Monday, March 26------The 10th edition of the Bermuda International Film Festival came to a smashing close on Saturday night with its legendary Wrap Party at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel. Winners were announced for both juried and audience awards. The French Canadian film A SUNDAY IN KINGALI, by director Robert Favreau, won the Bacardi Limited Audience Choice Award. This emotional and highly effective drama of love, loss and regret as experienced by a French Canadian journalist ...

Friday, March 23---Five Asian films in development won awards valued at $97,000 at the closing ceremonies of the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) on Thursday evening. Organized by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society and co-organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong, Kowloon & New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association Ltd., the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) is a film project market that aims to bring the most excit...

Wednesday, March 21----- The San Francisco Film Society announced today that Robin Williams will be the recipient of the Peter J. Owens Award to be presented at the San Francisco International Film Festival (April 26–May 10, 2007), which is celebrating its landmark 50th anniversary this year, making it the oldest film festival event in the Americas. The Owens Award, named after local cultural benefactor and longtime Film Society board member Peter J. Owens, honors an actor whose work exemplif...

 Monday, March 19-----Actor Earl Cameron, a Bermuda native son who found fame as the "English Sidney Poitier" in several trailblazing English films of in the late 1950s and early 1960s, is being honored at the Bermuda International Film Festival. On Saturday evening, A Conversation With Earl Cameron featured the distinguished actor, who discussed his career and the changing role for black talents in the film industry.From the moment he first appeared on screen, as a young Jamaican...

  Friday, March 16---- Ally Derks, the director of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), has received a Lifetime Achievement Award for the vital role she has played in the development and recognition of the documentary genre worldwide. The award was presented to Derks last evening during the opening of the Docaviv Documentary Festival. The award was presented by the ambassador of the European Commission in Israel. Docaviv’s organisation chose to present Derks with this...

 Wednesday, March 14----Austin, Texas was the focus for the cutting-edge in cinema and music, as the South By Southwest Festival (SXSW) presented its parallel film festival and music conference to a record audience of filmmakers, musicians, industry suits and buffs of all stripes. The Festival, directed by Matt Dentler, is growing in influence and scope as a place for discovering new talents. The Festival came to a climax with its Gala Awards Ceremony held last evening at the Austin Conventi...

Monday, March 12----- One of Miami’s most glamorous cultural events of the year, the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) reached its zenith with its Gala Awards Night, presenting awards to films in three competition categories: Documentary Features, Ibero-American Dramatic Features, and World Dramatic Features. Jurors in the three categories, along with the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), awarded prizes to films in competition during the 2007 Festival. The ceremonies ...

Friday, March 2-----Sandy Mandelberger, the editor of AWARDS WATCH, is currently attending the Miami International Film Festival. I invite our regular readers to follow coverage of the films, filmmakers and special events taking place in Miami from March 2 to 11. New postings for the AWARDS WATCH  site will resume the week of March 12th. Until then, as they say in the tropics, I wish you a sun-sational time.....Miami Film Festival Online Dailies Coverage: www.miami.fest21.comSandy Mandelberger,...

 Wednesday, February 28----Coming on the eve of the Academy Awards, which honors the BEST in film of the past year, the Golden Raspberry Awards go to the other extreme.....singling out the worst films and performances of 2006. Affectionately known as the Razzies, the ceremonies, now in their 27th year, were held on Oscar eve at Hollywood's Ivar Theater.The night's big winner was the unintentionally hilarious who-dunnit  BASIC INSTINCT 2, acknowledged as the year's Worst Fim, Wor...

Monday, February 26-----While readers can turn to almost any newspaper, internet site or media outlet to get the results of the 79th Academy Awards (it is, after all, watched by over a billion people worldwide), this story will focus on what were, at least for me, the surprises of the evening….actually the surprises that kept the evening lively and unpredictable.   Among the night's biggest surprises:BEST PICTURE: While the choice of THE DEPARTED is certainly worthy (certainly compared t...

Saturday, February 24----LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and HALF NELSON, two films that had their premieres at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, were the big winners at the Spirit Awards, the annual awards event honoring independent filmmakers, producers and acting talents, sponsored by film organization Film Independent. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, which may just pull a Best Film Oscar out of its hat tomorrow night, was recognized for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (for vet...

Wednesday, February 21----In the run-up to the Independent Spirit Awards (Saturday) and the Academy Awards (Sunday), the industry's big weekend, a number of crafts and guilds announced their award winners. The 57th Annual ACE Eddie Awards, presented by the American Cinema Editors, held last  Sunday evening at the Beverly Hills Hotel, honored a number of films, most of which are also in the running for Oscars.In an unusual occurence, there was a tie for Best Edited Feature Film between BABEL...

 Wednesday, February 21----At the American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement Awards, held Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, the top award for Best Cinematography in a Feature Film was won by Emmanuel Lubezki for his stellar work on the futuristic thriller CHILDREN OF MEN. Lubezki, who is also nominated for an Oscar for the film, won top honors at the BAFTA Awards last week in the same category.Comedian Tim Allen presented the award to Lubezki.  He thanked the film...

Thursday, February 21----At the American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement Awards, held Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, the top award for Best Cinematography in a Feature Film was won by Emmanuel Lubezki for his stellar work on the futuristic thriller CHILDREN OF MEN. Lubezki, who is also nominated for an Oscar for the film, won top honors at the BAFTA Awards last week n the same category.Comedian Tim Allen presented the award to Lubezki.  He thanked the film's ...

Monday, February 19------In a surprise twist, a Chinese film has won the Berlinale Golden Bear, the Berlin Film Festival's highest honor. TUYA'S MARRIAGE by Chinese director Wang Quan'an won the Festival's top prize, which was announced with other awards at the Festival's closing  ceremony on Saturday evening. The film, the story of a woman living in rural northwestern Mongolia and facing pressure to abandon her life as a shepherd, did not figure on most critics' pred...

Friday, February 16----At a gala ceremony in Toronto earlier this week, the Canadian film industry celebrated its best year to date at the 2007 Genie Awards. The much anticipated event was held at The Carlu in Toronto's theater district, which was immediately followed by Live! At The Genies, a one-hour broadcast on CHUM Television and MusiMax that showcased the night’s memorable moments in a live, schmooze-style atmosphere.  The Genie Awards are presented by and voted on by the Acade...

Wednesday, February 14---The Brits were back as big winners (on their home turf) of the BAFTA Awards, more formally referred to as the Orange British Academy Film Awards. The Best Film honors went to THE QUEEN, as did the Best Actress nod to Helen Mirren (dust off that bookshelf for your Oscar, Mrs. Hackford), with the Best British Film prize going to THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, and its lead actor Forrest Whitaker for his portrayal of Uganda strongman Idi Amin. Other Brits who shined include Best...

Monday, February 12----The indie hit road comedy LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and the crime thriller THE DEPARTED were the big winners at the Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards, setting up a showdown between the two movies at the Oscars in two weeks. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, about a dysfunctional family that takes their young daughter across country to compete in a beauty pageant, won best original screenplay honors for Michael Arndt. In a moving acceptance speech, Arndt said he wrote LITTLE MISS SUNSHI...