female subjugation and self-liberation that opened last year’s BFI Film Festival and was the West African nation’s entry in the 2023 international feature film Oscar race.
The festival wraps with “The Umbrella Men,” by local helmer John Barker (“Wonder Boy for President”), a caper comedy about first-time bank robbers pulling a heist...
The event, which runs Jan. 31 – Feb. 5, bowed with the African premiere of “Xalé” (pictured), from veteran Senegalese director Moussa Sène Absa, a story of female subjugation and self-liberation that opened last year’s BFI Film Festival and was the West African nation’s entry in the 2023 international feature film Oscar race.
The festival wraps with “The Umbrella Men,” by local helmer John Barker (“Wonder Boy for President”), a caper comedy about first-time bank robbers pulling a heist...
- 2/1/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
“Pov,” the longest-running series for independent documentaries on television, has unveiled the majority of its slate for the series’ 35th season, which launches on July 11 with Yung Chang’s “Wuhan Wuhan.”
Neighborhood gentrification on Chicago’s south side, land defenders in the Philippines and the 2018 Zimbabwean general election are among the many topics that will be examined by the 14 feature docus in the upcoming season, which will run through Jan. 16.
PBS has revealed 13 of the upcoming season’s “Pov” films beyond “Wuhan Wuhan,” an observational documentary about the first wave of the Covid-19 lockdown, with one more entry slated to be unveiled in June.
While celebrity driven docs are all the rage with streaming services, “Pov” will stay true to its roots and program social issues films that delve into topics including environmental justice immigration and systemic inequity.
“PBS is proud that after 35 years, “Pov” continues to deliver artistically unique,...
Neighborhood gentrification on Chicago’s south side, land defenders in the Philippines and the 2018 Zimbabwean general election are among the many topics that will be examined by the 14 feature docus in the upcoming season, which will run through Jan. 16.
PBS has revealed 13 of the upcoming season’s “Pov” films beyond “Wuhan Wuhan,” an observational documentary about the first wave of the Covid-19 lockdown, with one more entry slated to be unveiled in June.
While celebrity driven docs are all the rage with streaming services, “Pov” will stay true to its roots and program social issues films that delve into topics including environmental justice immigration and systemic inequity.
“PBS is proud that after 35 years, “Pov” continues to deliver artistically unique,...
- 5/11/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
New director of Sarajevo Film Festival and an award-winning filmmaker among selection.
Switzerland’s Visions du Réel documentary film festival has unveiled the juries that will oversee the competition strands of its 2022 edition, set to run April 7-17.
The International Feature Film Competition jury will comprise Bosnia’s Jovan Marjanović, who was recently named the new director of Sarajevo Film Festival; Mexican-Ethiopian filmmaker Jessica Beshir, who won the grand prix at last year’s VdR with her debut feature, Faya Dayi; and Beatrice Fiorentino, general delegate of the Venice Film Festival’s Critics’ Week.
They will judge a selection of 16 films,...
Switzerland’s Visions du Réel documentary film festival has unveiled the juries that will oversee the competition strands of its 2022 edition, set to run April 7-17.
The International Feature Film Competition jury will comprise Bosnia’s Jovan Marjanović, who was recently named the new director of Sarajevo Film Festival; Mexican-Ethiopian filmmaker Jessica Beshir, who won the grand prix at last year’s VdR with her debut feature, Faya Dayi; and Beatrice Fiorentino, general delegate of the Venice Film Festival’s Critics’ Week.
They will judge a selection of 16 films,...
- 3/22/2022
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Congratulations to our User chrisstraub for a great score of 83.33% (five of six correct) when predicting the 2022 American Society of Cinematographers Awards winners on Sunday. Our top scorer is ahead of large group of 28 people at 66.67% and has a nice point score of 5,059 by using the two Super Bets (500 points each) wisely.
Almost 1,100 people worldwide predicted these ASC champs for six categories from the Los Angeles ceremony. Movie winners included “Dune” and “Faya Dayi.” TV winners included “The Underground Railroad,” “Snowfall,” “Mythic Quest” and “Titans.”
You can see how your score compares to all others in our leaderboard rankings of all contestants, which also includes links to see each participant’s predictions. To see your own scores, go to the User menu in the top right corner of every page of Gold Derby when you’re signed in to the site. Use the drop down menu to go to “View Profile,...
Almost 1,100 people worldwide predicted these ASC champs for six categories from the Los Angeles ceremony. Movie winners included “Dune” and “Faya Dayi.” TV winners included “The Underground Railroad,” “Snowfall,” “Mythic Quest” and “Titans.”
You can see how your score compares to all others in our leaderboard rankings of all contestants, which also includes links to see each participant’s predictions. To see your own scores, go to the User menu in the top right corner of every page of Gold Derby when you’re signed in to the site. Use the drop down menu to go to “View Profile,...
- 3/21/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Powerhouse “Dune” cinematographer Greig Fraser won the feature film prize Sunday night at the 36th annual ASC Awards (held at the organization’s clubhouse in Hollywood). This marks Fraser’s second ASC win after his Oscar-nominated “Lion.” He triumphed over Bruno Delbonnel (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”), Dan Laustsen (“Nightmare Alley”), Ari Wegner (“The Power of the Dog”), and Haris Zambarloukos (“Belfast”). All are Oscar nominees except Zambarloukos, who was beat out by Janusz Kamiński (“West Side Story”).
Fraser now has critical momentum going into next Sunday’s Oscars, bolstered by his recent BAFTA prize and praise for his dark and gritty “The Batman.” However, don’t be surprised if Wegner (winner of the Critics Choice Award) pulls off an upset over her fellow Australian and becomes the first woman to win the Oscar for cinematography. Her director, “Power of the Dog’s” Jane Campion, is expected to win the Oscar for Best Director.
Fraser now has critical momentum going into next Sunday’s Oscars, bolstered by his recent BAFTA prize and praise for his dark and gritty “The Batman.” However, don’t be surprised if Wegner (winner of the Critics Choice Award) pulls off an upset over her fellow Australian and becomes the first woman to win the Oscar for cinematography. Her director, “Power of the Dog’s” Jane Campion, is expected to win the Oscar for Best Director.
- 3/21/2022
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The American Society of Cinematographers handed out its top prize in feature film visual storytelling to “Dune.” Last year’s winner, Erik Messerschmidt for “Mank,” presented the feature film prize to Greig Fraser.
The 36th Annual ASC Awards ceremony returned to a limited in-person component at the the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood. Debbie Allen served as the night’s host.
Other winners included “Pig,” which won the spotlight award ,and James Laxton, who took home the motion picture, limited series, or pilot made for television award for “The Underground Railroad.”
Rachel Morrison, Stephen Hopkins and Jay Holben were among the cinematographers who presented the honoree awards. Ellen Kuras, ASC received the lifetime achievement award. Peter Levy, ASC, Acs was honored with the career achievement in television award, while John Lindley, ASC was presented with the president’s award and Dan Sasaki was bestowed with the Curtis Clark technical achievement award.
The 36th Annual ASC Awards ceremony returned to a limited in-person component at the the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood. Debbie Allen served as the night’s host.
Other winners included “Pig,” which won the spotlight award ,and James Laxton, who took home the motion picture, limited series, or pilot made for television award for “The Underground Railroad.”
Rachel Morrison, Stephen Hopkins and Jay Holben were among the cinematographers who presented the honoree awards. Ellen Kuras, ASC received the lifetime achievement award. Peter Levy, ASC, Acs was honored with the career achievement in television award, while John Lindley, ASC was presented with the president’s award and Dan Sasaki was bestowed with the Curtis Clark technical achievement award.
- 3/21/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
“Dune” has been named the best-shot film of 2021 by the American Society of Cinematographers, which held its annual awards show on Sunday evening in Los Angeles.
Cinematographer Greig Fraser won the award over a field that included fellow Oscar nominees “The Power of the Dog,” “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and “Nightmare Alley,” as well as “Belfast.”
In the first 35 years of its existence, the ASC winner has gone on to take the Oscar for Best Cinematography less than half the time, although that percentage has improved recently. “Dune” is considered one of the front runners for this year’s cinematography Oscar, with Fraser seemingly in a close with Ari Wegner for “The Power of the Dog,” who could be the first woman ever to win in the category.
Other feature-film awards went to Jessica Beshir for “Faya Dayi” in the documentary category and Pat Scola for “Pig” in the spotlight category,...
Cinematographer Greig Fraser won the award over a field that included fellow Oscar nominees “The Power of the Dog,” “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and “Nightmare Alley,” as well as “Belfast.”
In the first 35 years of its existence, the ASC winner has gone on to take the Oscar for Best Cinematography less than half the time, although that percentage has improved recently. “Dune” is considered one of the front runners for this year’s cinematography Oscar, with Fraser seemingly in a close with Ari Wegner for “The Power of the Dog,” who could be the first woman ever to win in the category.
Other feature-film awards went to Jessica Beshir for “Faya Dayi” in the documentary category and Pat Scola for “Pig” in the spotlight category,...
- 3/21/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Oscar-nominated “Flee” took home the top prize at the 15th annual Cinema Eye Honors on Tuesday evening at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York.
Going into the evening, Neon and Participant Media’s “Flee” led the field with a total of seven nominations, while “Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” followed with six.
Filmmaker Cheryl Dunye also received the organization’s legacy award during the ceremony. The director was honored for her landmark 1996 independent feature “The Watermelon Woman.” After accepting the legacy award on stage, Dunye presented the category of audience choice prize.
See the full list of film winners and nominees below.
Outstanding Nonfiction Feature
“Ascension”
“Faya Dayi” (Directed and produced by Jessica Beshir)
“Flee” (Winner)
“The Rescue”
“Summer of Soul”
“The Velvet Underground”
Outstanding Direction
“Ascension”
“Faya Dayi”
“Flee”
“In the Same Breath”
“Procession” (Winner)
“Summer of Soul”
Outstanding...
Going into the evening, Neon and Participant Media’s “Flee” led the field with a total of seven nominations, while “Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” followed with six.
Filmmaker Cheryl Dunye also received the organization’s legacy award during the ceremony. The director was honored for her landmark 1996 independent feature “The Watermelon Woman.” After accepting the legacy award on stage, Dunye presented the category of audience choice prize.
See the full list of film winners and nominees below.
Outstanding Nonfiction Feature
“Ascension”
“Faya Dayi” (Directed and produced by Jessica Beshir)
“Flee” (Winner)
“The Rescue”
“Summer of Soul”
“The Velvet Underground”
Outstanding Direction
“Ascension”
“Faya Dayi”
“Flee”
“In the Same Breath”
“Procession” (Winner)
“Summer of Soul”
Outstanding...
- 3/2/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” defied expectations last week when it nabbed Oscar nominations for best picture, director, adapted screenplay and international feature. The Japanese movie, released domestically by venerable art-house distributor Janus Films, surpassed titles with more robust campaigns, including Amazon’s “Being the Ricardos” and Netflix’s “Tick, Tick … Boom!”
Even Hamaguchi was surprised by the noms.
“I could have never imagined that I would be a realistic contender,” he tells Variety, speaking through Stacy Lee, a Japanese interpreter. “In terms of the campaign, it was a steady effort where people at Janus made these recommendations. They also have very strong connections with the critics and other parts of the community.”
Hamaguchi tells the story of being on a plane with no internet when the nominations were announced, and receiving about 60 text messages when it landed.
Recent changes to the Academy’s membership and voting methods have...
Even Hamaguchi was surprised by the noms.
“I could have never imagined that I would be a realistic contender,” he tells Variety, speaking through Stacy Lee, a Japanese interpreter. “In terms of the campaign, it was a steady effort where people at Janus made these recommendations. They also have very strong connections with the critics and other parts of the community.”
Hamaguchi tells the story of being on a plane with no internet when the nominations were announced, and receiving about 60 text messages when it landed.
Recent changes to the Academy’s membership and voting methods have...
- 2/16/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Film Independent has set Alex Camilleri (Luzzu), Lizzie Shapiro (Shiva Baby) and Jessica Beshir (Faya Dayi) as the winners of its Emerging Filmmaker Awards, with each now earning an unrestricted $25,000 Spirit Awards cash grant.
Camilleri received the Someone to Watch Award, spotlighting talented filmmakers of singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition, with finalists for the prize including Michael Sarnoski (Pig) and Gillian Wallace Horvat (I Blame Society).
Shapiro nabbed the Producers Award, honoring emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films. The finalists for this second award were Brad Becker-Parton and Pin-Chun Liu.
Thursday’s final grant recipient, Beshir, received the Truer Than Fiction Award, presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition, besting finalists including Angelo Madsen Minax (North By Current) and Debbie Lum (Try Harder!).
“We are...
Camilleri received the Someone to Watch Award, spotlighting talented filmmakers of singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition, with finalists for the prize including Michael Sarnoski (Pig) and Gillian Wallace Horvat (I Blame Society).
Shapiro nabbed the Producers Award, honoring emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films. The finalists for this second award were Brad Becker-Parton and Pin-Chun Liu.
Thursday’s final grant recipient, Beshir, received the Truer Than Fiction Award, presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition, besting finalists including Angelo Madsen Minax (North By Current) and Debbie Lum (Try Harder!).
“We are...
- 2/10/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The academy released the 2022 Oscars shortlists in 10 categories on Tuesday, December 21. The hopefuls in a wide range of races found out if they remain in contention for the 94th annual Academy Awards. Among these are the marquee categories for Best International Feature Film (which was pared down to 10 films from the 92 submitted) and Best Documentary Feature (which went from 138 to 15).
Both music awards – Best Original Song and Best Original Score — were winnowed down to just 15 contenders from 84 and 137 submissions respectively. Likewise for the three awards for shorts – animated, documentary and live-action. The Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects races were culled from dozens of entries to 10 apiece.
Documentary Feature
One hundred and thirty-eight films were eligible for consideration; there are 15 on the shortlist. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Ascension...
Both music awards – Best Original Song and Best Original Score — were winnowed down to just 15 contenders from 84 and 137 submissions respectively. Likewise for the three awards for shorts – animated, documentary and live-action. The Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects races were culled from dozens of entries to 10 apiece.
Documentary Feature
One hundred and thirty-eight films were eligible for consideration; there are 15 on the shortlist. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Ascension...
- 1/27/2022
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
It’s tempting to draw a straight line between the Academy’s increasingly global composition and the unprecedented triumph of Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” in 2019. And if we regard the Academy’s changing attitude less as a driver and more as a symptom of a more general broadening of cultural horizons, the correlation is more than pure coincidence.
But the real story of international talent making waves at the Oscars is more complex, differing from category to category and complicated by varied international release strategies. With respect to the role international festivals can play in this process, “Parasite’s” win at Cannes gave it an enviable profile boost in 2019, but even that was a little anomalous: in recent years Venice has eclipsed Cannes and U.S. festivals as a launchpad for Oscar players.
Cannes prizewinner “Drive My Car” has a shot at Oscar noms in several categories.
After 2020’s instability,...
But the real story of international talent making waves at the Oscars is more complex, differing from category to category and complicated by varied international release strategies. With respect to the role international festivals can play in this process, “Parasite’s” win at Cannes gave it an enviable profile boost in 2019, but even that was a little anomalous: in recent years Venice has eclipsed Cannes and U.S. festivals as a launchpad for Oscar players.
Cannes prizewinner “Drive My Car” has a shot at Oscar noms in several categories.
After 2020’s instability,...
- 1/21/2022
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
In the past decade, the inclusion of streaming services in the documentary market has made it increasingly harder for smaller docus struggling with funding to break into the nonfiction feature Oscar race. But in spite of the deep pockets they are up against, a number of cash-strapped docs inevitably make it onto the shortlist every year. This year was no exception.
Jessica Beshir’s “Faya Dayi”, Camilla Nielsson’s “President” (Greenwich Entertainment) and Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas’ “Writing with Fire” (Music Box Films) are three films on this year’s feature doc shortlist that are up against competitors with multi-million-dollar campaign budgets being paid by media and tech conglomerates including Apple, Netflix, ViacomCBS, the Walt Disney Co. and WarnerMedia.
As the field narrows and lobbying and marketing takeover, it’s clear that money and brand recognition are key factors in the race for Oscar gold, which makes “Faya Dayi,...
Jessica Beshir’s “Faya Dayi”, Camilla Nielsson’s “President” (Greenwich Entertainment) and Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas’ “Writing with Fire” (Music Box Films) are three films on this year’s feature doc shortlist that are up against competitors with multi-million-dollar campaign budgets being paid by media and tech conglomerates including Apple, Netflix, ViacomCBS, the Walt Disney Co. and WarnerMedia.
As the field narrows and lobbying and marketing takeover, it’s clear that money and brand recognition are key factors in the race for Oscar gold, which makes “Faya Dayi,...
- 1/20/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2021, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.
Music docs, Memoria, and more music docs: welcome to my top ten. There are some non-music-docs, but only seven. It was almost six. And in a rare moment of clarity I exercised restraint. I’ll probably regret it. Themes are disparate between the rest. From unseen masterwork to global phenomenon, Chile to Romania, nautical myth to coming of age in the ’70s––they run the gamut.
To the point of showing there’s no such thing as a “bad year” in cinema, my list of honorable mentions is insufferable. Barely edging out the top ten is The Power of the Dog, The Worst Person in the World, The Velvet Underground, and Drive My Car, any of them a likely 9 or 10 spot were I writing this on a different day.
Music docs, Memoria, and more music docs: welcome to my top ten. There are some non-music-docs, but only seven. It was almost six. And in a rare moment of clarity I exercised restraint. I’ll probably regret it. Themes are disparate between the rest. From unseen masterwork to global phenomenon, Chile to Romania, nautical myth to coming of age in the ’70s––they run the gamut.
To the point of showing there’s no such thing as a “bad year” in cinema, my list of honorable mentions is insufferable. Barely edging out the top ten is The Power of the Dog, The Worst Person in the World, The Velvet Underground, and Drive My Car, any of them a likely 9 or 10 spot were I writing this on a different day.
- 1/13/2022
- by Luke Hicks
- The Film Stage
Cary Joji Fukunaga’s Bond film No Time to Die and Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic Dune led in craft recognition today when the Academy’s shortlists for the 2022 Oscars were unveiled.
The former secured slots in the areas of Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Sound and Visual Effects, with the latter preparing to compete in all of the same categories apart from Song.
Four additional studio films snagged slots in Score and Song, including Adam McKay’s Netflix satire Don’t Look Up, Jared Bush and Byron Howard’s Disney animated pic Encanto, Jeymes Samuel’s Netflix Western The Harder They Fall and Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Warner Bros. drama King Richard.
Jane Campion’s Netflix Western The Power of the Dog, Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical Focus pic Belfast and and Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of West Side Story all scored additional slots in the Sound category,...
The former secured slots in the areas of Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Sound and Visual Effects, with the latter preparing to compete in all of the same categories apart from Song.
Four additional studio films snagged slots in Score and Song, including Adam McKay’s Netflix satire Don’t Look Up, Jared Bush and Byron Howard’s Disney animated pic Encanto, Jeymes Samuel’s Netflix Western The Harder They Fall and Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Warner Bros. drama King Richard.
Jane Campion’s Netflix Western The Power of the Dog, Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical Focus pic Belfast and and Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of West Side Story all scored additional slots in the Sound category,...
- 12/21/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Composers Hans Zimmer and Jonny Greenwood came in strong on the Academy’s shortlist for Best Original Score, securing two slots apiece from a total of 15. Zimmer enters the next phase of Oscars competition with his scores for Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and Cary Fukunaga’s Bond film No Time to Die. Greenwood, meanwhile, moves forward with his soundtracks for Jane Campion’s Western The Power of the Dog and Pablo Larraín’s Princess Diana drama, Spencer.
Zimmer is an 11-time nominee who won an Oscar for his score to The Lion King in 1995, most recently vying for gold with Christopher Nolan’s 2018 World War II drama, Dunkirk. Greenwood—who also scored Paul Thomas Anderson’s recently released Licorice Pizza—earned his first nomination that same year with Anderson’s Phantom Thread.
The only past Oscar winner in contention this year, apart from Zimmer, is Alexandre Desplat—who nabbed a slot with The French Dispatch.
Zimmer is an 11-time nominee who won an Oscar for his score to The Lion King in 1995, most recently vying for gold with Christopher Nolan’s 2018 World War II drama, Dunkirk. Greenwood—who also scored Paul Thomas Anderson’s recently released Licorice Pizza—earned his first nomination that same year with Anderson’s Phantom Thread.
The only past Oscar winner in contention this year, apart from Zimmer, is Alexandre Desplat—who nabbed a slot with The French Dispatch.
- 12/21/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The long journey to the March 27 Academy Awards just got a little bit shorter with the announcement of 10 shortlists for the following categories: International Feature Film, Documentary, Original Score, Original Song, Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects, Live-Action Short Film, Documentary Short Subject, and Animated Short Film, with Sound added to the mix this year. As in previous years, members of the Academy will select from these reduced lists of contenders in each category to pick the nominees for the 2022 Oscars. This year marked the fourth in a row the Academy released the full lineup of its shortlists on the same day.
Oscar nominations voting begins 9 a.m. Pt on Thursday, January 27. Voting ends the next week at 5 p.m. Pt on Tuesday, February 1, with nominations announced on the morning of Tuesday, February 8. At that point, we’ll see a reduction in these contenders and have the final five in each category.
Oscar nominations voting begins 9 a.m. Pt on Thursday, January 27. Voting ends the next week at 5 p.m. Pt on Tuesday, February 1, with nominations announced on the morning of Tuesday, February 8. At that point, we’ll see a reduction in these contenders and have the final five in each category.
- 12/21/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
On a sunny afternoon in L.A., Bryn Mooser, CEO of Xtr, folds his long frame into a patio chair perched above the headquarters of his growing documentary company. His green eyes scan the hilly enclaves of Silver Lake and Los Feliz, spotting landmarks: the Griffith Observatory in the distance, Hyperion Avenue below.
He points down the slope. “This is the Gelson’s right there, where Walt Disney bought that piece of land and built the first Disney studio. Mickey Mouse and Snow White were created in–what’s now a parking lot.”
His index finger inches west along the horizon, indicating bungalows with pitched roofs. “You can see the top of that house right there. It’s called the Snow White Cottages,” he says. “Snow White was based on those cottages. Anyway, I love early Disney stuff.”
Nearly a century after Disney laid the groundwork for his entertainment kingdom in the same vicinity,...
He points down the slope. “This is the Gelson’s right there, where Walt Disney bought that piece of land and built the first Disney studio. Mickey Mouse and Snow White were created in–what’s now a parking lot.”
His index finger inches west along the horizon, indicating bungalows with pitched roofs. “You can see the top of that house right there. It’s called the Snow White Cottages,” he says. “Snow White was based on those cottages. Anyway, I love early Disney stuff.”
Nearly a century after Disney laid the groundwork for his entertainment kingdom in the same vicinity,...
- 12/20/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The 31st annual Gotham Awards is a key stop in the awards season marathon, especially for lower-budget indies looking for some traction for the Oscars race. However, not every likely Oscar contender found itself up for Gothams, including “The Power of the Dog,” “Tick, Tick… Boom!” and “The Harder They Fall,” as they exceeded the $35 million budget limit for nominees.
For the first time, international documentaries were eligible in the best documentary feature category. Additionally, the new award breakthrough nonfiction series is among category updates for the year, as well as outstanding lead performance, outstanding supporting performance and outstanding performance in a new series, from the television side. Outstanding lead performance, breakthrough performance and outstanding supporting performance were all gender neutral categories, with eight men and 14 women nominated.
Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter” ran away with the evening, scoring the most amount of wins with prizes in best feature, breakthrough director for Maggie Gyllenhaal,...
For the first time, international documentaries were eligible in the best documentary feature category. Additionally, the new award breakthrough nonfiction series is among category updates for the year, as well as outstanding lead performance, outstanding supporting performance and outstanding performance in a new series, from the television side. Outstanding lead performance, breakthrough performance and outstanding supporting performance were all gender neutral categories, with eight men and 14 women nominated.
Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter” ran away with the evening, scoring the most amount of wins with prizes in best feature, breakthrough director for Maggie Gyllenhaal,...
- 11/30/2021
- by Katie Song
- Variety Film + TV
The Gotham Awards took place on November 29 in Lower Manhattan, back in their usual prime slot at the start of the awards season. The event marks the first significant awards ceremony of the season, ahead of most critics groups and guilds.
Films with budgets exceeding $35 million are automatically disqualified from Gotham Awards consideration. For this reason, major Oscar contenders from Netflix, such as Jane Campion’s Venice winner “Power of the Dog,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature directorial debut “Tick Tick Boom,” Jeymes Samuels’ “The Harder They Fall,” and Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up” did not make the cut.
Kristen Stewart received this year’s Performer Tribute thanks to her performance in “Spencer.” Other...
Films with budgets exceeding $35 million are automatically disqualified from Gotham Awards consideration. For this reason, major Oscar contenders from Netflix, such as Jane Campion’s Venice winner “Power of the Dog,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature directorial debut “Tick Tick Boom,” Jeymes Samuels’ “The Harder They Fall,” and Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up” did not make the cut.
Kristen Stewart received this year’s Performer Tribute thanks to her performance in “Spencer.” Other...
- 11/30/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The 31st annual edition of the Gotham Independent Film Awards, taking place Nov. 29, will feature a variety of updates, including acting awards that are not defined by gender, a kudo for breakthrough nonfiction series and the inclusion of international documentaries in the doc feature category.
The third new rule allowed for two European-based documentaries to be nominated in Gotham’s feature nonfiction category: Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s “Flee” and Camilla Nielsson’s “President.” Rounding out the Gotham category are three U.S.-based docus — Jessica Beshir’s “Faya Dayi,” Jessica Kingdon’s “Ascension” and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s debut, “Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised).”
The decision to include international nonfiction into the doc feature category came to fruition this year for various reasons according to Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham Film and Media Institute.
“In this continuing movement towards inclusion we wanted...
The third new rule allowed for two European-based documentaries to be nominated in Gotham’s feature nonfiction category: Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s “Flee” and Camilla Nielsson’s “President.” Rounding out the Gotham category are three U.S.-based docus — Jessica Beshir’s “Faya Dayi,” Jessica Kingdon’s “Ascension” and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s debut, “Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised).”
The decision to include international nonfiction into the doc feature category came to fruition this year for various reasons according to Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham Film and Media Institute.
“In this continuing movement towards inclusion we wanted...
- 11/29/2021
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Peter Dinklage to Be Honored at Gotham Awards
The Gotham Film and Media Institute announced that Peter Dinklage will receive a Performer Tribute and the Actors Fund will receive the Gotham Impact Salute 2021 Gotham awards ceremony on Nov. 29 at Cipriani Wall Street.
Dinklage first gained notice in the 2003 film “The Station Agent” and he has received many accolades as Tyrion Lannister in “Game of Thrones” from 2011-2019. Through the series, Dinklage won four Emmy awards and a Screen Actors Guild award.
“The roots of Peter Dinklage’s extraordinary career are firmly grounded in independent film,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham Film and Media Institute. “As his work has grown in major features and shows to reach audiences everywhere, Peter has remained a steadfast supporter of this community of independent artists.”
The Actors Fund provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals with emergency financial assistance,...
The Gotham Film and Media Institute announced that Peter Dinklage will receive a Performer Tribute and the Actors Fund will receive the Gotham Impact Salute 2021 Gotham awards ceremony on Nov. 29 at Cipriani Wall Street.
Dinklage first gained notice in the 2003 film “The Station Agent” and he has received many accolades as Tyrion Lannister in “Game of Thrones” from 2011-2019. Through the series, Dinklage won four Emmy awards and a Screen Actors Guild award.
“The roots of Peter Dinklage’s extraordinary career are firmly grounded in independent film,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham Film and Media Institute. “As his work has grown in major features and shows to reach audiences everywhere, Peter has remained a steadfast supporter of this community of independent artists.”
The Actors Fund provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals with emergency financial assistance,...
- 11/17/2021
- by Jennifer Yuma
- Variety Film + TV
After taking six Critics Choice Documentary Awards over the weekend, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s “Summer of Soul” was honored with four nominations from the 2021 IDA Documentary Awards. The 2021 Sundance Film Festival winner and expected Oscar Documentary frontrunner earned nominations in the Best Feature, Best Director, Best Music Documentary and Best Editing categories. The other Best Feature nominees include “Apenas el sol (Nothing but the Sun),” “Faya Dayi,” “Flee,” “In The Same Breath,” “Jacinta,” “North by Current,” “Not Going Quietly,” “Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F**ker” and “Writing with Fire.”
Read More: “Coda,” “Summer of Soul” dominate 2021 Sundance Film Festival Awards
Other films with multiple nominations included Jessica Beshir’s “Faya Dayi” and Nicholas Bruckman’s “Not Going Quietly with three each.
Continue reading ‘Summer of Soul’ & ‘Flee’ lead 2021 IDA Awards Nominees at The Playlist.
Read More: “Coda,” “Summer of Soul” dominate 2021 Sundance Film Festival Awards
Other films with multiple nominations included Jessica Beshir’s “Faya Dayi” and Nicholas Bruckman’s “Not Going Quietly with three each.
Continue reading ‘Summer of Soul’ & ‘Flee’ lead 2021 IDA Awards Nominees at The Playlist.
- 11/15/2021
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
The 2021 International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards has revealed the nominations for Best Feature and Best Short. In a year crowded with festival hits and critically hailed nonfiction (see the Critics Choice Documentary Award winners), with more debuts unspooling at Doc NYC, every reputable nonfiction awards group helps to curate the sprawling list of eventual Oscar contenders, and the IDA is no exception.
A number of films, including nominations leader “Summer of Soul” (four nominations), “Faya Dayi” and “Not Going Quietly” (three) and animated Danish Oscar submission “Flee” (two), keep turning up on early awards lists. But top dog NatGeo’s high-profile, well-reviewed titles “The Rescue,” “Becoming Cousteau,” and “Fauci” were left out in favor of an international selection of less-hyped titles. (“First Wave” scored the Pare Lorentz award plus a cinematography nomination.) PBS earned 14 nominations across its programming strands, followed by Netflix and Hulu each with seven nominations and HBO with six nominations.
A number of films, including nominations leader “Summer of Soul” (four nominations), “Faya Dayi” and “Not Going Quietly” (three) and animated Danish Oscar submission “Flee” (two), keep turning up on early awards lists. But top dog NatGeo’s high-profile, well-reviewed titles “The Rescue,” “Becoming Cousteau,” and “Fauci” were left out in favor of an international selection of less-hyped titles. (“First Wave” scored the Pare Lorentz award plus a cinematography nomination.) PBS earned 14 nominations across its programming strands, followed by Netflix and Hulu each with seven nominations and HBO with six nominations.
- 11/15/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The 2021 International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards has revealed the nominations for Best Feature and Best Short. In a year crowded with festival hits and critically hailed nonfiction (see the Critics Choice Documentary Award winners), with more debuts unspooling at Doc NYC, every reputable nonfiction awards group helps to curate the sprawling list of eventual Oscar contenders, and the IDA is no exception.
A number of films, including nominations leader “Summer of Soul” (four nominations), “Faya Dayi” and “Not Going Quietly” (three) and animated Danish Oscar submission “Flee” (two), keep turning up on early awards lists. But top dog NatGeo’s high-profile, well-reviewed titles “The Rescue,” “Becoming Cousteau,” and “Fauci” were left out in favor of an international selection of less-hyped titles. (“First Wave” scored the Pare Lorentz award plus a cinematography nomination.) PBS earned 14 nominations across its programming strands, followed by Netflix and Hulu each with seven nominations and HBO with six nominations.
A number of films, including nominations leader “Summer of Soul” (four nominations), “Faya Dayi” and “Not Going Quietly” (three) and animated Danish Oscar submission “Flee” (two), keep turning up on early awards lists. But top dog NatGeo’s high-profile, well-reviewed titles “The Rescue,” “Becoming Cousteau,” and “Fauci” were left out in favor of an international selection of less-hyped titles. (“First Wave” scored the Pare Lorentz award plus a cinematography nomination.) PBS earned 14 nominations across its programming strands, followed by Netflix and Hulu each with seven nominations and HBO with six nominations.
- 11/15/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Critics Choice Association awarded “Summer of Soul” the top prize at the sixth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which honors the best achievements in nonfiction released in theaters, on TV, or on major digital platforms. Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s look at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival took home the most awards of any film, with five in total.
This year’s nominees were led by “Ascension” and “Summer of Soul,” two films by first-time documentarians. Each had six nominations. But “Ascension,” Jessica Kingdon’s look at the pursuit of the Chinese dream, failed to score any prizes November 14.
“Summer of Soul,” which won the top documentary prize and an Audience Award following its Sundance premiere earlier this year, won five of the six awards it was nominated for at the critics awards: Best Documentary Feature, Best First Documentary Feature, Best Editing, Best Archival Documentary, and Best Director, a prize Thompson...
This year’s nominees were led by “Ascension” and “Summer of Soul,” two films by first-time documentarians. Each had six nominations. But “Ascension,” Jessica Kingdon’s look at the pursuit of the Chinese dream, failed to score any prizes November 14.
“Summer of Soul,” which won the top documentary prize and an Audience Award following its Sundance premiere earlier this year, won five of the six awards it was nominated for at the critics awards: Best Documentary Feature, Best First Documentary Feature, Best Editing, Best Archival Documentary, and Best Director, a prize Thompson...
- 11/15/2021
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
When people talk about diversifying the entertainment industry, it almost always centers on race, gender or sexuality. But one of the most radical shifts in Hollywood has gone largely unnoticed: The Oscars’ documentary branch more than doubled its membership over the past five years, and around half of its new voters are based outside the U.S.
The move hasn’t just turned more foreign docs into Oscar finalists and nominees. It’s now influencing which films get funded and distributed, and determining winners in categories as big as international feature and best picture.
“We have an effect on what wins in other categories, so when you see a [South Korean] film like ‘Parasite’ win best picture, our branch probably played a big role in that,” says Roger Ross Williams, a documentary branch governor.
“We have a huge block of 26% international members, and they’re not necessarily voting for the same U.
The move hasn’t just turned more foreign docs into Oscar finalists and nominees. It’s now influencing which films get funded and distributed, and determining winners in categories as big as international feature and best picture.
“We have an effect on what wins in other categories, so when you see a [South Korean] film like ‘Parasite’ win best picture, our branch probably played a big role in that,” says Roger Ross Williams, a documentary branch governor.
“We have a huge block of 26% international members, and they’re not necessarily voting for the same U.
- 11/11/2021
- by Gregg Goldstein
- Variety Film + TV
The 12th edition of Doc NYC kicks off today — exactly one month before the AMPAS documentary branch begins voting to determine the 2022 Oscar documentary shortlist.
The nine-day affair, which runs until Nov. 18, will feature over 125 short docus and 127 feature-length nonfiction films that will screen at New York City’s IFC Center, Sva Theater and Cinépolis Chelsea. (The fest will be available online until Nov. 28)
Penny Lane’s “Listening to Kenny G,” will serve as the opening night film while Matthew Heineman’s “The First Wave” will close the festival. Sam Pollard and Rex Miller’s “Citizen Ashe” and Dave Wooley and David Heilbroner’s “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over” are both fest Centerpiece docs.
Festivities commence with the fest’s annual Visionaries Tribute Honoree luncheon at Gotham Hall. While kudos will be given to cinematographer Joan Churchill, Oscar nominated director Raoul Peck (“I Am Not Your Negro”), Emmy Award-winning...
The nine-day affair, which runs until Nov. 18, will feature over 125 short docus and 127 feature-length nonfiction films that will screen at New York City’s IFC Center, Sva Theater and Cinépolis Chelsea. (The fest will be available online until Nov. 28)
Penny Lane’s “Listening to Kenny G,” will serve as the opening night film while Matthew Heineman’s “The First Wave” will close the festival. Sam Pollard and Rex Miller’s “Citizen Ashe” and Dave Wooley and David Heilbroner’s “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over” are both fest Centerpiece docs.
Festivities commence with the fest’s annual Visionaries Tribute Honoree luncheon at Gotham Hall. While kudos will be given to cinematographer Joan Churchill, Oscar nominated director Raoul Peck (“I Am Not Your Negro”), Emmy Award-winning...
- 11/10/2021
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program has set its latest cohort of 20 films receiving Documentary Fund Grants, doling out a total of $600,000 in unrestricted support to projects in varying stages of production and distribution, including eight in development, eight in production, three in post-production, and one in post-production and impact.
Grantees currently at the development stage include Aída Bueno Sarduy’s Anna Borges do Sacramento, Ricardo Ruales’ The Broken R, Damon Davis’ Chain of Rocks, Khoroldorj Choijoovanchig’s Colors of White Rock, Gerardo del Valle’s The Past is Waiting Up Ahead, Set Hernandez Rongkilyo’s unseen, and Farid Ahmad’s Waiting For Winter.
Recipients at the production stage include Pascale Appora-Gnekindy and Ningyi Sun’s Eat Bitter, Chan Hau Chun and Chui Chi Yin’s Heatroom, Basel Al Adarra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Balal, and Rachel Shor’s No Other Land, Kit Vincent’s Red Herring (working title), Weichao Xu...
Grantees currently at the development stage include Aída Bueno Sarduy’s Anna Borges do Sacramento, Ricardo Ruales’ The Broken R, Damon Davis’ Chain of Rocks, Khoroldorj Choijoovanchig’s Colors of White Rock, Gerardo del Valle’s The Past is Waiting Up Ahead, Set Hernandez Rongkilyo’s unseen, and Farid Ahmad’s Waiting For Winter.
Recipients at the production stage include Pascale Appora-Gnekindy and Ningyi Sun’s Eat Bitter, Chan Hau Chun and Chui Chi Yin’s Heatroom, Basel Al Adarra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Balal, and Rachel Shor’s No Other Land, Kit Vincent’s Red Herring (working title), Weichao Xu...
- 10/27/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Twelve-year-old Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has revealed its influential 15-film Short List. The festival will run its main lineup of 127 features and 125 short films in-person November 10-18 at the IFC Center, Sva Theatre, and Cinépolis Chelsea, continuing online until November 28 with films available to viewers across the U.S.
Historically, most of the Doc NYC short list titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Short List. Until last year, while Doc NYC did not screen Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for nine years the festival had screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” and “Undefeated.”
The festival has screened 39 of the last 45 Oscar-nominated documentary features. In 2020, Doc NYC screened 12 of 15 titles that were named to the subsequent Academy Award Documentary Shortlist.
Historically, most of the Doc NYC short list titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Short List. Until last year, while Doc NYC did not screen Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for nine years the festival had screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” and “Undefeated.”
The festival has screened 39 of the last 45 Oscar-nominated documentary features. In 2020, Doc NYC screened 12 of 15 titles that were named to the subsequent Academy Award Documentary Shortlist.
- 10/26/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Twelve-year-old Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has revealed its influential 15-film Short List. The festival will run its main lineup of 127 features and 125 short films in-person November 10-18 at the IFC Center, Sva Theatre, and Cinépolis Chelsea, continuing online until November 28 with films available to viewers across the U.S.
Historically, most of the Doc NYC short list titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Short List. Until last year, while Doc NYC did not screen Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for nine years the festival had screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” and “Undefeated.”
The festival has screened 39 of the last 45 Oscar-nominated documentary features. In 2020, Doc NYC screened 12 of 15 titles that were named to the subsequent Academy Award Documentary Shortlist.
Historically, most of the Doc NYC short list titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Short List. Until last year, while Doc NYC did not screen Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for nine years the festival had screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” and “Undefeated.”
The festival has screened 39 of the last 45 Oscar-nominated documentary features. In 2020, Doc NYC screened 12 of 15 titles that were named to the subsequent Academy Award Documentary Shortlist.
- 10/26/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Ahead of a ceremony on November 29, this year’s Gotham Awards nominations have been unveiled, featuring some of the year’s finest cinema. Among the nominations are some personal favorites here at The Film Stage, including Drive My Car, Faya Dayi, The Worst Person in the World (a film that still doesn’t have an actual 2021 U.S. release date), Test Pattern, and El Planeta.
This year, the Gothams made a switch to have all performance categories be gender neutral, with those categories have been restructured into Outstanding Leading and Supporting Performance categories for feature films, joining the already existing Breakthrough Performer category.
Check out the film nominations for the Gotham Awards below.
Best Feature
The Green Knight
David Lowery, director; Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, David Lowery, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, producers (A24)
The Lost Daughter
Maggie Gyllenhaal, director; Osnat Handelsman Keren, Talia Kleinhendler, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Charles Dorfman,...
This year, the Gothams made a switch to have all performance categories be gender neutral, with those categories have been restructured into Outstanding Leading and Supporting Performance categories for feature films, joining the already existing Breakthrough Performer category.
Check out the film nominations for the Gotham Awards below.
Best Feature
The Green Knight
David Lowery, director; Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, David Lowery, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, producers (A24)
The Lost Daughter
Maggie Gyllenhaal, director; Osnat Handelsman Keren, Talia Kleinhendler, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Charles Dorfman,...
- 10/21/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
“The Green Knight,” “The Lost Daughter,” “Passing,” “Pig” and “Test Pattern” will compete for best feature film at the 31st annual Gotham Awards. The event is key stop in the awards season marathon, particularly for lower-budgeted indie fare that is looking to elbow into the Oscars race.
At the Gothams, “Passing,” a black-and-white drama that examines racism and colorist, and “The Lost Daughter,” a searing look at motherhood, led the pack with five nominations apiece. Close behind was “Coda,” a tender look at a teenager who is the only hearing member of a deaf family, earned three nominations including one of breakthrough performer for its star Emilia Jones. “Red Rocket,” the story of a washed-up porn star who returns to his hometown, also nabbed three nominations.
Nominees for the best documentary prize include “Ascension,” “Faya Dayi,” “Flee,” “President,” and “Summer Of Soul.” Best international feature is a race between “Azor,...
At the Gothams, “Passing,” a black-and-white drama that examines racism and colorist, and “The Lost Daughter,” a searing look at motherhood, led the pack with five nominations apiece. Close behind was “Coda,” a tender look at a teenager who is the only hearing member of a deaf family, earned three nominations including one of breakthrough performer for its star Emilia Jones. “Red Rocket,” the story of a washed-up porn star who returns to his hometown, also nabbed three nominations.
Nominees for the best documentary prize include “Ascension,” “Faya Dayi,” “Flee,” “President,” and “Summer Of Soul.” Best international feature is a race between “Azor,...
- 10/21/2021
- by Brent Lang and Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Rebecca Hall’s deft directorial debut “Passing,” which competed for Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize and was acquired by Netflix, and Julia Ducournau’s sophomore feature “Titane,” winner of Cannes’ Palme d’Or and France’s entry in the International Feature Film Oscar race, have been selected to compete in a section devoted to up-and-coming directors at the 29th edition of EnergaCamerimage, a film festival that focuses on the art of cinematography.
The films play in the Directors’ Debuts Competition, which is open to the outstanding first or second feature films of rising directors. Ducournau’s first feature was 2016 “Raw,” which played in Cannes’ Critics Week. Also competing is Sebastian Meise’s second feature “Great Freedom,” which won the Jury Prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, and is Austria’s candidate in the Oscar race. Meise’s first feature was 2011’s “Still Life.”
The festival also revealed Thursday the...
The films play in the Directors’ Debuts Competition, which is open to the outstanding first or second feature films of rising directors. Ducournau’s first feature was 2016 “Raw,” which played in Cannes’ Critics Week. Also competing is Sebastian Meise’s second feature “Great Freedom,” which won the Jury Prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, and is Austria’s candidate in the Oscar race. Meise’s first feature was 2011’s “Still Life.”
The festival also revealed Thursday the...
- 10/21/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The Critics Choice Association (Cca) has announced the nominees for the sixth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards (Ccda). This year’s winners will be revealed at a gala on Sunday, November 14, 2021, in Brooklyn, NY. The awards honor the best achievements in nonfiction released in theaters, on TV, or on major digital platforms.
Both films by first-time documentarians, “Ascension” and “Summer of Soul” lead this year’s nominations with six each. “Ascension,” a look at the Chinese dream across social classes, is also up for Documentary Feature, Director (Jessica Kingdon), First Feature, Cinematography, Editing, and Score. Meanwhile, “Summer of Soul” is up for Documentary Feature, Best Director (Ahmir “Questlove’ Thompson), First Documentary, Editing, Archival Documentary, and Music Documentary.
“Becoming Cousteau” and “The Rescue” also picked up five nominations each.
Last year, “Dick Johnson Is Dead” took home the Cca’s top award for Best Documentary as well as the Best Director award for Kirsten Johnson.
Both films by first-time documentarians, “Ascension” and “Summer of Soul” lead this year’s nominations with six each. “Ascension,” a look at the Chinese dream across social classes, is also up for Documentary Feature, Director (Jessica Kingdon), First Feature, Cinematography, Editing, and Score. Meanwhile, “Summer of Soul” is up for Documentary Feature, Best Director (Ahmir “Questlove’ Thompson), First Documentary, Editing, Archival Documentary, and Music Documentary.
“Becoming Cousteau” and “The Rescue” also picked up five nominations each.
Last year, “Dick Johnson Is Dead” took home the Cca’s top award for Best Documentary as well as the Best Director award for Kirsten Johnson.
- 10/18/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
When Jessica Beshir was a teen, her family fled the political unrest in Ethiopia for the relative calm of Mexico. During return trips to her native land as a budding filmmaker, over a period of 10 years, she captured what she saw, in richly textured black-and-white. Faya Dayi is the mesmerizing result, a nonfiction work of sensory immersion that’s part anthropology, part poetry.
Screening in New York in the New Directors/New Films lineup, Beshir’s first feature-length film braids together several threads, some more tightly than others. As it explores the walled city of Harar, its surrounding fields, and the ...
Screening in New York in the New Directors/New Films lineup, Beshir’s first feature-length film braids together several threads, some more tightly than others. As it explores the walled city of Harar, its surrounding fields, and the ...
- 5/10/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Sundance went virtual for its 2021 edition, but that certainly didn’t slow the market down. Within a matter of days, Apple broke the record for dealmaking at the festival by scoring eventual Grand Jury prize-winner “Coda” for a whopping $25 million; Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut, “Passing,” landed with Netflix for a reported $15 million deal as the festival came to an end. Meanwhile, a number of highlights from the lineup are enmeshed in bidding wars as sales agents sort through their options, including Questlove’s celebrated documentary “Summer of Soul” and Jerrod Carmichael’s twisted buddy movie “On the Count of Three.”
Since those movies don’t exactly need our help getting on buyers radars, we’re leaving them off our usual memo to distributors in favor of a number of titiles that could really use the boost. The year ahead is certainly going to be an unpredictable one for distribution...
Since those movies don’t exactly need our help getting on buyers radars, we’re leaving them off our usual memo to distributors in favor of a number of titiles that could really use the boost. The year ahead is certainly going to be an unpredictable one for distribution...
- 2/4/2021
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
With just over 70 features, this year’s Sundance Film Festival was smaller than usual, but not any quieter. While Park City was dormant as most audiences viewed the lineup online, the movies drove plenty of buzz. Few titles entered the festival with distribution, and studios begged off the usual tendency to use the festival as a marketing launch pad. Instead, Sundance retained one crucial aspect of its DNA above all: The breakouts.
Ever since it came to prominence more than 30 years ago, Sundance has been a platform for discovering new talent, from distinctive filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Ryan Coogler to acting discoveries like Parker Posey and Tessa Thompson. This time around, there were no shortage of discoveries, in addition to established talents moving into exciting new career phases. Here are the highlights.
Christian Blauvelt, Jude Dry, David Ehrlich, Kate Erbland, and Tambay Obenson contributed to this article.
Jerrod Carmichael...
Ever since it came to prominence more than 30 years ago, Sundance has been a platform for discovering new talent, from distinctive filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Ryan Coogler to acting discoveries like Parker Posey and Tessa Thompson. This time around, there were no shortage of discoveries, in addition to established talents moving into exciting new career phases. Here are the highlights.
Christian Blauvelt, Jude Dry, David Ehrlich, Kate Erbland, and Tambay Obenson contributed to this article.
Jerrod Carmichael...
- 2/2/2021
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
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