Tuesday, December 11----------With the announcement over the past two days of the winners of the Los Angeles and New York Film Critics Associations, the leading contenders for the Oscar have finally crystallized. Prize winners from the two most prestigious film critics societies in the United States have definitely turned both films and talents into the frontrunners…..in other words, the ones to beat come Oscar night. The first to announce, on Sunday afternoon, was the Los Angeles Film Cri...
Wednesday, December 5--------And we're off.....the awards season has kicked off in high gear this past week, with the announcement of the Gotham Awards in New York, the nominations for the Film Independent Spirit Awards and now the National Board of Review, the first of the end-of-the-year critics groups to bestow prizes. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, Joel and Ethan Coen's nouveau Western, was named Best Film of the Year. The film also won a Best Adapted Screenplay prize for the Coens, as well as an...
Tuesday, December 4----------The year 2007 will be remembered for many things.....but one of the biggest surprises, at least in the worlds of film and media, has been the emergence of the former Communist state of Romania as the hottest film producing territory, not only in Europe, but also worldwide. Of course, a few international arthouse hits does not a thriving industry make, but if one wanted to get a sense of where the energy and inspiration in contemporary cinema could be coming from next...
Tuesday, December 4--------IDFA, the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, concluded its 10-day marathon of films this past weekend with the announcement of its major awards. The Festival, which celebrated its twentienth anniversary this year amid an explosion of film attendance and a major change in screening venues, has emerged as one of the hallmark events on the documentary film calendar. Films from all over the world not only get screened at IDFA, but sales are made and developme...
Tuesday, November 20---------Fifteen documentary films have been selected for the "short list" of titles competing in the Best Documentary Feature category at the 80th Academy Awards. The Documentary Branch Screening Committee of the Academy of Television Arts And Sciences have viewed the eligible documentaries and branch members will now select the five 2007 nominees from this short list. Many of the films have been featured at leading film festivals around the world and some ...
Monday, November 12--------The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival ended last evening with a gala premiere screening of the Festival Closing Night Film, MIDNIGHT CLEAR, with director Dallas Jenkins and actor Stephen Baldwin in attendance. Prior to the screening, Gregory von Hausch, erstwhile Festival Director and the charismatic on-stage presence for the event, announced the major winners in a variety of categories.Winning Best Film honors was the French film THE DIVING BELL AND THE BU...
Friday, November 9----------Actor Gary Sinise was honored this evening for his two-decade film career by the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. The Oscar nominee was in town to receive the Festival's prestigious Career Achievement In Film Award, as well as participate in an on-stage tribute moderated by Phoebe Flowers, chairperson of the Florida Film Critics Circle. The tribute included clips from some of Sinise's most compelling performances. After the Tribute, the crowds made t...
Monday, November 5---------The European Film Academy has announced the nominations for the 20th European Film Awards during this past weekend's Seville Film Festival. Academy members, who number over 1800, will now vote for the winners, which will be presented at the European Film Awards Ceremony in Berlin on December 1st. The nominees and ultimate winners should give an indication of what European films will be nominated for Oscar and BAFTA Awards later this season.BEST EUROPEAN FILM4 LUNI, ...
Friday, November 2---------At the Closing Gala of the 51st Times bfi London Film Festival, held last evening at the close of the 14-day festival marathon, a host of awards were announced. While the Festival does not have a Competition Section per se, films screening in its various sections are eligible for some special awards.The Sutherland Trophy is awarded to the director of the most original and imaginative first feature film screened at Festival. The winners were the French directing team ...
Wednesday, October 31--------Truth be told, I left the London Film Festival on Monday morning, October 29th (also my birthday in case anyone wants to send me a belated box of chocolates). So, unfortunately, I missed an event that I truly wanted to cover. But through the art of the press release, I am able to report that on that same Monday evening (when I was blowing out I won't tell you how many candles), the Times BFI London Film Festival along with trade publication Variety presented the 20...
Monday, October 29-------Ending what was undoubtedly a highly successful sophomore edition, the Cinema: Rome Filmfest announced its major awards at a gala Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening, in conjunction with a live concert event saluting and playing the music of Italian master composer Ennio Morricone. The Festival delivered on the glamour and the glitz, while also highlighting many worthy films in its various film sections.The Popular Jury of the official Competition Section, made up of...
Monday, October 21--------The Middle East International Film Festival – Abu Dhabi (MEIFF) announced the winners of the Black Pearl Awards at the Closing Night Ceremony held at the Emirates Palace on Saturday evening. The Black Pearl trophy (designed by Mohammed Gomaa) is a handmade sculpture representing the beautiful and rare black pearl originally discovered in the pristine waters of the Abu Dhabi coastline, and a symbol that is an integral part of Abu Dhabi history and culture. The Bla...
Friday, October 19----------Even though Queen Elizabeth is in town (not the real royal but the one played by Cate Blanchett in ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE), and despite the fact that such industry heavyweights as Francis Ford Coppolla, Sidney Lumet and Tom Cruise are somewhere here in the Eternal City for screenings of their films this weekend, all eyes will be on Sophia tonight.....Sophia Loren that is. The iconic actress will walk the Red Carpet in advance of the screening of a new documentary...
Thursday, October 18-------THE DIVIING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, the latest film from painter-turned-director Julian Schnabel has won the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize, which will be presented at the Hamptons International Film Festival this weekend. For the 8th consecutive year, the $25,000 cash prize is being awarded to a feature-length film that explores science and technology themes in fresh, innovative ways and depicts scientists and engineers in a realistic and compelling...
Tuesday, October 16------The European Film Academy, which among other things, bestows prizes for the best European films of the year, has awarded its Prix ARTE for Best Documentary to a French film, LE PAPIER NE PEUT PAS ENVELOPPER LA BRAISE (Paper Cannot Wrap Up Embers), directed by Rithy Panh. The award will be presented during the 20th European Film Awards Ceremony at at Berlin’s Arena on Saturday, December 1. In co-operation with the European cultural channel ARTE, the European Film Aca...
Thursday, October 11--------The International Documentary Association (IDA), the most influential professional association devoted to the non-fiction form, has announced its 2007 nominees for the IDA Awards. Films compete in seven categories that includes works produced for theatrical release and for television exposure. The IDA nominations are an accurate reflection of what documentary features wil make the short list for the Academy Award.Nominees for the IDA Award For Feature Films include...
Tuesday, October 9---------The European Film Academy has announced the titles of the 42 films on the selection list for the European Film Awards, the continent's version of the Oscars. This year, 26 European countries are represented and the nations with the largest film industries have no more than three films on the list. In the coming weeks, the 1,800 members of the European Film Academy will vote for the nominations in the different award categories. The nominations will then be announced...
Tuesday, October 2--------A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS, the latest film from Hong Kong-born and United States-based director Wayne Wang, was the big winner at the San Sebastian Film Festival, as the awards were announced on Saturday evening in the Basque coastal resort town. The film won the Festival's Golden Shell as Best Film, also winning a Silver Shell for Best Actor for the film's lead Henry O. The film, based on a short story by award-winning author Yiyun Li, depicts the tensio...
Tuesday, September 25-------- Tropfest@Tribeca, the new outdoor short film screenings event that attracted nearly 7500 attendees on Sunday evening in lower Manhattan, announced its award winners. The new Festival, a collaboration between Tribeca Enterprises and John Polson, creator of Australia’s Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival, premiered 16 films at the World Financial Center Plaza in New York and was also sent live via satellite to Brookfield Properties FCP Park at First ...
Monday, September 17---------The Toronto International Film Festival marathon (365 films in 10 days.....pant, pant) came to a close on Saturday evening with the announcement of the film awards at the historic Fairmont Royal York Hotel. While the Festival is mainly a non-competitive affair, the Canadian entries are up for a number of awards, which only helps to strengthen their international profile. Toronto International Film Festival Award WinnersAWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILMThe award ...
Sunday, September 9---------If one missed them at the Venice Film Festival, the major winners of that Festival on the Lido (announced last evening) are playing here in Toronto. As part of the roundelay that has become the Fall Festival circuit, buyers, programmers and the press can pick up on films they have missed by simply waiting for another turn of the merry-go-round. If not Venice, then Toronto. If not Toronto, then New York. If not New York, then San Sebastian.. So for those who have st...
For the two weeks, editorial focus will be on the Montreal World Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. Check out all the excitement via the Online Dailies Sites. Montreal World Film Festival Dailies: www.fest21.com/blog/montreal_world_film_festival Toronto International Film Festival Dailies: www.fest21.com/blog/toronto_film_festival Come back for more Awards coverage in 2 weeks.............Sandy Mandelberger, Awards Watch Edit...
Monday, September 3--------In an unprecedented move, the Competition Jury of the Montreal World Film Festival decided to split the Festival's highest honor, the Grand Prix Des Ameriques, a first in Festival history. The period drama UN SECRET by veteran French director Claude Miller, which had its world premiere at the event and closed the Festival's 31st edition this evening, shared the honor with BEN-X, a Belgian/Dutch co-production by first-time director Nic Balthazar. BEN-X, a highly imagi...
Thursday, August 23--------The Venice International Film Festival has announced that it will honor the filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci with a special achievement award. Bertolucci will receive the 75th Anniversary Golden Lion at the Festival, which opens next week. One of the seminal filmmaker auteurs of the last 50 years, Bernardo Bertolucci was born in the Italian city of Parma. He was the second son of his father, a poet and art historian. Bertolucci began writing at the age of fifteen, and...
Tuesday, August 21---------The Pusan International Film Festival, which will take place in Pusan, South Korea from October 4 to 12, has become the largest and most respected film festival in Asia. Considered a kind of "Asian Sundance" because of its commitment to cutting-edge works by international auteurs, the Festival has announced a number of award tributes for its upcoming session.Taiwanese director Edward Yang, who helped build Taiwan's new wave cinema of the 1980s, will be...
