AWFJ Announces 2015 EDA Award Nominations - Full List

According the organization’s website, The Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Inc. (AWFJ), was founded in 2006.  The membership is made up of “highly qualified professional female movie critics, reporters and feature writers working in print, broadcast and online media.”  Its state purpose is to “support work by and about women - both in front of and behind the cameras - through intra-group promotional activities, outreach programs and by presenting the annual EDA Awards in recognition of outstanding accomplishments (the best and worst) by and about women in the movies.”

Statement from the group's website:  “With sincerest appreciation of all the great work that’s been done in film this year, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists is pleased to announce the awards categories for the 2015 EDA Awards.

EDA Award winners will be announced on January 12, 2016.

2015 EDA Awards nominations:

[AWFJ BEST OF AWARDS: These awards are presented to women and/or men without gender consideration.”]

Best Film

    Carol
    Mad Max: Fury Road
    The Martian
    Room
    Spotlight

Best Director

    Lenny Abrahamson – Room
    Todd Haynes – Carol
    Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – The Revenant
    Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
    George Miller – Mad Max Fury Road
    Ridley Scott – The Martian

Best Screenplay, Original

    Ex Machina – Alex Garland
    Inside Out – Pete Docter, Ronnie Del Carmen, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley
    Spotlight – Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy

Best Screenplay, Adapted

    The Big Short – Charles Randolph, Adam McKay
    Carol – Phyllis Nagy
    The Martian – Drew Goddard
    Room – Emma Donoghue

Best Documentary

    Amy – Asif Kapadia
    Best of Enemies – Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville
    Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief – Alex Gibney
    The Hunting Ground – Kirby Dick
    What Happened, Ms. Simone? – Liz Garbus

Best Animated Film

    Anomalisa
    Inside Out
    Shaun The Sheep

Best Actress

    Cate Blanchett – Carol
    Brie Larson – Room
    Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

    Rooney Mara – Carol
    Kristen Stewart – Clouds of Sils Maria
    Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
    Kate Winslett – Steve Jobs

Best Actor

    Matt Damon – The Martian
    Leonardo Di Caprio – The Revenant
    Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
    Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

    Paul Dano – Love & Mercy
    Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
    Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
    Sylvester Stallone – Creed

Best Ensemble Cast

    The Big Short
    Spotlight
    Straight Outta Compton

Best Editing

    The Big Short – Hank Corwin
    Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
    Spotlight – Tom McArdle

Best Cinematography

    Carol – Edward Lachman
    Mad Max: Fury Road – John Seale
    The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Film Music Or Score

    Carol – Carter Burwell
    The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
    Mad Max: Fury Road – Junkie XL
    Youth – David Lang

Best Non-English-Language Film

    Mustang – Deniz Gamze Erguven
    Phoenix – Christian Petzold
    Son of Saul – Laszlo Nemes

EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS
[These awards honor WOMEN only.]

Best Woman Director

    Isabel Coixet – Learning to Drive
    Maya Forbes – Infinitely Polar Bear
    Sarah Gavron – Suffragette
    Marielle Heller – Diary of a Teenage Girl
    Celine Sciamma – Girlhood

Best Woman Screenwriter

    Emma Donoghue – Room
    Marielle Heller – Diary of a Teenage Girl
    Phyllis Nagy – Carol
    Amy Schumer – Trainwreck

Best Female Action Star

    Emily Blunt – Sicario
    Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games Mocking Jay 2
    Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
    Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Breakthrough Performance

    Brie Larson – Room
    Bel Powley – Diary of a Teenage Girl
    Daily Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
    Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina, Testament of Youth, The Danish Girl

Female Icon of the Year Award (a woman whose work in film and/or in life made a difference)

    - Chantal Ackerman – In Memoriam For being a great filmmaker and inspiration.
    -  Maria Giese – Activist filmmaker who is spearheading the movement for parity for women directors.
    - Donna Langley – Chair(wo)man, Universal Pictures, who has brought the studio to unprecedented profits.
   -  Jennifer Lawrence – For breaking the silence about discriminatory practices and unequal pay for actresses.
   -  Charlotte Rampling – Because she’s Charlotte Rampling and is iconic.

EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS

Best Depiction Of Nudity, Sexuality, or Seduction

    Anomalisa
    Carol
    Diary of a Teenage Girl

Actress Defying Age and Ageism

    Helen Mirren
    Charlotte Rampling
    Lily Tomlin

Most Egregious Age Difference Between The Lead and The Love Interest Award

    Danny Collins – Al Pacino and Katarina Cas
    Freeheld – Julianne Moore and Ellen Page
    Irrational Man – Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone
    Spectre – Daniel Craig and Lea Seydoux

Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent

    Bryce Dallas Howard – Jurassic World
    Dakota Johnson – 50 Shades of Grey
    Emma Stone – Aloha

Movie You Wanted To Love, But Just Couldn’t

    Aloha
    The Danish Girl
    The Hateful Eight
    Sisters

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"Bitch Planet" Returns in the New Year

BITCH PLANET RETURNS IN FORCE

Issue #6 is a stand-alone before the new arc begins, featuring art by Taki Soma

Writer Kelly Sue DeConnick (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) and special guest artist Taki Soma (SINERGY, Rapture) will launch a special stand-alone issue in the ongoing bitingly satirical series BITCH PLANET this January.

Previously in BITCH PLANET, a new crop of non-compliants settled in for their stay on the Auxiliary Compliance Outpost. When a small group was offered a chance to earn their freedom, they took it, knowing the odds would be stacked against them at every turn.

In BITCH PLANET #6, Meiko Maki’s past is uncovered: how she went from promising engineer to killer—and the ace up her sleeve.

“I’ve wanted to work with Taki since we met, and Val and I were so pleased when she agreed to take on Bitch Planet,” said DeConnick. “Her art style matches Meiko’s personality, I think. There’s a vulnerability to it, an honesty, buffered with a sense of humor—which I think is critical for this title. And that’s not an easy thing to balance. Val makes it look effortless, but it’s not. Taki was able to step into our world and meld beautifully, and at the same time, entirely be herself.”

She added, "After lengthy discussions between ourselves, we’ve decided to run this issue with the following content advisory: 'The following is a flashback issue, covering the events that lead to Meiko Maki's incarceration. It contains plot elements and images relating to sexual assault. The creators encourage you to evaluate your comfort level before deciding to proceed. Bitch Planet's main narrative will resume next month with Issue 7. The series recap therein will not recount the assault.’ It’s similar to the tack we’ve taken with racial epithets—these things have to exist in the world of Bitch Planet, we have to talk about them, but we’re trying to figure out a way to do it that isn’t exploitative, that doesn’t contribute to trauma.”

"I gotta say, this has been a dream project,” said Soma. “In this particular issue, you really GET where Meiko Maki comes from in a way that's integral to the overall Bitch Planet title. If that doesn't excite you, let me just say that I feel sad for you and may I suggest that you look into your pet's eyes and hug it a lot."

BITCH PLANET #6 (Diamond code: NOV150504) hits stores Wednesday, January 6th, 2016. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, December 14th, 2015.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Warner Bros.' Announces Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk"

Christopher Nolan to Direct the Epic Action Thriller “Dunkirk” for Warner Bros. Pictures

Casting is underway on the ensemble to be led by unknown actors, with Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and Tom Hardy in talks to join the cast

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Christopher Nolan will direct “Dunkirk” from his own original screenplay. An epic action thriller, “Dunkirk” is set during the legendary evacuation. The announcement was made by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production.

The large scale film will be shot on a combination of IMAX 65mm and 65mm large format film photography for maximum image quality and high impact immersion. Shooting will begin in May using many of the real locations of the true-life events, which form the background for the story.

The cast will be headed by yet-to-be-cast unknowns. Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and Tom Hardy are currently in talks to join the ensemble.

Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner Emma Thomas.

Silverman stated, “We are thrilled to be continuing our collaboration with Christopher Nolan, a singular filmmaker who has created some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films of all time. ‘Dunkirk’ is a gripping and powerful story and we are excited to see Chris, Emma and their cast realize it on the big screen.”

Warner Bros. Pictures is distributing “Dunkirk” worldwide and has slated the film for a July 21, 2017 release. The film will be released theatrically on IMAX, 70mm, 35mm and all other screens.

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J-Pop Summit Returns to San Francisco's Fort Mason Center

J-POP SUMMIT WILL RETURN TO HISTORIC FORT MASON CENTER IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR 2016

The Bay Area’s Premiere Japanese Pop Culture Event Announces Dates For Summer 2016 Festival At Expansive New Home In San Francisco’s Historic Marina District

San Francisco, CA – The J-POP SUMMIT Committee, the organization that presents the Japanese pop culture celebration held annually in San Francisco, has announced that the 2016 J-POP SUMMIT will be held at the historic Fort Mason Center, the weekend of Friday, July 22nd thru Sunday, July 24th, 2016.

The Bay Area’s popular celebration of Japanese pop culture, music, art, anime, fashion, food, technology, travel and film, marked its evolution into a ticketed event this year, and attracted more than 30,000 people to its first Festival staged at the historic Fort Mason Center in San Francisco’s Marina district earlier this summer. It was also complemented by additional events in Union Square and at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema in Japantown. Full details and images from the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT are featured at: www.J-POP.com.

“As we look ahead to presenting the 8th consecutive J-POP SUMMIT, we will continue to deliver a unique showcase of Japan’s latest pop trends,” says Seiji Horibuchi, Chairman of the J-Pop SUMMIT Festival Committee and the founder of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “Every year we add new attractions and special events to highlight not only popular current trends but also emerging new aspects of Japanese pop culture. Fort Mason gives us many possibilities for future growth and we look forward to presenting another extraordinary line-up of artists and programming for 2016!”

Held since 2009, the J-POP SUMMIT is a one-of-a-kind, yearly event that has developed a unique festival format to present a diverse array of the latest in pop-influenced culture and artists from Japan. J-POP SUMMIT began as an annual street fair-style outdoor festival held in San Francisco’s Japantown and has drawn as many as 125,000 people in past years. Previous notable J-POP SUMMIT headliners have included Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, May’n, Tadanobu Asano, Takako Tokiwa, Tomomi Itano, Eir Aoi, Gacharic Spin, Tokyo Girls Style, and JAM Project.


About J-POP SUMMIT
The J-POP SUMMIT is an annual Japanese Pop Culture celebration held in San Francisco, CA that features live bands and artists from Japan, pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion shows and events, food and spirits, art, and celebrity appearances. Details on J-POP SUMMIT are available at www.J-POP.com.

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Image Comics Announces Milligan and Fernandez's "The Discipline"

THE DISCIPLINE IS A DARK, SEDUCTIVE MYSTERY

An all-new series about sex, death, and metamorphosis

Bestselling writer Peter Milligan (X-Force / X-Statix) and artist Leandro Fernandez (Queen & Country) team up for an all-new series, THE DISCIPLINE, launching from Image Comics this March 2016.

In THE DISCIPLINE #1 readers meet Melissa, one woman who—between fighting her sister and hating her husband—still finds time to fall in lust with a stranger who's an awful lot more than he seems. 

“This might be the edgiest story I've written,” said Milligan. “In most ‘erotic thrillers’ sex is the end-game, the objective. In The Discipline the erotic charge is simply a step towards something stranger, darker… beyond human.”

What appears to be a simple seduction is revealed as something much darker and more dangerous.

This controversial and erotically-charged tale of sex, death, and metamorphosis begins with an explosion of carnality and weirdness. THE DISCIPLINE #1 (Diamond Code JAN160523) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, February 8th, 2016.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Dark Horse Announces First Volume of "World of Warcraft: Chronicle"

DARK HORSE COMICS SETS DATE FOR WORLD OF WARCRAFT®: CHRONICLE VOLUME 1

The First of Three Volumes Exploring the Mythology of Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft® Universe Arrives March 15

MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse Comics and Blizzard Entertainment have set a release date for the first in a multivolume series detailing the history of the Warcraft® universe: World of Warcraft®: Chronicle Volume 1.

On March 15, 2016, World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 will hit shelves, taking readers on a journey through an age of myth and legend long before the Horde and the Alliance came to be. This definitive tome of Warcraft lore reveals untold stories about the birth of the cosmos, the rise of ancient empires, and the forces that shaped the world of Azeroth and its people.

“World of Warcraft: Chronicle is the first in a series of books that attempts to codify, tighten up, and clarify the history of Warcraft,” said Chris Metzen, Blizzard Entertainment senior vice president of story and franchise development. “People often ask why lore is important. The lore, the storytelling of Warcraft is something that we’ve really tried to work on and hone over the years as an integral part of the fantasy you’re playing through. When it catches you, it’s something you want to keep coming back to over and over.”

This beautiful hardcover book features over twenty full-page illustrations by World of Warcraft artist Peter Lee and is the first in a multipart series exploring the Warcraft universe, from its distant past to the current era. Volume 1 covers the creation of the Warcraft universe up to the story of the original Warcraft: Orcs & Humans.

World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 goes on sale March 15, 2016, in comic shops and bookstores.


About Dark Horse Comics
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X, and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga, and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes nineteen #1 games* and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.

*Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.

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"The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening" Coming from Dark Horse

DARK HORSE TO RELEASE “THE ART OF FIRE EMBLEM: AWAKENING”

Stunning illustrations, concept art, weapon and costume design, and more

MILWAUKIE, OR—After its amazing success with the release of the collectors’ book The Legend of Zelda™: Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse turns its attention to another Nintendo® franchise, Fire Emblem™.

The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening is an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the smash-hit game for Nintendo 3DS. This book offers beautifully illustrated renditions of your favorite characters, storyboards for in-game events, character designs, weapon designs, character profiles, and the entirety of the script with every possible branch of dialogue!

Fire Emblem is a tactical role-playing video game franchise published by Nintendo. The series currently consists of six games available in the United States. Fire Emblem: Awakening is the latest Fire Emblem game to be released in the US. Fire Emblem: Fates, the follow-up to Awakening, was released in Japan in June 2015 and will come to the US in February 2016.

Relive some of the most poignant moments of the game—or see what might have been if you had made different in-game decisions with The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening.

The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening will be available in comic shops on August 17, 2016, and in bookstores on August 30, 2016.


About Dark Horse Comics
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X, and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga, and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

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