Thursday, January 30, 2014

2014 Sundance Film Festival Jury and Audience Award Winners

by Amos Semien

Actor and filmmaker Robert Redford founded the Sundance Institute, a non-profit organization, in 1981.  The Sundance Institute actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide.  Through its offices in Park City, Los Angeles, and New York City, the organization provides creative and financial support to emerging and aspiring filmmakers, directors, producers, film composers, screenwriters, playwrights, and theater artists via a series of Labs and Fellowships

One of the programs put on by the Sundance Institute is the Sundance Film Festival, one of the premier platforms for American and international independent film.  This American film festival takes place annually in January in UtahPark City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort.  One of the largest independent film festivals in the United States, it comprises competitive sections for American and international dramatic and documentary films, both feature-length films and short films, and a group of out-of-competition sections, including “NEXT,” “New Frontier,” “Spotlight,” and “Park City At Midnight.”

The 2014 Sundance Film Festival took place in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.  The festival opened Thursday, January 16, 2014 and closed Sunday, January 26, 2014.

Sundance Institute announced the Jury, Audience and other special awards of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the feature film Awards Ceremony, hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, in Park City, Utah. Video of the ceremony in its entirety is available at www.sundance.org/live.

2014 Sundance Film Festival Awards with presenter and recipient:

[Film description and synopsis provided by Sundance Film Festival:]

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Tracy Chapman to:
Rich Hill / U.S.A. (Directors: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos) — In a rural, American town, kids face heartbreaking choices, find comfort in the most fragile of family bonds, and dream of a future of possibility.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Leonard Maltin to:
Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Andrea Nix Fine to:
Return to Homs / Syria, Germany (Director: Talal Derki) — Basset Sarout, the 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, becomes a demonstration leader and singer, and then a fighter. Ossama, a 24-year-old renowned citizen cameraman, is critical, a pacifist, and ironic until he is detained by the regime's security forces.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Nansun Shi to:
To Kill a Man / Chile, France (Director and screenwriter: Alejandro Fernández Almendras) — When Jorge, a hardworking family man who's barely making ends meet, gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront the attacker, only to get himself shot. Even though Jorge's son nearly dies, Kalule's sentence is minimal, heightening the friction. Cast: Daniel Candia, Daniel Antivilo, Alejandra Yañez, Ariel Mateluna.

The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary Presented by Acura, was presented by William H. Macy to:
Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett) — Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia—many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted.

The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic Presented by Acura, was presented by William H. Macy to:
Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.

The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Felicity Huffman to:
The Green Prince / Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (Director: Nadav Schirman ) — This real-life thriller tells the story of one of Israel’s prized intelligence sources, recruited to spy on his own people for more than a decade. Focusing on the complex relationship with his handler, The Green Prince is a gripping account of terror, betrayal, and unthinkable choices, along with a friendship that defies all boundaries.

The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Felicity Huffman to:
Difret / Ethiopia (Director and screenwriter: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari) — Meaza Ashenafi is a young lawyer who operates under the government's radar helping women and children until one young girl's legal case exposes everything, threatening not only her career but her survival. Cast: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere.

The Audience Award: Best of NEXT <=&gt; was presented by Nick Offerman to:
Imperial Dreams / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles. Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De'aundre Bonds.

The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Morgan Neville to:
Ben Cotner & Ryan White for The Case Against 8 / U.S.A. (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Lone Scherfig to:
Cutter Hodierne for Fishing Without Nets / U.S.A., Somalia, Kenya (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey, David Burkman) — A story of pirates in Somalia told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman. Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Sally Riley to:
Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard for 20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Sebastián Lelio to:
Sophie Hyde for 52 Tuesdays / Australia (Director: Sophie Hyde, Screenplay and story by: Matthew Cormack, Story by: Sophie Hyde) — Sixteen-year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition, and their time together becomes limited to Tuesdays. This emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility, and transformation was filmed over the course of a year—once a week, every week, only on Tuesdays. Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane, Imogen Archer, Mario Späte, Beau Williams, Sam Althuizen.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Peter Saraf to:
Craig Johnson & Mark Heyman for The Skeleton Twins / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Johnson, Screenwriters: Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman) — When estranged twins Maggie and Milo feel that they’re at the end of their ropes, an unexpected reunion forces them to confront why their lives went so wrong. As the twins reconnect, they realize the key to fixing their lives may just lie in repairing their relationship. Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason.

The Screenwriting Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Sebastián Lelio to:
Eskil Vogt for Blind / Norway, Netherlands (Director and screenwriter: Eskil Vogt) — Having recently lost her sight, Ingrid retreats to the safety of her home—a place she can feel in control, alone with her husband and her thoughts. But Ingrid's real problems lie within, not beyond the walls of her apartment, and her deepest fears and repressed fantasies soon take over. Cast: Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Vera Vitali, Marius Kolbenstvedt.

The Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Jonathan Oppenheim to:
Jenny Golden, Karen Sim for Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action.

The Editing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Sally Riley to:
Jonathan Amos for 20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit.

The Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Kahane Cooperman to:
Rachel Beth Anderson, Ross Kauffman for E-TEAM / U.S.A. (Directors: Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman) — E-TEAM is driven by the high-stakes investigative work of four intrepid human rights workers, offering a rare look at their lives at home and their dramatic work in the field.

The Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Peter Saraf to:
Christopher Blauvelt for Low Down / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Preiss, Screenwriters: Amy-Jo Albany, Topper Lilien) — Based on Amy-Jo Albany's memoir, Low Down explores her heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany, as he teeters between incarceration and addiction in the urban decay and waning bohemia of Hollywood in the 1970s. Cast: John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Flea.

The Cinematography Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Caspar Sonnen to:
Thomas Balmès & Nina Bernfeld for Happiness / France, Finland (Director: Thomas Balmès) — Peyangki is a dreamy and solitary eight-year-old monk living in Laya, a Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas. Soon the world will come to him: the village is about to be connected to electricity, and the first television will flicker on before Peyangki's eyes.

The Cinematography Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Carlo Chatrian to:
Ula Pontikos for Lilting / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Hong Khaou) — The world of a Chinese mother mourning the untimely death of her son is suddenly disrupted by the presence of a stranger who doesn't speak her language. Lilting is a touching and intimate film about finding the things that bring us together. Cast: Ben Whishaw, Pei-Pei Cheng, Andrew Leung, Peter Bowles, Naomi Christie, Morven Christie.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Use of Animation was presented by Charlotte Cook to:
Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Intuitive Filmmaking was presented by Charlotte Cook to:
The Overnighters / U.S.A. (Director: Jesse Moss) — Desperate, broken men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor's decision to help them has extraordinary and unexpected consequences.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score was presented by Dana Stevens to:
The Octopus Project for Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter / U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent was presented by Dana Stevens to:
Justin Simien for Dear White People / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Simien) — Four black students attend an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over an “African American” themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in postracial America while weaving a story about forging one's unique path in the world. Cast: Tyler Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell.

A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for the Delightful Ensemble Performance, and How the Director Brought His Own Unique Universe into Cinema was presented by Carlo Chatrian to:
God Help the Girl / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stuart Murdoch) — This musical from Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian is about some messed up boys and girls and the music they made. Cast: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Pierre Boulanger, Cora Bissett.

A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematic Bravery was presented by Caspar Sonnen to:
We Come as Friends / France, Austria (Director: Hubert Sauper) — We Come as Friends is a modern odyssey, a science fiction–like journey in a tiny homemade flying machine into the heart of Africa. At the moment when the Sudan, Africa's biggest country, is being divided into two nations, a "civilizing" pathology transcends the headlines—colonialism, imperialism, and yet-another holy war over resources.

The Short Film Audience Award, Presented by YouTube, based on web traffic for 15 short films that screened at the Festival and were concurrently featured on www.youtube.com/sff, was presented to:
Chapel Perilous / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matthew Lessner) — Levi Gold is paid an unexpected visit by Robin, a door-to-door salesman with nothing to sell. The ensuing encounter forces Levi to confront his true mystical calling, and the nature of reality itself. A metaphysical comedy trip-out with Sun Araw.


www.sundance.org/festival.

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2014 Sundance Film Festival Short Film and Special Award Winners

The 2014 Sundance Film Festival took place in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.  The festival opened Thursday, January 16, 2014 and closed Sunday, January 26, 2014.

Short Film Award Winners (Descriptions provided by Sundance Institute):

Short Film Grand Jury Prize: "Of God and Dogs"/Syrian Arab Republic (Director: Abounaddara Collective) — A young, free Syrian soldier confesses to killing a man he knew was innocent. He promises to take vengeance on the God who led him to commit the murder.

Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction: "Gregory Go Boom"/U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Janicza Bravo) — A paraplegic man leaves home to be on his own.

Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction: "The Cut"/Canada (Director and screenwriter: Geneviève Dulude-Decelles) — The Cut tells the story of a father and a daughter, whose relationship fluctuates between proximity and detachment, at the moment of a haircut.

Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction: "I Think This Is the Closest to How the Footage Looked"/Israel (Directors: Yuval Hameiri, Michal Vaknin) — A man with poor means recreates a lost memory of the last day with his mom. Objects come to life in a desperate struggle to produce a single moment that is gone.

Short Film Jury Award: Animation: "Yearbook"/U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto) — A man is hired to compile the definitive history of human existence before the planet blows up.

Short Film Special Jury Award for Unique Vision: "Rat Pack Rat"/U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Todd Rohal) — A Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator, hired to visit a loyal Rat Pack fan, finds himself performing the last rites at the boy's bedside.

Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-fiction: "Love. Love. Love."/Russia (Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram) — Every year, through the endless winters, her love takes new shapes and forms.

Short Film Special Jury Award for Direction and Ensemble Acting: "Burger"/United Kingdom, Norway (Director and screenwriter: Magnus Mork)

2014 Sundance SPECIAL AWARDS winners:

The winning directors and projects of the Sundance Institute:
Mahindra Global Filmmaking Awards, in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world, are: Hong Khaou, Monsoon (Vietnam/UK); Tobias Lindholm, A War (Denmark); Ashlee Page, Archive (Australia); and Neeraj Ghaywan, Fly Away Solo (India).

The Sundance Institute/NHK Award, honoring and supporting emerging filmmakers, was presented to Mark Rosenberg, director of the upcoming film Ad Inexplorata.

The 2014 Red Crown Producer’s Award and $10,000 grant was presented to Elisabeth Holm, producer of Obvious Child.

The 2014 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, presented to outstanding feature films focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character, was presented to I Origins, directed and written by Mike Cahill. The film received a $20,000 cash award from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

www.sundance.org/festival.

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Renowned Casting Director Swims with "Sharknado 2"

Mike Fenton & Ann Frederick to Cast ‘SHARKNADO 2’

Iconic casting director drafting A-level talent for TV smash sequel

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Legendary casting director Mike Fenton, together with partner Ann Frederick, have struck a deal with The Asylum to cast SHARKNADO 2: THE SECOND ONE, set to film in New York City. Fenton’s long and storied career includes casting credits on THE GODFATHER: PART II, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, BACK TO THE FUTURE, and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

Mike Fenton and Ann Frederick are currently looking to cast A-list talent, from film actors to Broadway stars to music celebrities to television hosts, in a wide range of cameo roles.

The sequel to 2013’s summer TV smash will reunite the creative team from the original, headed by director Anthony Ferrante. SHARKNADO 2: THE SECOND ONE will air on Syfy in July 2014.

Fenton-Frederick Casting will hire all cameo casting alongside Gerald Webb, The Asylum’s Director of Talent.

About The Asylum
The Asylum is one of the world's leading brand-oriented motion picture and television studios. With a focus on high-concept, market-driven entertainment, like SHARKNADO, The Asylum finances, produces and releases 25 films per year through its direct pipeline to the nation's top retailers and its network of international partners. Since its founding in 1997, The Asylum has released more than 500 films and built a library of over 200 original productions, including top-rated movie premieres for Syfy and Lifetime networks. The Asylum is releasing 10 theatrical films in 2013 and is developing TV properties for 2014, including a comedy-horror series for MTV.

About Fenton-Frederick
CHINATOWN, THE GODFATHER II, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, NORMA RAE, TOTAL RECALL, ALIENS, E.T., RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, BLADE RUNNER, HONEYMOON IN VEGAS, RISKY BUSINESS, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE GOONIES, CHAPLIN …These are just a few of more than 250 motion pictures and television shows from Fenton-Frederick Casting. Acclaimed for his creative contributions to many of the greatest films of the past 25 years, Mike Fenton has acquired legendary status among Casting Directors. Also, Mike Fenton has the distinction of co-founding the Casting Society of America (C.S.A.) in 1982. Ann Frederick is co-owner of Fenton-Frederick Casting and has been working with Mike Fenton for over twelve years. Ann has worked on many films including “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D,” cult-favorite Allan Moyle’s “Weirdsville,” “Camille” starring James Franco and Sienna Miller and “A Very Muppet Christmas.” Ann has also cast music videos for such major music artists as Katy Perry, Janelle Monae, Gym Class Heroes, Ashlee Simpson and Panic at the Disco, as well as several commercials, including one of Coca-Cola’s “Open Happiness” commercials starring CeeLo Green. Mike and Ann are members of Local Union no. 399 (IBT), the Casting Union.



Happy Birthday, Anna

Hello Kitty super-fan, Anna, is 8-years-old today.  Miss Anna, have a Happy Birthday and many, many, many more!


Happy B'day, Negromancer 2.0

It was four years ago, on or about today, that Negromancer returned, after a two-and-a-half year absence as an active website.  It arrived on Blogger, and things have worked out - for the most part...


Monday, January 27, 2014

Daft Punk Wins "Album of the Year" at 56th Grammy Awards - Complete Winners List

by Leroy Douresseaux

"Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk is "Album of the Year."

The Grammy Awards (or Grammys) are given out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States.  The Grammy is an accolade that recognizes outstanding achievement in the music industry.  It is the music industry equivalent to the Academy Awards for film, the Emmy Awards for television, and the Tony Awards for stage.

They are helmeted, mute, and mysterious, and now, French electronic music pioneers, Daft Punk, are the toast of the music world following their big night at music’s biggest night, the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.  Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter are the guys behind the masks.  They perform as Daft Punk; last night at the Grammy Awards ceremony, however, everyone seemed to be referring to them as “the French robots.”

Daft Punk won four awards, including “Album of the Year” for the album, Random Access Memories, and “Record of the Year” for their worldwide hit song, “Get Lucky.”  The song features Pharrell Williams (who also won the Grammy for “Producer of the Year, Non-Classical”) and Nile Rodgers, a renowned songwriter and producer best known as the co-founder of Chic, one of the bestselling and most popular dance bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Daft Punk’s four Grammy Awards in one night is a first for a French music group.  Random Access Memories also received a Grammy for “Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.”  Since Daft Punk only appears in public behind helmets, Pharrell Williams, who accompanied them on stage, made the acceptance speeches for their awards.

Other big winners at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards included Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Justin Timberlake, Lorde, and Kacey Musgraves.

The eligibility period for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards is October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013.  The 56th annual Grammys awards ceremony was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California and aired on CBS on Sunday, January 26, 2014.  See a complete list of nominees at http://www.grammy.com/nominees

2014 / 56th annual Grammy Awards winners:

1. Album of the Year: "Random Access Memories," Daft Punk

2. Record of the Year: "Get Lucky," Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers

3. Song of the Year: "Royals," Joel Little & Ella Yelich O'Connor, songwriters (Lorde)

4. Best New Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

5. Best Pop Solo Performance: "Royals," Lorde
6. Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Get Lucky," Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers
7. Best Pop Instrumental Album: "Steppin' Out," Herb Alpert
8. Best Pop Vocal Album: "Unorthodox Jukebox," Bruno Mars
9. Best Dance Recording: "Clarity," Zedd Featuring Foxes
10. Best Dance/Electronica Album: "Random Access Memories," Daft Punk
11. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: "To Be Loved," Michael Buble
12. Best Rock Performance: "Radioactive," Imagine Dragons
13. Best Metal Performance: "God Is Dead?" Black Sabbath
14. Best Rock Song: "Cut Me Some Slack," Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear, songwriters (Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear)
15. Best Rock Album: "Celebration Day," Led Zeppelin
16. Best Alternative Music Album: "Modern Vampires Of The City," Vampire Weekend
17. Best R&B Performance: "Something," Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway
18. Best Traditional R&B Performance: "Please Come Home," Gary Clark Jr.
19. Best R&B Song: "Pusher Love Girl," James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (Justin Timberlake)
20. Best Urban Contemporary Album: "Unapologetic," Rihanna
21. Best R&B Album: "Girl On Fire," Alicia Keys
22. Best Rap Performance: "Thrift Shop," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz
23. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "Holy Grail," Jay Z feat. Justin Timberlake
24. Best Rap Song: "Thrift Shop," Ben Haggerty & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz)
25. Best Rap Album: "The Heist," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
26. Best Country Solo Performance: "Wagon Wheel," Darius Rucker
27. Best Country Duo/Group Performance: "From This Valley," The Civil Wars
28. Best Country Song: "Merry Go 'Round," Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
29. Best Country Album: "Same Trailer Different Park," Kacey Musgraves
30. Best New Age Album: "Love's River," Laura Sullivan
31. Best Improvised Jazz Solo: "Orbits," Wayne Shorter, soloist
32. Best Jazz Vocal Album: "Liquid Spirit," Gregory Porter
33. Best Jazz Instrumental Album: "Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue," Terri Lyne Carrington
34. Best Large Jazz Ensemble: "Night In Calisia," Randy Brecker, Włodek Pawlik Trio & Kalisz Philharmonic
35. Best Latin Jazz Album: "Song For Maura," Paquito D'Rivera And Trio Corrente
36. Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance: "Break Every Chain [Live]," Tasha Cobbs
37. Best Gospel Song: "If He Did It Before... Same God [Live]," Tye Tribbett, songwriter (Tye Tribbett)
38. Best Contemporary Christian Music Song: "Overcomer," David Garcia, Ben Glover & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Mandisa)
39. Best Gospel Album: "Greater Than [Live]," Tye Tribbett
40. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: "Overcomer," Mandisa
41. Best Latin Pop Album: "Vida," Draco Rosa
42. Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: "Treinta Días," La Santa Cecilia
43. Best Regional Mexican Music Album: "A Mi Manera," Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
44. Best Tropical Latin Album: "Pacific Mambo Orchestra," Pacific Mambo Orchestra
45. Best American Roots Song: "Love Has Come For You," Edie Brickell & Steve Martin, songwriters (Steve Martin & Edie Brickell)
46. Best Americana Album: "Old Yellow Moon," Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
47. Best Bluegrass Album: "The Streets Of Baltimore," Del McCoury Band
48. Best Blues Album: "Get Up!" Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite
49. Best Folk Album: "My Favorite Picture Of You," Guy Clark
50. Best Regional Roots Music Album: "Dockside Sessions," Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience
51. Best Reggae Album: "Ziggy Marley In Concert," Ziggy Marley

52. Best World Music Album: (TIE) "Savor Flamenco," Gipsy Kings; AND "Live: Singing For Peace Around The World," Ladysmith Black Mambazo

53. Best Children's Album: "Throw A Penny In The Wishing Well," Jennifer Gasoi
54. Best Spoken-Word Album: "America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren't," Stephen Colbert
55. Best Comedy Album: "Calm Down Gurrl," Kathy Griffin
56. Best Musical Theater Album: "Kinky Boots"
57. Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media: "Sound City: Real To Reel," Butch Vig, compilation producer

58. Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media: "Skyfall," Thomas Newman, composer
59. Best Song Written For Visual Media: "Skyfall," Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)

60. Best Instrumental Composition: "Pensamientos For Solo Alto Saxophone And Chamber Orchestra," Clare Fischer, composer (The Clare Fischer Orchestra)
61. Best Instrumental Arrangement: "On Green Dolphin Street," Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band)
62. Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): "Swing Low," Gil Goldstein, arranger (Bobby McFerrin & Esperanza Spalding)
63. Best Recording Package: "Long Night Moon," Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds, art directors (Reckless Kelly)
64. Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: "Wings Over America (Deluxe Edition)," Simon Earith & James Musgrave, art directors (Paul McCartney And Wings)
65. Best Album Notes: "Afro Blue Impressions (Remastered & Expanded)," Neil Tesser, album notes writer (John Coltrane)
66. Best Historical Album: (TIE) "Charlie Is My Darling - Ireland 1965," "The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums"
67. Best Engineered Album: "Random Access Memories," Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta & Daniel Lerner, engineers; Antoine "Chab" Chabert, Bob Ludwig, mastering engineers (Daft Punk)
68. Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Pharrell
69. Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: "Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)," Cedric Gervais, remixer (Lana Del Rey)
70. Best Surround Sound Album: "Live Kisses," Al Schmitt, surround mix engineer; Tommy LiPuma, surround producer (Paul McCartney)
71. Best Engineered Album, Classical: "Winter Morning Walks," David Frost, Brian Losch & Tim Martyn, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Dawn Upshaw, Maria Schneider, Australian Chamber Orchestra & St. Paul Chamber Orchestra)
72. Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost
73. Best Orchestral Performance: "Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4," Osmo Vänskä, conductor (MinnesotaOrchestra)
74. Best Opera Recording: "Adès: The Tempest," Thomas Adès, conductor; Simon Keenlyside, Isabel Leonard, Audrey Luna & Alan Oke; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
75. Best Choral Performance: "Pärt: Adam's Lament," Tõnu Kaljuste, conductor (Tui Hirv & Rainer Vilu; Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; Sinfonietta Riga & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra; Latvian Radio Choir & Vox Clamantis)
76. Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: "Roomful Of Teeth," Brad Wells & Roomful Of Teeth
77. Best Classical Instrumental Solo: "Corigliano: Conjurer - Concerto For Percussionist & String Orchestra," Evelyn Glennie; David Alan Miller, conductor (Albany Symphony)
78. Best Classical Vocal Solo: "Winter Morning Walks," Dawn Upshaw (Maria Schneider; Jay Anderson, Frank Kimbrough & Scott Robinson; Australian Chamber Orchestra & St. Paul Chamber Orchestra)
79. Best Classical Compendium: "Hindemith: Violinkonzert; Symphonic Metamorphosis; Konzertmusik," Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
80. Best Contemporary Classical Composition: "Schneider, Maria: Winter Morning Walks," Maria Schneider, composer (Dawn Upshaw, Jay Anderson, Frank Kimbrough, Scott Robinson & Australian Chamber Orchestra)
81. Best Music Video: "Suit & Tie," Justin Timberlake Featuring Jay Z - David Fincher, video director; Timory King, video producer
82. Best Music Film: "Live Kisses," Paul McCartney - Jonas Akerlund, video director; Violaine Etienne, Aron Levine & Scott Rodger, video producers

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2014 International Cinephile Society Award Nominations Announced

by Amos Semien

The International Cinephile Society (ICS) was formed in 2003.  The ICS is an online group made up of approximately 80 members, who it describes as “accredited journalists, film scholars, historians and other industry professionals who cover film festivals and events on five continents.”

Each year, in February, the ICS honors the finest in American and international cinema with the ICS Awards.  On the Sunday, January 12, 2014, they announced the nominees for their 11th annual awards.  The nominations are a mixture of critical favorites such as Inside Llewyn Davis, Her, and 12 Years a Slave, which each received seven nominations, including “Best Picture.”  However, they also went with such films as Frances Ha and Spring Breakers, which have not received much, if any, best picture love.  The winners will be announced Sunday, February 23, 2014.

2014 / The 11th ICS Awards nominees (for the year in film, 2013):

PICTURE
• 12 Years a Slave
• Before Midnight
• Blue is the Warmest Color
• Frances Ha
• Gravity
• The Great Beauty
• Her
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Laurence Anyways
• Spring Breakers
• The Wolf of Wall Street

DIRECTOR
• Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - Inside Llewyn Davis
• Alfonso Cuarón - Gravity
• Xavier Dolan - Laurence Anyways
• Spike Jonze - Her
• Abdellatif Kechiche - Blue is the Warmest Color
• Paolo Sorrentino - The Great Beauty

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
• Beyond the Hills
• Blancanieves
• Blue is the Warmest Color
• Faust
• The Great Beauty
• The Hunt
• In the House
• Laurence Anyways
• The Past
• A Touch of Sin

ACTOR
• Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street
• Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
• Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis
• Mads Mikkelsen - The Hunt
• Joaquin Phoenix - Her
• Melvil Poupaud - Laurence Anyways

ACTRESS
• Juliette Binoche - Camille Claudel 1915
• Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
• Suzanne Clément - Laurence Anyways
• Adèle Exarchopoulos - Blue is the Warmest Color
• Greta Gerwig - Frances Ha

SUPPORTING ACTOR
• Anton Adasinsky - Faust
• Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave
• James Franco - Spring Breakers
• Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club
• Matthew McConaughey - Mud

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
• Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine
• Scarlett Johansson - Her
• Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
• Léa Seydoux - Blue is the Warmest Color
• Kristin Scott Thomas - Only God Forgives

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
• Blue Jasmine - Woody Allen
• Frances Ha - Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig
• Her - Spike Jonze
• Inside Llewyn Davis - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
• Laurence Anyways - Xavier Dolan

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
• 12 Years a Slave - John Ridley
• Before Midnight - Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
• Blue is the Warmest Color - Abdellatif Kechiche, Ghalia Lacroix
• In the House - François Ozon
• Short Term 12 - Destin Cretton

CINEMATOGRAPHY
• Blancanieves - Kiko de la Rica
• Faust - Bruno Delbonnel
• Gravity - Emmanuel Lubezki
• Inside Llewyn Davis - Bruno Delbonnel
• Leviathan - Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Verena Paravel

EDITING
• Blue is the Warmest Color - Sophie Brunet, Ghalia Lacroix, Albertine Lastera, Jean-Marie Lengelle, Camille Toubkis
• Frances Ha - Jennifer Lame
• Gravity - Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger
• Leviathan - Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Verena Paravel
• Spring Breakers - Douglas Crise
• The Wolf of Wall Street - Thelma Schoonmaker

PRODUCTION DESIGN
• Blancanieves - Alain Bainée
• Faust - Elena Zhukova
• The Great Gatsby - Catherine Martin
• Her - K.K. Barrett
• Inside Llewyn Davis - Jess Gonchor

ORIGINAL SCORE
• 12 Years a Slave - Hans Zimmer
• All is Lost - Alex Ebert
• Blancanieves - Alfonso de Vilallonga
• The Great Beauty - Lele Marchitelli
• Her - Owen Pallett

ENSEMBLE
• 12 Years a Slave
• American Hustle
• Frances Ha
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Short Term 12

ANIMATED FILM
• Ernest & Célestine
• From Up On Poppy Hill
• Frozen
• Monsters University
• The Wind Rises

DOCUMENTARY
• The Act of Killing
• At Berkeley
• Leviathan
• Room 237
• Stories We Tell

BEST PICTURE NOT RELEASED IN 2013
• Child's Pose
• The Congress
• Gloria
• Home from Home: Chronicle of a Vision
• The Immigrant
• Like Father, Like Son
• Norte, The End of History
• Only Lovers Left Alive
• The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu
• Snowpiercer
• The Strange Little Cat
• Stranger by the Lake
• Stray Dogs
• Tom at the Farm
• Young & Beautiful

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