Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 8th to 14th, 2024 - UPDATE #11

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY - From THR:  This is the story of Scott and Diana Anderson, the couple expelled from the ultra-exclusive and secretive Disneyland club, "Club 66."

STREAMING - From Deadline:  New cast members have been announced for Paramount+'s "Jon Benet Ramsey" series, based on the infamous murder case from Christmas 1996 in Boulder, Colorado.  The new cast includes Garrett Hedlund and Emily Mitchell..

2024 CREATIVE ARTS EMMYS:

From THR:  A list of "Night 2" winners (Sun., Sept. 8th)

From THR:  A list of "Night 1" winners (Sat., Sept. 7th)

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL - From THR:  At the 2024 Venice Film Festival, Spanish film director, Pedro Almodovar wins the top prize, the "Golden Lion," for his film, "The Room Next Door."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 9/6 to 9/8/2024 weekend box office is Warner Bros.' Beetlejuice Beetlejuice with an estimated take of 110 million dollars.

AMAZON - From Variety:  Amazon Studios is developing a spinoff of its popular "Reacher" series. Details are still being kept secret.

TELEVISION - From PBS:  Geoff Bennett of PBS interviews Meg James of "The Los Angeles Times" about the Disney/DirectTV carriage dispute.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American actor, film producer, and race car driver, Chad McQueen, has died at the age of 63, Wednesday, September 11, 2024.  McQueen was the only son of the iconic late actor, Steve McQueen.  He is best known for playing the character, "Dutch," in two of the 1980s "The Karate Kid" movies.

From Deadline:  American actor, James Earl Jones, has died at the age of 93, Monday, September 9, 2024.  Earl was known for his iconic voice and for his work in theatre.  He famously provided the voice of iconic villain, "Darth Vader," in the original "Star Wars" films.  He made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" (1964).  He would go on to make memorable turns in such films as "Conan the Barbarian" (1982), "Matewan" (1987), "Coming to America" (1988), and "The Lion King" (1994, 2019).  One of his most famous film roles was as the reclusive writer, "Terence Mann," in the 1989 film, "Field of Dreams."  In 2011, he received an Honorary Academy Award for "Lifetime Achievement."  He won two Primetime Emmy Awards from eight nominations. He won a Daytime Emmy Awards and nominated one other time.  He won the "Best Actor in a Play" Tony Award twice and was nominated two other times. He also one a "Special Tony Award" for lifetime achievement.

From Deadline:  James Earl Jones: a life and career in photos.

From Variety:  Denzel Washington pays tribute to James Earl Jones, saying "He is who I wanted to be."

From THR:  Kevin Costner pens a tribute to his "Field of Dreams" co-star, the late James Earl Jones who died today, Mon., Sept. 9th.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from Feb. 1st to 10th, 2024 - Update #28

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From THR:  Christian Bale will play Frankenstein in a film directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.  The Warner Bros. film is set in the 1930s and finds the monster traveling to the 1930s Chicago where a doctor will create a companion for him.  Filming begins in the next few weeks.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Emmy Award-winner Jon Cryer shoots down the possibility of a reboot of his former CBS sitcom, "Two and a Half Men."

ANIMATION - From TheWrap:  It seems that Warner Bros. Discovery's plan all along was to kill the live-action/animation hybrid Looney Tunes film, "Coyote vs. Acme."

OSCARS - From THR:  The Academy of Motion Pictures Art and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced that it will soon begin annually presenting an Oscar recognizing "achievement in casting." The award, which will first be presented in 2026, will be the first new Oscar introduced since the organization began presenting "best animated feature" in 2002, after announcing its creation in 2001.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. has won the deal for the untitled project from writer-producer-director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan that is based on an original script by Coogler.  Coogler and Jordan first made their mark as a team on Fruitvale Station (2013) and later worked together on Creed (2015) and Black Panther (2018).

DISNEY - From Deadline:   Taylor Swift's hit concert film, "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" will begin streaming on Disney+ March 15th and will feature five new songs.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director David Leitch is in early talks to direct the next "Jurassic World" film, which is set to debut in theaters July2, 2025.  Leitch is best known for such films as "John Wick" and "Bullet Train."

AMAZON - From Deadline:  America Ferrera will make her directorial debut with "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter," which is based on Erika Sanchez's novel.  The film was previously set up at Netflix, but is not at Amazon MGM Studios' Orion Pictures.

GRAMMYS - From Variety:  The winners at the 2024 / 66th Annual Grammy Awards were announced.  The top prize, "Album of the Year," went to "Midnights" by Taylor Swift.

From Deadline:  With his daughter, Blue Ivy, at his side, Jay-Z called out the Grammys over Beyonce's lack of an "Album of the Year" award, all while accepting the "Dr. Dre Global Impact Award."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 2/2 to 2/4/2024 weekend box office in Universal Pictures' "Argylle" with an estimated take of 18 million dollars.

BUSINESS - From Afrotech:  Actress and writer-producer, Issa Rae, says that she has secured money from investors to open a studio that will create opportunities for creators.

MOVIES - From Collider:  Actress Nico Parker will play "Astrid" in the live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation's Oscar-nominated hit, How to Train Your Dragon.  However, she believes the film will be its "own film, and its own interpretation."

ANIMATION/TRAILER - From SlashFilm:  There is a trailer for "Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin."  It debuts on Apple TV+ on Feb. 16th.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Jim Carrey will reprise his role as "Dr. Robotnik" in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3."  He played the role in "Sonic the Hedgehog" (2020) and "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" (2022).

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Actor Sam Waterson is leaving NBC's long-running legal drama, "Law & Order" after 400+ episodes as Assistant D.A. and later District Attorney "Jack McCoy."  Waterson's last episode will air Thurs., Feb. 22nd.  He joined the series in 1994.  Actor Tony Goldwyn will replace him. 

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Actor and filmmaker, Donnie Yen, will star in "Kung Fu," an adaptation of the former ABC martial arts/Western drama television series, "Kung Fu" (1972-75). David Leitch is set to direct.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Brad Pitt is reunited with Quentin Tarantino for his final film, "The Film Critic," which is due in 2025.  Pitt has starred in Inglourious Basterds (2009) and won an Oscar for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

MUSIC/SPORTS - From NewYorkTimes:  Fox News demands that Grammy Award-winning superstar, Taylor Swift, stay out of politics as they fear that she will endorse President Joe Biden... again.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Tim Burton is set to direct a re-imagining of the 1958 Warner Bros.'s film, "The Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman," with Gillian Flynn ("Gone Girl") writing the script.

ANIMATION/STREAMING - From ScreenRant:  Peacock has announced a direct sequel to the DreamWorks Animation's 2010 film, Megamind.  Peacock released a trailer for "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate," which will begin streaming on Peacock March 1st.  Debuting the same day on Peacock is an eight-episode animated series, "Megamind Rules!"

MOVIES - From AwardsWatch:  Sony Pictures Classics announced that it has acquired all rights in North America, the Middle East, India, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand to Pedro Almodóvar’s upcoming first English-language feature film, The Room Next Door.  Starring Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, and John Turturro and produced by Almodóvar’s El Deseo, the film will begin shooting March (2024) in New York and Madrid.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Apple TV+'s "Ted Lasso" was the most watched streaming original series in 2023, according to Nielsen.  However, the most streamed title of the year was USA'S former legal drama, "Suits" (2011-19) with 57.7 billion viewing minutes.

OBITS:

From Variety:  Country singer-songwriter and recording artist and actor, Toby Keith, has died at the age of 62, Monday, February 5, 2024.  Keith recorded 19 studio albums, many reaching No. 1 on both the "Billboard 200" album chart and Billboard's "Top Country Album" chart.  Keith had 20 No. 1 sings on Billboard's "Hot Country Songs" chart, including the most played country song of the 1990s, "Should've Been a Cowboy."  Keith was also a seven-time Grammy Award nominee.  Keith starred in two films, "Broken Bridges" (2006) and "Beer for My Horses" (2008), which he wrote.

From Variety:  Film and television actor and TV director, Carl Weathers, has died at the age of 76, Thursday, February 1, 2024.  Weathers is best known for the character, "Apollo Creed," which he first played in the Oscar-winning "Best Picture," "Rocky" (1976), and in "Rocky II" (1979), "Rocky III" (1982), and "Rocky IV" (1985).  Other best known appearances include Predator (1987), "Action Jackson" (1988), and "Happy Gilmore" (1996).  Weathers directed episodes of several TV series, including CBS' "FBI," NBC's "Chicago Med" and "Law & Order."  Weathers directed two episodes of the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  Weathers also appeared in 9 episodes of "The Mandalorian" over its three seasons as "Greef Karga," which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series" in 2021.  Weathers also played professional football for the NFL's Oakland Raiders and CFL's BC Lions.

From Deadline:  Carl Weathers, his career in photos, from "Rocky" to "Predator" and "The Mandalorian."

From LATimes:  "Everyone loved him," Sylvester Stallone, Adam Sandler, and other co-star speak on the late actor and director, Carl Weathers.

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From Deadline:  Film and television actor, William O'Connell, has died at the age of 94, Monday, January 15, 2024.  O'Connell played the memorable "Star Trek" villain, "Thelev the Andorian," in the second season episode, "Journey to Babel" (Nov. 17th, 1967).  He appeared in several films with Clint Eastwood, including "High Plains Drifter" (1972) and "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976).  O'Connell was a Korean War veteran who received the "Bronze Star," among other decorations.

AWARDS:

From THR:  Key award season dates leading up to the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards, which are Sunday, March 10th, 2024.

From Variety: The nominations for the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" leads with 13 nominations, and "Poor Things" follows with 11.  The winners will be announced Sun., March 10th, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The NAACP has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 55th NAACP Image Awards.  By visiting www.naacpimageawards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the 55th NAACP Image Awards’ in select categories. Voting closes February 24th at 9:00 p.m. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14th, which will stream via naacpimageawards.net.  The winners will be revealed during the two–hour LIVE TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET/ PT on BET and CBS.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2024 / 77th EE BAFTA Film Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" leads with 13 nominations, and "Poor Things" follows with 11 nominations.  The winners will be announced Feb. 18th.

From Variety:  The Producers Guild of America has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 35th annual Producers Guild Awards.  For the first time in the history of the awards, two international films, "Anatomy of a Fall" and "The Zone of Interest," have made been nominated in the PGA's top category, "Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures." The winners will be announced Feb. 25th.

From Variety:   The nominees for the 2024 / 51st Annie Awards have been announced.  Netflix's "Nimona" leads the features categories with nine nominations.  The winners will be announced Sat., Feb. 17th.

From Deadline:  The Screen Actors Guild nominations for the 2024 / 30th annual SAG Awards have announced. "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" leads the film side of things with four nominations apiece.  The winners will be announced Saturday, Feb. 24th.

From Variety:  The Directors Guild of America has announced the nominations for the 2024 / 76th DGA Awards.  In the top category, "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film of 2023," the nominees are Greta Gerwig for "Barbie," Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Yorgos Lanthimos for “Poor Things,” and Alexander Payne for “The Holdovers.”  The winners will be announced Feb. 10th.

From AwardsWatch:  The London Critics Circle announced the winners of its 44th annual film awards. "The Zone of Interest" won three awards, including "Film of the Year" and "Best Director" (Jonathan Glazer).

From AwardsWatch:  The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) has won the 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy tied with Paul Giamatti for "The Holdovers").

From Variety:  The American Cinema Editors has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 74th Annual ACE Eddie Awards.  The winners will be announced March 3rd, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) has named its 2023 film awards. "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Poor Things" won three awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Chicago Indie Critics (CIC) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven awards, including "Best Studio Film." Celine Song's "Past Lives" won three, including "Best Independent Film."

From Variety:  The Motion Picture Sound Editors has revealed the nominations for the 71st annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards in categories spanning feature film, television, animation, computer entertainment and student productions.  The winners will be announced March 3rd.

From AwardsWatch: The Iowa Film Critics Association (IFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Alexander Payne's "The Holdovers" won four awards, including "Best Picture."

From Variety:  The Visual Effects Society has announced the nominations for the 2024 / 22nd Annual VES Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Feb. 21st.

From AwardsWatch:  The North Dakota Film Society (NDFS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won nine awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The Music City Film Critics Association has announces it MCFCA 2023 Film Awards.  Oppenheimer won seven awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Portland Critics Association (PCA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won nine awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From Deadline:  The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced the 15th annual African-Ameri an Film Critics Awards. "American Fiction" was voted the #1 film and won four awards, including "Best Comedy." Ava DuVernay's "Origin" was voted the #2 film and won three awards, including "Best Drama." 

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2024 / 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Hawaii Film Critics Society (HFCS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Barbie" wins four awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won four awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) revealed the nominees for the "2024 / 38th Annual ASC Awards" with categories in feature film, documentary, television and music video categories.  The winners will be announced March 3rd, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) announced the winners in 21 categories for the 2023 Seattle Film Critics Society Awards.  Director Celine Song’s "Past Lives" was named the "Best Picture of 2023."

From AwardsWatch:  The Cinema Audio Society (CAS) has announced the nominations for the 60th CAS Awards.  The winners will be announced March 2nd.

From AwardsWatch:  The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) has announced the nominations for the 28th Art Directors Guild Awards. The winners will be announced Feb. 10th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) has announced it 2024 ASTRA Film Awards.  "Barbie" won eight awards, including "Best Picture.

From AwardsWatch:  The Greater Western New York Film Critics Association (GWNYFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" was named "Best Picture."

From NSFC:  The National Society of Film Critics announce its 58th annual NSFC Awards.  "Past Lives" was named "Best Picture of 2023."

From Deadline:  The 2024 / 81st Golden Globes Awards ceremony was held Sun. night, Jan. 7th, 2024.  "Oppenheimer" won five awards, including "Best Motion Picture-Drama," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), "Best Actor-Drama" (Cillian Murphy), and "Best Supporting Actor-Motion Pictures" (Robert Downey, Jr.). "Poor Things" won "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Deadline:  NIGHT 2 of the 75th Creative Arts Emmys took place Sun., Jan. 7th, 2024.  (Former) President Barack Obama and Keke Palmer were among the winners.

From Deadline:  NIGHT 1 of the 75th Creative Arts Emmys took place Sat., Jan. 6th, 2024.  HBO's "The Last of Us" lead the night with 8 wins, including wins in both "Guest Actor in a Drama Series" categories: Nick Offerman (Guest Actor) and Storm Reid (Guest Actress).

From AwardsWatch:  The 5th annual DiscussingFilm Critics Awards were announced.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:   The Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards. "Past Lives" won three awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Celine Song).

From AwardsWatch:  The Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven honors, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association (COFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won six awards including "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese).

From AwardsWatch:  The Costume Designers Guild (Local 892) announced the official nominees list for the 26th CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards). The annual CDGA ceremony will take place Wed., Feb. 21st, 2024.

From Variety:   The British Academy has unveiled the results of the first round of voting across all 24 categories for the 2024 / 77th BAFTA Film Awards.  These results are known as "the longlists."  "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon," and "Oppenheimer" all appeared on the longlist of 15 categories.  The nominations will be announced Jan. 18th, and the winners will be announced Feb. 18th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won five awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese), and "Best Actress" (Lily Gladstone).

From AwardsWatch:  The Critics Association of Central Florida (CACF) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won 10 awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan). 

From AwardsWatch:  U.K. Film Critics Association (UKFCA) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won three awards: "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From Variety: The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706) has announced nominations for the 11th MUAHS Guild Awards. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 led with five mentions in the film categories and ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" led with four in the television categories. The winners will be announced Sunday, February 18, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Nevada Film Critics Society has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won five awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Hayao's Miyazaki's anime film, "The Boy and the Heron" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "American Fiction" won six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Cord Jefferson), and Best Actor (Jeffrey Wright).

From AwardsWatch:  The San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Always trying to be difficult, it named "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" the "Best Picture."  It named Martin Scorsese "Best Director" for "Killers of the Flower Moon."

From AwardsWatch:  The Dublin Film Critics Circle has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" wins "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Celine Song)"

From AwardsWatch:  The North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" wins five awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Southeaster Film Critics Association (SEFCA) has announces its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Poor Things" won six awards, including "Best Pictuere," "Best Director" (Yorgos Lanthmos), "Best Actress" (Emma Stone"), and "Best Supporting Actor" (Mark Ruffalo).

From AwardsWatch:  The Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) has announced it 2023 film awards.  "Poor Things" won four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Yorgos Lanthimos), and "Best Actress" (Emma Stone).

From AwardsWatch:  The St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) has announced its 2023 awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy)

From AwardsWatch:  The Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) has named its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture."  Oppenheimer wins six, including "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA) has named its 2023 films awards.  "The Holdovers" wins "Best Picture."  "Oppenheimer" wins four, including "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) have announced their 2023 film awards.  "The Zone of Interest" wins "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (for Jonathan Glazer).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2023 Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture," one of two awards its won.  "Oppenheimer" wins five, including a "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 2024 / 24th annual Black Reel Awards have been announced.  "The Color Purple" leads with 19 nominations.  The winners will be announced Jan. 16th, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" wins "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) have named "Killers of the Flower Moon" the "Best Film" of 2023.  Christopher Nolan wins "Best Director" for "Oppenheimer."

From AwardsWatch:  The Las Vegas Film Critics Society have named "Oppenheimer" the "Best Picture" of 2023, with the film's director, Christopher Nolan, winning "Best Director."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2023 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture," and Christopher Nolan wins "Best Director" for "Oppenheimer."

From THR:   The winners at the 2023 / 49th annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  The Holocaust historical drama, "The Zone of Interest," wins four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Jonathan Glazer), and "Best Actress" (Sandra Huller).

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 29th annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced. "Barbie" leads with 18 nominations.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 81st annual Golden Globe Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Jan. 7th, 2024 on CBS and Paramount Plus.

From AwardsWatch:  The Las Vegas Film Critics have announced their 2023 LVFC Awards nominations.  "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are the leading vote getters.  The winners will be announced Wed., Dec. 13th.

From THR:  The winners at the 2023 European Film Awards have been announced.  "Anatomy of a Fall" won five awards including for "Best Film," "Best Director" (Justine Triet), and "Best Actress" (Sandra Huller).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2023 National Board of Review film honors have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won "Best Film," "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese), and "Best Actress" (Lily Gladstone).

From AwardsWatch:  The American Film Institute (AFI) names its top ten films: American Fiction, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, May December, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.  It also names its top ten television series: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Beef, Jury Duty, The Last of Us, The Morning Show, Only Murders in the Building, Poker Face, Reservation Dogs, and Succession.

From AwardsWatch:  "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" lead the nominations for "Astra Film & Creative Arts Awards," which are put on by the "Hollywood Creative Alliance" (formerly known as the Hollywood Critics Association).  The winners will be announced Jan. 6th, 2024 in Los Angeles.

From Deadline:  At the 2023 / 26th British Independent Film Awards, director Andrew Haigh's "All of Us Strangers" won seven awards, including "Best British Independent Film."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 89th New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" (directed by Martin Scorsese) was named "Best Film of 2023."  Christopher Nolan won "Best Director" for his film, "Oppenheimer."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 33rd Annual Gotham Awards were announced Mon., Nov. 27th.  Writer-director Celine Song's South Korean romantic drama, "Past Lives" won the "Best Feature" award.

BEST PICTURE COUNT:

All of Us Strangers: 1

American Fiction: 2

Anatomy of a Fall: 1

Barbie: 2

The Boy and the Heron: 1

The Holdovers: 2

Killers of the Flower Moon: 9

Oppenheimer: 19

Past Lives: 8

Poor Things: 4

The Zone of Interest: 3

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 1st to 10th, 2022 - Update #21

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix and one of its biggest content providers, Warner Bros. Discovery, may be head for a streaming war due to the unhappiness of the latter's CEO David Zaslav.

MOVIES - From Variety:  "Scream 6" cast member Melissa Barrera says that the upcoming horror flick is "100 times gorier" than any previous entry in the franchise.

SCANDAL - From EW:  Grammy Award winning recording artist, Celine Dion, has revealed that she has a rare neurological disorder, "stiff-person syndrome," that will leave her rigid and suffering spasms in her torso and limbs.

MOVIES - From Variety:   Jennifer Lawrence says that the biggest reaction to her being cast in "The Hunger Games" was "how much weight is she going to lose."

MOVIES - From Variety:  There is a first-look image of Robert Pattinson in Oscar-winner Bong Joon Ho's ("Parasite") next film "Mickey 17.  The film is not due until March 29, 2024.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Robert Downey, Jr. talks about "Sr.," a Netflix documentary film about his late father, the filmmaker Robert Downey, Sr.

SCANDAL - From Variety:  Disgraced Oscar-winning film producer and former studio executive, Harvey Weinstein, has abnormal testicles, as they reside in his inner thighs.  That and more tidbits from his rape trial in Los Angeles.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 12/2 to 12/4/2022 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" with an estimated take of 17.5 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

SPORTS - From Deadline:  Soccer great and sometimes actor, Pele, has reportedly entered end-of-life care in Brazilian hospital.

CANNES - From Variety:  Pedro Almodovar says his "queer Western" short film, "Strange Way of Life" will debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023.  The film stars Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Indiana Jones 5 has a title, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," and the film has its first trailer.  It features a de-aged Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Peter Dinklage is among the voice cast added to "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts," which is due June 9, 2023.

AVATAR - From THR:  Director James Cameron talks about "Avatar: The Way of Water," the "Avatar" franchise, and more in a wide-ranging interview.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Two-time "Best Director" Oscar winner, Ang Lee, will direct a Bruce Lee biopic with Ang's son, Mason Lee, playing martial arts film legend.

OBITS:

From Variety:  Television and film actress, Kirstie Alley, has died at the age of 71, Monday, December 5, 2022.  Alley rose to fame as "Rebecca Howe" on the former NBC sitcom, "Cheers," from 1987-93, a role for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series."  She originated the role of "Saavik" in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," and she also appeared in three "Look Who's Talking" films.

From Variety:   Actor, singer, musician, recording artist, and children's book author, Bob McGrath, has died at the age of 90, Sunday, December 4, 2022.  McGrath played one of the original human characters, "Bob Johnson," on the long-running PBS education series, "Sesame Streeet."  McGrath played Bob Johnson from 1969 until 2016.

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AWARDS:

From Deadline:  The American Film Institute (AFI) has named its "AFI Awards Film" list of "Top 10 Films of 2022."  The list includes "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," and "The Woman King."

From THR:  The African-American Film Critics Association name "The Woman King" the "Best Film of 2022."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the "2023 Critics Choice Awards" in the television categories have been announced.  ABC's sitcom, "Abbot Elementary" leads the nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, January 15, 2023 and broadcast on The CW.

From Variety:  The 2022 / 88th Annual New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards have been announced.  Todd Field's "Tar" wins "Best Film" and "Best Actress" (Cate Blanchett).  Keke Palmer wins "Best Supporting Actress" for her performance in "Nope."

From Deadline:  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the "Best Feature" award at the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards, one of two wins for the film.

From IndieWire:  The nominations for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.   "Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads with eight nominations.  The winners will be announced March 4th, 2023.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards were announced a month ago.  Todd Field's "Tar" leads with five nominations.  The winners will be announced Monday, November 28th.

---------------

BRITTNEY GRINER:

From CBSNews:  WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from her Russian imprisonment in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

Review: "PARALLEL MOTHERS" is Another Almodovar-Cruz Masterpiece

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 39 of 2022 (No. 1851) by Leroy Douresseaux

Parallel Mothers (2021)
Original title: Madres paralelas
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Spain; Language: Spanish
Running time:  123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPA – R for some sexuality
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Pedro Almodóvar
PRODUCERS:  Augustin Almodóvar and Esther Garcia
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  José Luis Alcaine (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Teresa Font
COMPOSER:  Alberto Iglesias
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA

Starring:  Penelope Cruz, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Julieta Serrano, Adelfa Clavo, Carmen Flores, Ainhoa Santamaria, and Rossy de Palma

Madres paralelas is a 2021 Spanish drama film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar.  The film is also known by its English release title, Parallel Mothers (the title I will use for this review).  The film focuses on two mothers who give birth on the same day causing them to bond in unexpected ways.

Parallel Mothers introduces Janis Martínez (Penelope Cruz), a highly considered magazine photographer.  She does a photo shoot with renowned forensic archaeologist, Arturo (Israel Elejalde). She asks him if his foundation will help excavate a mass grave in her home village, where she believes her great-grandfather and other men from the village were killed and buried during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39).  After he agrees to review the case with his foundation, Arturo has sexual relations with Janis, who becomes pregnant.

Later, Janis shares a hospital room with Ana Manso (Milena Smit), a teen single mother, and the two end up giving birth at the same time.  Janis has a daughter whom she names “Cecilia,” and Ana a daughter she names “Anita.”  The women promise to stay in touch, but Janis makes a series of shocking discoveries that will change both their lives.

Parallel Mothers is obviously an acting showcase for Penelope Cruz, who wastes no time exercising her prodigious talents.  Cruz won numerous awards and received even more nominations for her performance as Janis Martinez.  Writer-director Pedro Almodovar has spent his four-decade career in film making writing wonderful roles for women that result is wonderful films featuring an eclectic group of actresses.

Parallel Mothers' women are united across time by the bonds of motherhood, family, friendship, and loss.  They are the speakers for the dead and the nurtures of men, but they also nurture and support and lift-up the other women in their lives.  This is the uplift that Janis will provide for Ana, played by actress Milena Smit as a pixie of a girl in need of mothering.  Janis and Ana are the solid center and radiant soul of this film about the complications and twists, the pain and the glory, and joy, sadness, and bittersweet nature of being a mother.

The film has a subplot involving the Spanish Civil War, which is the impetus for the Janis and Arturo conceiving a child.  The search for the missing graves in her village, a grave that will hold the remains of her great-grandfather and the grandfathers of other women she knows is also part of the film's theme of loss and separation.  These men, murdered in the civil war, should ultimately have a decent burial, and Janis and the other women will see to that.

Pedro Almodovar offers a film that is as raw and unflinching as it is beautiful.  He draws out performances that are unashamedly naked and vulnerable in their depictions and displays of emotions, in a way American films tend to avoid, even Oscar-bait films.  Sometimes Almodovar can be riotous and uproarious, but other times he can be uncannily intimate, as he is here.  Sometimes, I feel unworthy of viewing his amazing films, which are so different and so much more daring than what I usually watch.  Parallel Mothers is one of 2021's very best films and reveals that the Spanish maestro is, as usual, in top form.

10 of 10

Friday, June 24, 2022


NOTES:
2022 Academy Awards, USA:  2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Penelope Cruz) and “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures-Original Score (Alberto Iglesias)

2022 BAFTA Awards:  1 nomination: “Best Film not in the English Language” (Pedro Almodóvar and Augustin Almodovar)

2022 Golden Globes, USA:  2 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language” (Spain) and Best Original Score – Motion Picture (Alberto Iglesias)


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" is Still Fresh and Vibrant

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 38 of 2022 (No. 1850) by Leroy Douresseaux

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
Original title: Mujeres al borde de un ataque de "nervios"
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Spain; Language: Spanish
Running time:  89 minutes (1 hour, 29 minutes)
MPAA – R
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Pedro Almodóvar
PRODUCER:  Pedro Almodóvar
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  José Luis Alcaine (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  José Salcedo
COMPOSER:  Bernardo Bonezzi
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA/COMEDY

Starring:  Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma, Maria Berranco, Kiti Manver, Guillermo Montesinos, Chus Lampreave, and Fernando Guillen

Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios is a 1988 Spanish comedy and drama film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar.  The film is also known by its English release title, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (the title I will use for this review).  The film focuses on a television actress who encounters a variety of eccentric characters as she tries to make contact with her lover who recently and abruptly left her.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown introduces television actress, Pepa Marcos (Carmen Maura), who was recently dumped by her lover, Ivan (Fernando Guillen).  They are both voice actors who dub foreign language films into Spanish, and Ivan's sweet-talking voice is the same one he uses in his work.  Pepa knows that Ivan is about to leave on a trip … with another woman.  He has even asked Pepa to pack his things in a suitcase that he will pick up later.

However, Pepa just wants to talk to Ivan.  She really needs to talk to him, but he seems to be avoiding her.  She never catches him at home and leaves messages on his telephone answering machine.  He leaves voice messages on her machine, always seeming to call when she is unavailable.  Her life is spiraling out of control, especially as an ever increasing number of eccentric characters, some connected to Ivan, start gathering around her.  Their lives are apparently spiraling out of control, too.

There is her friend Candela (Maria Berranco), who is afraid of the police because she had a brief sexual encounter with a man who turns out to be a “Shiite terrorist.”  He later returned to her, bringing a few terrorists colleagues, and they are planning a terrorist attack.  Candela is more afraid of going to jail than having had a sexual relationship with a terrorist.

Ivan's son, Carlos (Antonio Banderas), arrives at Pepa's penthouse, with his snobbish fiancée, Marisa (Rossy de Palma).  They are apartment-hunting and are interested in Pepa's place.  Pepa meets the feminist and lawyer, Paulina (Kiti Mánver), who has a past with Ivan's family and may be connected to them now.  Carlos describes his mother, Lucia (Julieta Serrano), Ivan's previous lover, as “crazy,” and she is apparently out of her mental hospital and on the way to Pepa's for a confrontation.  Meanwhile, what is Ivan up to?

The original Spanish title of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown – Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios – is evidently not about a “nervous breakdown.”  The “ataque de nervois” is more about women showing excessive negative emotions via panic attacks, fainting, and bodily gestures when they get upsetting news or see something that disturbs them.  This is about agitation and stress instead of a full breakdown, which actually seems possible with some of the film's characters.

I can see why so many film critics, fans, and audiences were taken with Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown at the time of its original release.  There was nothing like it in U.S. contemporary film at the time.  Its costumes, art direction, and set decoration have stylish references to the past and present and hints at the future.  If one ignores such things as the types of telephones and answering machines and the operation of the airport, the film does not seem to be set in any particular time, past or present.  The decorations in Pepa's penthouse and all the characters clothing are a riot of beautiful colors and color design.  However, things like the taxi cab that Pepa frequently uses and its lovable driver (Guillermo Montesinos) add an earthy street-level touch to the film.  Even Pepa's menagerie of animals (chickens and rabbits) are a nice addition to the film's oddness

For most of the 1990s, there were rumors of an American remake of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, with Jane Fonda often listed as a potential cast member (as I remember it).  I am not surprised that American actresses would be attracted to this kind of film.  Even with Pepa as the lead, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown has five supporting female roles with significant speaking parts, to say nothing of a few smaller parts that all actresses to show themselves.

No one female character is like another, and each woman has her own reason for “ataque de nervois.”  Pepa and her eccentric friends and acquaintances are a delight, and the actresses make the most of their time on screen.  They turn their character types into showy, gaudy, and captivating women, and I wanted more of them.  Also, a young Antonio Banderas, as Carlos, deftly fits in with all these females, never dominating the screen, but always complimenting with uncanny skill.

I have seen Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown described as a black comedy.  It is too wildly exaggerated to be anything but a farce.  For Pedro Almodóvar, it was his calling card that introduced him to a wider audience outside of both Spain and of the devoted international film audience that already knew him.  I like it as a comedy, but I am really fascinated by its characters and the actors playing them.  The women on the verge of a nervous breakdown are some amazing women indeed, and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is an amazing film.

9 of 10
A+
★★★★+ out of 4 stars


NOTES:
1989 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Foreign Language Film” (Spain)

1990 BAFTA Awards:  1 nomination: “Best Film not in the English Language” (Pedro Almodóvar)

1989 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Foreign Language Film” (Spain)


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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2019 International Feature Film Oscar - 93 Countries in Consideration

93 COUNTRIES IN COMPETITION FOR 2019 INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM OSCAR

Ninety-three countries have submitted films for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards®. An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly non-English dialogue track. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekistan are first- time entrants.

Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted to rename the Foreign Language Film category to International Feature Film and expand the shortlist from nine to 10 films.

The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,” Sudabeh Mortezai, director;
Bangladesh, “Alpha,” Nasiruddin Yousuff, director;
Belarus, “Debut,” Anastasiya Miroshnichenko, director;
Belgium, “Our Mothers,” César Díaz, director;
Bolivia, “Tu Me Manques,” Rodrigo Bellott, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “The Son,” Ines Tanovic, director;
Brazil, “Invisible Life,” Karim Aïnouz, director;
Bulgaria, “Ága,” Milko Lazarov, director;
Cambodia, “In the Life of Music,” Caylee So, Sok Visal, directors;
Canada, “Antigone,” Sophie Deraspe, director;
Chile, “Spider,” Andrés Wood, director;
China, “Ne Zha,” Yu Yang, director;
Colombia, “Monos,” Alejandro Landes, director;
Costa Rica, “The Awakening of the Ants,” Antonella Sudasassi Furniss, director;
Croatia, “Mali,” Antonio Nuic, director;
Cuba, “A Translator,” Rodrigo Barriuso, Sebastián Barriuso, directors;
Czech Republic, “The Painted Bird,” Václav Marhoul, director;
Denmark, “Queen of Hearts,” May el-Toukhy, director;
Dominican Republic, “The Projectionist,” José María Cabral, director;
Ecuador, “The Longest Night,” Gabriela Calvache, director;
Egypt, “Poisonous Roses,” Ahmed Fawzi Saleh, director;
Estonia, “Truth and Justice,” Tanel Toom, director;
Ethiopia, “Running against the Wind,” Jan Philipp Weyl, director;
Finland, “Stupid Young Heart,” Selma Vilhunen, director;
France, “Les Misérables,” Ladj Ly, director;
Georgia, “Shindisi,” Dimitri Tsintsadze, director;
Germany, “System Crasher,” Nora Fingscheidt, director;
Ghana, “Azali,” Kwabena Gyansah, director;
Greece, “When Tomatoes Met Wagner,” Marianna Economou, director;
Honduras, “Blood, Passion, and Coffee,” Carlos Membreño, director;
Hong Kong, “The White Storm 2 Drug Lords,” Herman Yau, director;
Hungary, “Those Who Remained,” Barnabás Tóth, director;
Iceland, “A White, White Day,” Hlynur Pálmason, director;
India, “Gully Boy,” Zoya Akhtar, director;
Indonesia, “Memories of My Body,” Garin Nugroho, director;
Iran, “Finding Farideh,” Azadeh Moussavi, Kourosh Ataee, directors;
Ireland, “Gaza,” Garry Keane, Andrew McConnell, directors;
Israel, “Incitement,” Yaron Zilberman, director;
Italy, “The Traitor,” Marco Bellocchio, director;
Japan, “Weathering with You,” Makoto Shinkai, director;
Kazakhstan, “Kazakh Khanate. The Golden Throne,” Rustem Abdrashov, director;
Kenya, “Subira,” Ravneet Singh (Sippy) Chadha, director;
Kosovo, “Zana,” Antoneta Kastrati, director;
Kyrgyzstan, “Aurora,” Bekzat Pirmatov, director;
Latvia, “The Mover,” Davis Simanis, director;
Lebanon, “1982,” Oualid Mouaness, director;
Lithuania, “Bridges of Time,” Audrius Stonys, Kristine Briede, directors;
Luxembourg, “Tel Aviv on Fire,” Sameh Zoabi, director;
Malaysia, “M for Malaysia,” Dian Lee, Ineza Roussille, directors;
Mexico, “The Chambermaid,” Lila Avilés, director;
Mongolia, “The Steed,” Erdenebileg Ganbold, director;
Montenegro, “Neverending Past,” Andro Martinović, director;
Morocco, “Adam,” Maryam Touzani, director;
Nepal, “Bulbul,” Binod Paudel, director;
Netherlands, “Instinct,” Halina Reijn, director;
Nigeria, “Lionheart,” Genevieve Nnaji, director;
North Macedonia, “Honeyland,” Ljubo Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska, directors;
Norway, “Out Stealing Horses,” Hans Petter Moland, director;
Pakistan, “Laal Kabootar,” Kamal Khan, director;
Palestine, “It Must Be Heaven,” Elia Suleiman, director;
Panama, “Everybody Changes,” Arturo Montenegro, director;
Peru, “Retablo,” Alvaro Delgado Aparicio, director;
Philippines, “Verdict,” Raymund Ribay Gutierrez, director;
Poland, “Corpus Christi,” Jan Komasa, director;
Portugal, “The Domain,” Tiago Guedes, director;
Romania, “The Whistlers,” Corneliu Porumboiu, director;
Russia, “Beanpole,” Kantemir Balagov, director;
Saudi Arabia, “The Perfect Candidate,” Haifaa Al Mansour, director;
Senegal, “Atlantics,” Mati Diop, director;
Serbia, “King Petar the First,” Petar Ristovski, director;
Singapore, “A Land Imagined,” Yeo Siew Hua, director;
Slovakia, “Let There Be Light,” Marko Skop, director;
Slovenia, “History of Love,” Sonja Prosenc, director;
South Africa, “Knuckle City,” Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, director;
South Korea, “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho, director;
Spain, “Pain and Glory,” Pedro Almodóvar, director;
Sweden, “And Then We Danced,” Levan Akin, director;
Switzerland, “Wolkenbruch’s Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa,” Michael Steiner, director;
Taiwan, “Dear Ex,” Mag Hsu, Chih-Yen Hsu, directors;
Thailand, “Krasue: Inhuman Kiss,” Sitisiri Mongkolsiri, director;
Tunisia, “Dear Son,” Mohamed Ben Attia, director;
Turkey, “Commitment Asli,” Semih Kaplanoglu, director;
Ukraine, “Homeward,” Nariman Aliev, director;
United Kingdom, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” Chiwetel Ejiofor, director;
Uruguay, “The Moneychanger,” Federico Veiroj, director;
Uzbekistan, “Hot Bread,” Umid Khamdamov, director;
Venezuela, “Being Impossible,” Patricia Ortega, director;
Vietnam, “Furie,” Le Van Kiet, director.

The shortlist of 10 films will be announced on Monday, December 16, 2019. Nominations for the 92nd Oscars® will be announced on Monday, January 13, 2020.

The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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2016 European Film Award Nominations Announced

The European Film Awards recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements. The awards are are presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy and are given in over ten categories, of which the most important is “European Film,” the best film of the year award. The European Film Awards are restricted to European cinema and European producers, directors, and actors.

On Friday, November 5, 2016, the nominations for the 29th European Film Awards were announced in Seville, Spain. The EFA, in collaboration with the European Film Academy and EFA Productions, honor the greatest achievements in European cinema at the 2016 European Film Awards on December 10, 2016 in Wroclaw, Poland.

2016 / 29th European Film Awards nominations:

BEST EUROPEAN FILM

“Elle,” (Paul Verhoeven, France, Germany)

“I, Daniel Blake,” (Ken Loach, U.K., France)

“Julieta,” (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain)

“Room,” (Lenny Abrahamson, Ireland, Canada)

“Toni Erdmann,” (Maren Ade, Germany, Austria)

BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR

Paul Verhoeven

Cristian Mungiu, (“Graduation,” Romania, France, Belgium)

Ken Loach

Pedro Almodóvar

Maren Ade, (“Toni Erdmann”)

BEST EUROPEAN ACTOR

Rolf Lassgård, (“A Man Called Ove”)

Hugh Grant, (“Florence Foster Jenkins”)

Dave Johns, (“Blake”)

Burghart Klaußner, (“The People vs. Fritz Bauer”)

Peter Simonischek, (“Erdmann”)

Javier Cámara, (“Truman”)

BEST EUROPEAN ACTRESS

Isabelle Huppert, (“Elle”)

Emma Suárez & Adriana Ugarte, (“Julieta”)

Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, (“Like Crazy”)

Trine Dyrholm, (“The Commune”)

Sandra Hüller, (“Toni Erdmann”)

BEST EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER

Cristian Mungiu, (“Graduation”)

Paul Laverty, (“Blake”)

Emma Donoghue, (“Room”)

Maren Ade, (“Toni Erdmann”)

Tomasz Wasilewski, (“United States of Love”)

BEST EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY

“The Land Of The Enlightened,” (Pieter-Jan De Pue, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands)

“21 X New York,” (Piotr Stasik,Poland)

“Mr. Gaga,” (Tomer Heymann, Israel, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands)

“S is for Stanley – 30 Years At The Wheel For Stanley Kubrick,” (Alex Infascelli, Italy)

“A Family Affair,” (Tom Fassaert, the Netherlands, Belgium)

“Fire At Sea,” (Gianfranco Rosi, Italy, France)

BEST EUROPEAN ANIMATED FEATURE

“My Life as a Zucchini,” (Claude Barras, France, Switzerland)

“Psiconautas, the forgotten children,” (Pedro Rivero, Alberto Vázquez, Spain)

“The Red Turtle” (Michael Dudok de Wit, Japan, France, Belgium)

BEST EUROPEAN COMEDY

“A Man Called Ove,” (Hannes Holm, Sweden, Norway)

“Look Who’s Back;” (David Wnendt, Germany)

“La Vache,” (Mohamed Hamidi, France)

FIPRESCI PRIZE – BEST EUROPEAN DISCOVERY

“Dogs,” (Bogdan Mirica, France, Romania, Bulgaria, Qatar)

“Liebmann” (Jules Herrmann, Germany)

“Sand Storm,” (Elite Zexer, Israel)

“The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki,” (Juho Kuosmanen, Finland, Sweden, Germany)

“Thirst,” (Svetla Tsotsorkova, Bulgaria)

EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY FILM AWARD

“Fire at Sea,” (Gianfranco Rosi, Italy, France)

“Graduation”

“I, Daniel Blake”

“The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki”

“Toni Erdmann”

BEST EUROPEAN SHORT

“The Wall”

“Edmond”

“The Goodbye”

“90 Degrees North”

“We All Love The Sea Shore”

“In The Distance”

“A Man Returned”

“Small Talk”

“I’m Not From Here”

“Home”

“The Fullness Of Time (Romance)”

“Limbo”

“Amalimbo”

“9 Days – From My Window In Aleppo”

Lifetime Achievement Award: Jean-Claude Carrière

Achievement in World Cinema Award: Pierce Brosnan

Young Audience Award: Émilie Deleuze - Miss Impossible

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Sony Pictures Classics Completes Its Acquisition of Pedro Almodovar's Films

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS ACQUIRES THE REST OF PEDRO ALMODÓVAR’S FILM LIBRARY AND DATES JULIETA FOR DECEMBER 21, 2016

NEW YORK - Sony Pictures Classics announced they have acquired the rest of Pedro Almodóvar’s full library of films including Pepi, Luci, BOM; Labyrinth of Passion; Dark Habits; What Have I Done to Deserve This?; High Heels and Kika. Additionally, Almodóvar’s 20th film, JULIETA, will be released in theaters on December 21, 2016.

The full library of films includes PEPI, LUCI, BOM; LABYRINTH OF PASSION; DARK HABITS; WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS?; MATADOR; LAW OF DESIRE; WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN; HIGH HEELS; KIKA; THE FLOWER OF MY SECRET; LIVE FLESH; ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER; TALK TO HER; BAD EDUCATION; VOLVER; BROKEN EMBRACES; THE SKIN I LIVE IN and I’M SO EXCITED!.

JULIETA, based on short stories by Nobel laureate Alice Munro, is about a mother’s struggle to survive uncertainty. It is also about fate, guilt complexes and that unfathomable mystery that leads us to abandon the people we love, erasing them from our lives as if they had never meant anything, as if they had never existed. JULIETA has received acclaim for its rich storytelling and supreme design as well as great performances led by Adriana Ugarte, Emma Suárez and Rossy de Palma. It debuted at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world. Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 159 Academy Award® nominations (133 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

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2013 European Film Award Nominations List

by Amos Semien

The European Film Awards (EFA) recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements.  They have been presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy. There are over ten categories, with the most important being the “film of the year” award.  Formerly known as the “Felix Awards,” the European Film Awards are restricted to European cinema and European producers, directors, and actors.

The host cities alternate, as Berlin hosts them every other year while other European cities get the chance in between the years in which Berlin hosts.

The film, The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium), a love story from Felix van Groeningen, leads the 2013 EFA with five nominations.  This film is also Belgium’s official entry for the foreign language category in this year’s Academy Awards.  Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty), an homage to the city of Rome, received four nominations.

The more than 2,900 EFA Members will vote for the winners.  The awards will be presented in Berlin on December 7, 2013.

26th European Film Awards (2013) nominees:

European Film 2013:
THE BEST OFFER
Italy, 130 min
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Giuseppe Tornatore
PRODUCED BY: Isabella Cocuzza & Arturo Paglia

BLANCANIEVES
Spain/France, 104 min
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Pablo Berger
PRODUCED BY: Ibon Cormenzana, Jérôme Vidal & Pablo Berger

THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
Belgium, 100 min
DIRECTED BY: Felix van Groeningen
WRITTEN BY: Carl Joos & Felix van Groeningen
PRODUCED BY: Dirk Impens

LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (THE GREAT BEAUTY)
Italy/France, 140 min
DIRECTED BY: Paolo Sorrentino
WRITTEN BY: Paolo Sorrentino & Umberto Contarello
PRODUCED BY: Nicola Giuliano & Francesca Cima

OH BOY!
Germany, 83 min
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Jan Ole Gerster
PRODUCED BY: Marcos Kantis & Alexander Wadouh

LA VIE D’ADELE: CHAPITRES 1 & 2 (ADELE: CHAPTERS 1 & 2)
France, 179 min
DIRECTED BY: Adellatif Kechiche
WRITTEN BY: Abdellatif Kechiche & Ghalya Lacroix
PRODUCED BY: Brahim Chioua, Vincent Maraval & Abdellatif Kechiche

European Comedy 2013:

LOS AMANTES PASAJEROS (I’M SO EXCITED!)
Spain, 90 min
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Pedro Almodóvar
PRODUCED BY: Agustín Almodóvar & Esther García

BENVENUTO PRESIDENTE! (WELCOME MR PRESIDENT!)
Italy, 100 min
DIRECTED BY: Riccardo Milani
WRITTEN BY: Fabio Bonifacci
PRODUCED BY: Nicola Giuliano & Francesca Cima

DEN SKALDEDE FRISØR (LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED)
Denmark, 111 min
DIRECTED BY: Susanne Bier
WRITTEN BY: Anders Thomas Jensen & Susanne Bier
PRODUCED BY: Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Vibeke Windeløv

SVECENIKOVA DJECA (THE PRIEST’S CHILDREN)
Croatia/Serbia, 93 min
DIRECTED BY: Vinko Brešan
WRITTEN BY: Mate Matišić & Vinko Brešan
PRODUCED BY: Ivan Maloča

European Director 2013:
Pablo Berger for BLANCANIEVES
Felix van Groeningen for THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
Abdellatif Kechiche for LA VIE D’ADELE: CHAPITRES 1 & 2 (Adele: Chapters 1 & 2)
François Ozon for DANS LA MAISON (In the House)
Paolo Sorrentino for LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (The Great Beauty)
Giuseppe Tornatore for THE BEST OFFER

European Actress 2013:
Keira Knightley in ANNA KARENINA
Veerle Baetens in THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
Barbara Sukowa in HANNAH ARENDT
Naomi Watts in LO IMPOSIBLE (The Impossible)
Luminita Gheorghiu in POZITIA COPILULUI (Child's Pose)

European Actor 2013:
Jude Law in ANNA KARENINA
Johan Heldenbergh in THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
Fabrice Luchini in DANS LA MAISON (In the House)
Toni Servillo in LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (The Great Beauty)
Tom Schilling in OH BOY

European Screenwriter 2013:
Tom Stoppard for ANNA KARENINA
Giuseppe Tornatore for THE BEST OFFER
Carl Joos & Felix van Groeningen for THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
François Ozon for DANS LA MAISON (In the House)
Paolo Sorrentino & Umberto Contarello for LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (The Great Beauty)

Here are the previously announced nominations and winners:

European Discovery - Prix FIPRESCI:
• Äta sova dö (Eat Sleep Die), Gabriela Pichler, Sweden
• Call Girl, Mikael Marcimain, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Finland
• Miele (Honey), valeria Golino, Italy and France
• Oh Boy!, Jan Ole Gerster, Germany
• La Plaga (The Plague), Neus Ballús, Spain

European Animated Feature Film:
• The Congress, Ari Folman, Israel, Germany, Poland, Luxembourg, France and Belgium
• Jasmine, Alain Ughetto, France
• Pinocchio, Enzo d'AIò, Italy, Luxembourg, France and Belgium

European Documentary:
• The Act of Killing, Joshua Oppenheimer, Denmark, Norway and UK
• L'Escale (Stop-Over), Kaveh Bakhtiari, Switzerland and France
• L'Image Manquante (The Missing Picture), Rithy Panh, France and Cambodia

European Short Film:
• Cut, Christoph Girardet & Matthias Müller, Germany, 12' (Vila do Conde nominee)
• Dood Van Een Schaduw (Death of a Shadow), Tom Van Avermaet, Belgium and France, 20' (Valladolid nominee)
• Houses with Small Windows, Bülent Öztürk, Belgium, 15' (Venice nominee)
• La Lampe au Beurre de Yak (Butter Lamp), Hu Wei, France and China, 15' (Drama nominee)
• Letter, Sergei Loznitsa, Russia, 20' (documentary) (Krakow nominee)
• Misterio (Mystery), Chema García Ibarra, Spain, 12' (Berlin nominee)
• Morning, Cathy Brady, UK and Ireland, 21' (Cork nominee)
• As Ondas (The Waves), Miguel Fonseca, Portugal, 22' (Ghent nominee)
• Orbit Ever After, Jamie Stone, UK, 20' (Bristol nominee)
• Skok (Jump), Petar Valchanov and Kristina Grozeva, Bulgaria, 30' (Clermont-Ferrand nominee)
• Sonntag 3 (Sunday 3), Jochen Kuhn, Germany, 14' (Tampere nominee)
• A Story for the Modlins, Sergio Oksman, Spain, 26' (documentary) (Sarajevo nominee)
• Though I Know The River Is Dry, Omar Robert Hamilton, Egypt, Palestine and UK, 20' (Rotterdam nominee)
• Yaderni Wydhody (Nuclear Waste), Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy, Ukraine, 25' (Grimstad nominee)
• Zima, Christina Picchi, Russia, 12' (documentary) (Locarno nominee)

Carlo di Palma European Cinematographer Award: Asaf Sudry for Lemale et Ha'Halal (Fill The Void), Israel

European Editor: Cristiano Travaglioli for La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty), Italy and France

European Production Designer: Sarah Greenwood for Anna Karenina, UK

European Composer: Ennio Morricone for The Best Offer, Italy

European Costume Designer: Paco Delgado for Blancanieves, Spain and France

European Sound Designer: Matz Müller and Erik Mischijew for Paradies: Glaube (Paradise: Faith), Austria, Germany and Fran.