Awards

Nomination ballots for the 84th Academy Awards® were mailed today to the 5,783 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers by 5 p.m. PT on Friday, January 13, 2012. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Nomination and final Awards ballots are tabulated by PricewaterhouseCoopers to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are conducted with fairness and accuracy.

Prior to mailing, the PricewaterhouseCoopers staff administers a thorough verification process to ensure that there are no duplicate ballots and that none are missing. In addition to being counted and sorted, the ballots are numbered to guarantee that each one is addressed to the appropriate Academy voter.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled the poster for the 84th Academy Awards®. The art features the iconic Oscar statuette alongside memorable images from eight films spanning eight decades: “Gone with the Wind” (1939), “Casablanca” (1943), “Giant” (1956), “The Sound of Music” (1965), “The Godfather” (1972), “Driving Miss Daisy” (1989), “Forrest Gump” (1994) and “Gladiator” (2000). All the films featured on the poster won the Academy Award® for Best Picture, except “Giant,” for which George Stevens won the Oscar for Directing.

Supported by the tagline “Celebrate the movies in all of us,” the design is meant to evoke the emotional connections we all have with the movies. “Whether it’s a first date or a holiday gathering with friends or family, movies are a big part of our memory,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “The Academy Awards not only honor the excellence of these movies, but also celebrate what they mean to us as a culture and to each of us individually.”

The artwork was created by award-winning graphic designer Anthony Goldschmidt, and Mark and Karen Crawford of the design firm Blood&Chocolate.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, and the Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012.

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[caption id="attachment_2125" align="alignnone" width="550"]Best Foreign Language Film: I Saw the Devil, South Korea[/caption]

The Austin Film Critics Association announced its 2011 awards, with Martin Scorsese’s HUGO, winning Best Film. and the hyper-stylized crime thriller DRIVE taking home three awards, including Best Director for  Nicolas Winding Refn, Best Adapted Screenplay for  writer Hossein Amini, and Best Supporting Actor for Albert Brooks. It was also named the second best film of the year in the AFCA’s overall Top 10 List.

Michael Shannon was named Best Actor, while Jessica Chastain received Best Supporting Actress for their performances in TAKE SHELTER. Austinite Jeff Nichols was also awarded Best Austin Film for his direction and conception of the film, hailed at film festivals this year from Sundance to Cannes to Toronto .

Tilda Swinton was named Best Actress for her portrayal as a mother struggling with her first-born child’s madness and murder in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, while Woody Allen was awarded Best Original Screenplay for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS and Emmanuel Lubezki won his 2nd AFCA Award for Best Cinematography, this time for the Austin-made THE TREE OF LIFE.

The British film ATTACK THE BLOCK, which premiered at Austin’s own South by Southwest Film Festival, was awarded two prizes. Joe Cornish, who wrote and directed the alien invasion sci-fi/comedy, won Best First Film while composer Steven Price received Best Original Score.

Jee-woon Kim’s South Korean revenge thriller I SAW THE DEVIL (Akmareul boatda) won Best Foreign Language Film, while the Formula One Racing biography SENNA took home Best Documentary. RANGO, which features the voice-work of Johnny Depp and was directed by Gore Verbinski in a non-live action debut, was named Best Animated Film.

For her incredibly diverse and complex work in 2011, the AFCA also awarded Jessica Chastain its Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award. Ms. Chastain appeared in six films in 2011, including TAKE SHELTER, THE TREE OF LIFE, THE HELP, THE DEBT, CORIOLANUS and TEXAS KILLING FIELDS. The award is now named after Bobby McCurdy, a founding and much-loved member of the AFCA who passed away suddenly during voting last year; McCurdy’s enthusiasm for film made the Breakthrough Artist Award his favorite award to discuss and forecast as part of the AFCA voting process.

Best Film:
Hugo

Best Director:
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive

Best Actor:
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter

Best Actress:
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Supporting Actor:
Albert Brooks, Drive

Best Supporting Actress:
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter

Best Original Screenplay:
Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Drive, Hossein Amini

Best Cinematography:
The Tree of Life, Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Original Score:
Attack the Block, Steven Price

Best Foreign Language Film:
I Saw the Devil, South Korea [dir: Jee-woon Kim]

Best Documentary:
Senna [dir: Asif Kapadia]

Best Animated Feature:
Rango [dir: Gore Verbinski]

Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award:
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter/The Tree of Life/The Help/The Debt/Coriolanus/Texas Killing Fields

Best First Film:
Attack the Block [dir: Joe Cornish]

Austin Film Award:
Take Shelter [dir: Jeff Nichols]

Top 10 Films:
1. Hugo
2. Drive
3. Take Shelter
4. Midnight in Paris
5. Attack the Block
6. The Artist
7. Martha Marcy May Marlene
8. I Saw the Devil
9. 13 Assassins
10. Melancholia

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[caption id="attachment_2116" align="alignnone"]Bertrand Bonello’s House of Tolerance[/caption]

The nominations for the 17th Lumière Awards, aka the French Golden Globes, were announced, and Bertrand Bonello’s House of Tolerance lead the field with six nominations including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and a surprising three for Best Female Newcomer for actresses Alice Barnole, Adèle Haenel and Céline Sallette.

House of Tolerance is described as Bertrand Bonello’s highly stylized look at the final days of a fin-de-siècle brothel in Paris.

Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist was right behind with five nominations including Best Film, Best Director, amd Best Screenplay. Other films with multiple nominations include Pierre Schoeller’s The Minister with four nominations and Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre with three nominations.

List of nominees:

Best Film
House of Tolerance – Bertrand Bonello
The Artist – Michel Hazanavicius
The Minister – Pierre Schoeller
Le Havre – Aki Kaurismäki
Untouchable – Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache

Best Director
Bertrand Bonello – House of Tolerance
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Maïwenn – Poliss
Aki Kaurismäki – Le Havre
Pierre Schoeller – The Minister

Best Screenplay
Bertrand Bonello – House of Tolerance
Robert Guédiguian and Jean-Louis Milesi – The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Maïwenn and Emmanuelle Bercot – Poliss
Pierre Schoeller – The Minister

Best Actress
Bérénice Béjo – The Artist
Catherine Deneuve and Chiara Mastroianni – The Beloved by Christophe Honoré
Valérie Donzelli – Declaration of War by Valérie Donzelli
Marina Fois and Karin Viard – Poliss
Clotilde Hesme – Angèle and Tony by Alix Delaporte

Best Actor
Jean Dujardin – The Artist
Olivier Gourmet – The Minister
Joey Starr – Poliss
Omar Sy – Untouchable
André Wilms – Le Havre

Best Female Newcomer
Alice Barnole – House of Tolerance
Adèle Haenel – House of Tolerance
Zoé Héran – Tomboy by Céline Sciamma
Céline Sallette – House of Tolerance
Anamaria Valtoromei – Little Princess [trailer] by Eva Ionesco

Best Male Newcomer
Grégory Gadebois – Angèle and Tony
Guillaume Gouix – Jimmy Rivière [trailer] by Teddy Lussi-Modeste
Raphaël Ferret – Guilty [trailer] by Vincent Garenq
Denis Ménochet – The Adopted [trailer] by Mélanie Laurent
Mahmoud Shalaby – Free Men [trailer] by Ismaël Ferroukhi

Best French-Language Film (from outside France)
Curling – Denis Côté (Canada)
Where Do We Go Now? [trailer] – Nadine Labaki (France/Lebanon/Italy)
Scorched – Denis Villeneuve (Canada)
The Kid With a Bike [trailer, film focus] – Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Belgium/France/Italy)
The Giants [trailer, film focus] – Bouli Lanners (Belgium/Luxembourg/France)

A very special mention for the dog-actor in The Artist

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Ninety-seven scores from eligible feature-length motion pictures are in contention for nominations in the Original Score category for the 84th Academy Awards®.

The eligible scores along with the composer are listed below in alphabetical order by film title:

• “The Adjustment Bureau,” Thomas Newman, composer
• “The Adventures of Tintin,” John Williams, composer
• “African Cats,” Nicholas Hooper, composer
• “Albert Nobbs,” Brian Byrne, composer
• “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked,” Mark Mothersbaugh, composer
• “Anonymous,” Thomas Wander and Harald Kloser, composers
• “Another Earth,” Phil Mossman and Will Bates, composers
• “Answers to Nothing,” Craig Richey, composer
• “Arthur Christmas,” Harry Gregson-Williams, composer
• “The Artist,” Ludovic Bource, composer
• “@urFRENZ,” Lisbeth Scott, composer
• “Atlas Shrugged Part 1,” Elia Cmiral, composer
• “Battle: Los Angeles,” Brian Tyler, composer
• “Beastly,” Marcelo Zarvos, composer
• “The Big Year,” Theodore Shapiro, composer
• “Captain America: The First Avenger,” Alan Silvestri, composer
• “Cars 2,” Michael Giacchino, composer
• “Cedar Rapids,” Christophe Beck, composer
• “Conan the Barbarian,” Tyler Bates, composer
• “The Conspirator,” Mark Isham, composer
• “Contagion,” Cliff Martinez, composer
• “Coriolanus,” Ilan Eshkeri, composer
• “DAM999,” Ousepachan, composer
• “The Darkest Hour,” Tyler Bates, composer
• “The Debt,” Thomas Newman, composer
• “Dolphin Tale,” Mark Isham, composer
• “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders, composers
• “Dream House,” John Debney, composer
• “The Eagle,” Atli Orvarsson, composer
• “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” Alexandre Desplat, composer
• “Fast Five,” Brian Tyler, composer
• “The First Grader,” Alex Heffes, composer
• “The Flowers of War,” Qigang Chen, composer
• “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, composers
• “The Greatest Miracle,” Mark McKenzie, composer
• “Green Lantern,” James Newton Howard, composer
• “Hanna,” Tom Rowlands, composer
• “Happy Feet Two,” John Powell, composer
• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,” Alexandre Desplat, composer
• “The Help,” Thomas Newman, composer
• “Hop,” Christopher Lennertz, composer
• “Hugo,” Howard Shore, composer
• “I Don’t Know How She Does It,” Aaron Zigman, composer
• “The Ides of March,” Alexandre Desplat, composer
• “Immortals,” Trevor Morris, composer
• “In Search of God,” Rupam Sarmah, composer
• “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” Gabriel Yared, composer
• “In Time,” Craig Armstrong, composer
• “Insidious,” Joseph Bishara, composer
• “The Iron Lady,” Thomas Newman, composer
• “J. Edgar,” Clint Eastwood, composer
• “Jane Eyre,” Dario Marianelli, composer
• “The Lady,” Eric Serra, composer
• “Like Crazy,” Dustin O’Halloran, composer
• “Margaret,” Nico Muhly, composer
• “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” Michael Giacchino, composer
• “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” Rolfe Kent, composer
• “Moneyball,” Mychael Danna, composer
• “Monte Carlo,” Michael Giacchino, composer
• “New Year’s Eve,” John Debney, composer
• “Norman,” Andrew Bird, composer
• “One Day,” Rachel Portman, composer
• “Puss in Boots,” Henry Jackman, composer
• “Rampart,” Dickon Hinchliffe, composer
• “Real Steel,” Danny Elfman, composer
• “Rebirth,” Philip Glass, composer
• “Red Riding Hood,” Alex Heffes and Brian Reitzell, composers
• “Restless,” Danny Elfman, composer
• “Rio,” John Powell, composer
• “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” Patrick Doyle, composer
• “The Rite,” Alex Heffes, composer
• “The Rum Diary,” Christopher Young, composer
• “Sanctum,” David Hirschfelder, composer
• “Sarah’s Key,” Max Richter, composer
• “Senna,” Antonio Pinto, composer
• “Shame,” Harry Escott, composer
• “The Skin I Live In,” Alberto Iglesias, composer
• “The Smurfs,” Heitor Pereira, composer
• “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,” Rachel Portman, composer
• “Super 8,” Michael Giacchino, composer
• “Take Shelter,” David Wingo, composer
• “The Thing,” Marco Beltrami, composer
• “Thor,” Patrick Doyle, composer
• “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” Alberto Iglesias, composer
• “Tower Heist,” Christophe Beck, composer
• “W.E.,” Abel Korzeniowski, composer
• “War Horse,” John Williams, composer
• “Warrior,” Mark Isham, composer
• “Water for Elephants,” James Newton Howard, composer
• “The Way,” Tyler Bates, composer
• “We Bought a Zoo,” Jon Thor Birgisson, composer
• “We Need to Talk about Kevin,” Jonny Greenwood, composer
• “Win Win,” Lyle Workman, composer
• “Winnie the Pooh,” Henry Jackman, composer
• “X-Men: First Class,” Henry Jackman, composer
• “Young Adult,” Rolfe Kent, composer
• “Your Highness,” Steve Jablonsky, composer

A Reminder List of works submitted in the Original Score category shall be sent with a nominations ballot to all members of the Music Branch who shall vote in the order of their preference for not more than five achievements. The five achievements receiving the highest number of votes will become the nominations for final voting for the award.

To be eligible, the original score must be a substantial body of music that serves as original dramatic underscoring, and must be written specifically for the motion picture by the submitting composer. Scores diluted by the use of tracked themes or other preexisting music, diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs, or assembled from the music of more than one composer shall not be eligible.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, and the Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012.

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[caption id="attachment_2100" align="alignnone"]Best Actor – Olivier Litondo for THE FIRST GRADER[/caption]

The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) voted “THE HELP” Best Film of 2011, Dee Rees Best Director for “PARIAH”, Viola Davis Best Actress for “THE HELP” and Olivier Litondo Best Actor for “THE FIRST GRADER”.

The complete list of award winners include:

Best Picture – THE HELP
Best Director – Dee Rees for PARIAH
Best Actor – Olivier Litondo for THE FIRST GRADER
Best Actress – Viola Davis for THE HELP
Best Supporting Actor – Albert Brooks for DRIVE
Best Supporting Actress – Octavia Spencer for THE HELP
Best Independent Film – PARIAH
Best Original Screenplay – Dee Rees for PARIAH
Best Adapted Screenplay – Tate Taylor for THE HELP
Best Documentary – BEING ELMO: A Puppeteer’s Journey
Best Foreign Film – LIFE, ABOVE ALL
Best Animated Film – RANGO
Best Ensemble – THE HELP

BFCC Signature Awards include:

PIONEER – HARRY BELAFONTE
A renaissance artist who brought his unique talent to all areas of entertainment in a career that has spanned nearly 60 years, Belafonte is a multi-Grammy© winning artist, an Emmy© Award winner with the distinct designation as the first African American television producer, a Tony© Award winner, motion picture film actor and producer, Civil Rights Activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. From his music, films, and humanitarian work, Harry Belafonte has continued to embody the very essence of the word Pioneer.

RISING STAR – ADEPERO ODUYE
Adepero’s performance in PARIAH is a moving, powerful unforgettable portrayal of a young woman of color coming to terms with herself, her sexuality, and her family. We believe she is truly a Talent to Watch.

SPECIAL MENTION – ATTACK THE BLOCK:
Attack is a genre film that defies a number of conventions, not only by having a primarily black cast but portraying each character with a dignity seldom seen on screen and even more rarely in a Science-Fiction film.

BFCC’S TOP TEN FILMS OF 2011

1. The Help
2. The Artist
3. Pariah
4. Drive
5. The Descendants
6. Attack the Block
7. Tree of Life
8. Hugo
9. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
10. Warrior

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[caption id="attachment_1389" align="alignnone" width="552"]WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN[/caption]

The London Critics’ Circle announced the nominations today for its 32nd annual Film Awards and the nominations were lead by TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY and DRIVE, which both receive 6 nominations each

Asghar Farhadi’s Golden Bear (Berlin) winner A SEPARATION and Lynne Ramsay’s WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN have received 5 nominations each whilst Michel Hazanavicius’ THE ARTIST and Steve McQueen’s SHAME have received 4 apiece.

The London Critics’ Circle Film Awards in partnership with Virgin Atlantic will reveal its full list of annual award winners at the glittering ceremony on Thursday 19 January at BFI Southbank.

Voted for by over 120 UK film critics, broadcasters and writers, the 32nd London Critics’ Circle Film Awards nominations are as follows:

FILM OF THE YEAR

The Artist (Entertainment)

Drive (Icon)

A Separation (Artificial Eye)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

The Tree of Life (Fox)

 

The Attenborough Award:

BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR

The Guard (StudioCanal)

Kill List (StudioCanal)

Shame (Momentum)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)

 

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR

Mysteries of Lisbon (New Wave)

Poetry (Arrow)

Le Quattro Volte (New Wave)

A Separation (Artificial Eye)

The Skin I Live In (Fox/Pathé)

 

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (Picturehouse)

Dreams of a Life (Dogwoof)

Pina (Artificial Eye)

Project Nim (Icon)

Senna (Universal)

 

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Asghar Farhadi – A Separation (Artificial Eye)

Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist (Entertainment)

Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life (Fox)

Lynne Ramsay – We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)

Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive (Icon)

 

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR

Asghar Farhadi – A Separation (Artificial Eye)

Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist (Entertainment)

Kenneth Lonergan – Margaret (Fox)

Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash – The Descendants (Fox)

 

The Virgin Atlantic Award:

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER

Richard Ayoade – Submarine (StudioCanal)

Paddy Considine – Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal)

Joe Cornish – Attack the Block (StudioCanal)

Andrew Haigh – Weekend (Peccadillo)

John Michael McDonagh – The Guard (StudioCanal)

 

ACTOR OF THE YEAR

George Clooney – The Descendants (Fox)

Jean Dujardin – The Artist (Entertainment)

Michael Fassbender – Shame (Momentum)

Ryan Gosling – Drive (Icon)

Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

 

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR

Kirsten Dunst – Melancholia (Artificial Eye)

Anna Paquin – Margaret (Fox)

Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady (Fox/Pathé)

Tilda Swinton – We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)

Michelle Williams – My Week With Marilyn (Entertainment)

 

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR

Simon Russell Beale – The Deep Blue Sea (Artificial Eye)

Kenneth Branagh – My Week With Marilyn (Entertainment)

Albert Brooks – Drive (Icon)

Christopher Plummer – Beginners (Universal)

Michael Smiley – Kill List (StudioCanal)

 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR

Sareh Bayat – A Separation (Artificial Eye)

Jessica Chastain – The Help (Disney)

Vanessa Redgrave – Coriolanus (Lionsgate)

Octavia Spencer – The Help (Disney)

Jacki Weaver – Animal Kingdom (StudioCanal)

 

BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR

Tom Cullen – Weekend (Peccadillo)

Michael Fassbender – A Dangerous Method (Lionsgate), Shame (Momentum)

Brendan Gleeson – The Guard (StudioCanal)

Peter Mullan – Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal), War Horse (Disney)

Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

 

The Moët & Chandon Award:

BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR

Olivia Colman – The Iron Lady (Fox/Pathé), Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal)

Carey Mulligan – Drive (Icon), Shame (Momentum)

Vanessa Redgrave – Anonymous (Sony), Coriolanus (Lionsgate)

Tilda Swinton – We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)

Rachel Weisz – The Deep Blue Sea (Artificial Eye)

 

YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

John Boyega – Attack the Block (StudioCanal)

Jeremy Irvine – War Horse (Disney)

Yasmin Paige – Submarine (StudioCanal)

Craig Roberts – Submarine (StudioCanal)

Saoirse Ronan – Hanna (Universal)

 

The Sky 3D Award:

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Manuel Alberto Claro, cinematography – Melancholia (Artificial Eye)

Paul Davies, sound design – We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)

Maria Djurkovic, production design – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

Dante Ferretti, production design – Hugo (Entertainment)

Alberto Iglesias, original score – The Skin I Live In (Fox/Pathé)

Chris King & Gregers Sall, editing – Senna (Universal)

Joe Letteri, visual effects – Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Fox)

Cliff Martinez, original score – Drive (Icon)

Robert Richardson, cinematography – Hugo (Entertainment)

Robbie Ryan, cinematography – Wuthering Heights (Artificial Eye)

 

The Dilys Powell Award:

EXCELLENCE IN FILM

Nicolas Roeg

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[caption id="attachment_2092" align="alignnone" width="550"]POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold[/caption]

Thirty-nine songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures are in contention for nominations in the Original Song category for the 84th Academy Awards®, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today.

The original songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by film and song title:

“The World I Knew” from “African Cats”
“Lay Your Head Down” from “Albert Nobbs”
“Star Spangled Man” from “Captain America: The First Avenger”
“Collision of Worlds” from “Cars 2”
“Dakkanaga Dugu Dugu” from “DAM999”
“DAM999 Theme Song” from “DAM999”
“Mujhe Chod Ke” from “DAM999”
“Rainbird” from “Dirty Girl”
“Keep On Walking” from “The First Grader”
“Where the River Goes” from “Footloose”
“Hello Hello” from “Gnomeo & Juliet”
“Love Builds a Garden” from “Gnomeo & Juliet”
“Bridge of Light” from “Happy Feet Two”
“The Mighty Sven” from “Happy Feet Two”
“Never Be Daunted” from “happythankyoumoreplease”
“Hell and Back” from “Hell and Back Again”
“The Living Proof” from “The Help”
“Coeur Volant” from “Hugo”
“It’s How We Play” from “I Don’t Know How She Does It”
“When the Heart Dies” from “In the Land of Blood and Honey”
“Ja Nao Estar” from “José and Pilar”
“The Keeper” from “Machine Gun Preacher”
“Life’s a Happy Song” from “The Muppets”
“Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets”
“Pictures in My Head” from “The Muppets”
“Summer Song” from “The Music Never Stopped”
“Imaginary Friends” from “Olive”
“Sparkling Day” from “One Day”
“Taking You with Me” from “Our Idiot Brother”
“The Greatest Song I Ever Heard” from “POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold”
“Hot Wings” from “Rio”
“Let Me Take You to Rio” from “Rio”
“Real in Rio” from “Rio”
“Shelter” from “Take Shelter”
“Gathering Stories” from “We Bought a Zoo”
“Pop” from “White Irish Drinkers”
“Think You Can Wait” from “Win Win”
“The Backson Song” from “Winnie the Pooh”
“So Long” from “Winnie the Pooh”

On Thursday, January 5, the Academy will screen clips featuring each song, in random order, for voting members of the Music Branch in Los Angeles.  Following the screenings, members will determine the nominees by an averaged point system of voting.  If no song receives an average score of 8.25 or more, there will be no nominees in the category.  If only one song achieves that score, it and the song receiving the next highest score shall be the two nominees.

If two or more songs (up to five) achieve that score, they shall be the nominees.  A DVD copy of the song clips will be made available to those branch members who are unable to attend the screening and who request it for home viewing.  A mail-in ballot will be provided.

Under Academy rules, a maximum of two songs may be nominated from any one film.  If more than two songs from a film achieve a score of 8.25 or more, the two songs with the highest scores will be the nominees.

To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film.  A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film or as the first music cue in the end credits.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, and the Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012.

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[caption id="attachment_2090" align="alignnone" width="550"]Le Havre[/caption]

Aki Kaurismaki’s Le Havre, starring Andre Wilms, Jean-Pierre Darroussin and Kati Outinen was awarded one of France’s top film honors, the winner of the 69th annual Louis Delluc Prize. Le Havre, Finland’s submission to the Academy for consideration for the Best Foreign Language Film, beat out a strong field of contenders that included The Artist, House of Tolerance, Hors Satan, Declaration of War, The Snows of Kilimandjaro, Tomboy and The Minister.

In this warmhearted portrait of the French harbor city that gives the film its name, fate throws young African refugee Idrissa (Blondin Miguel) into the path of Marcel Marx (Andre Wilms), a well-spoken bohemian who works as a shoeshiner. With innate optimism and the unwavering support of his community, Marcel stands up to officials doggedly pursuing the boy for deportation. A political fairy tale that mixes the classic cinema of Jean-Pierre Melville and Marcel Carne with wry Kaurismaekian comedy, Le Havre is a charming, deadpan delight.

Djinn Carrenard’s Donoma was awarded the the Louis Delluc prize for Best First Film. The film was reportedly made for only $200.

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced yesterday that two hundred sixty-five feature films are eligible for the 2011 Academy Awards®.

To be eligible for 84th Academy Awards® consideration, feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County by midnight, December 31, and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days.

Under Academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.

Feature films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, and the Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012.

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[caption id="attachment_559" align="alignnone"]Best Foreign Film – Mysteries of Lisbon[/caption]

Alexander Payne’s The Descendants was named the Best Film of the year by the International Press Academy at the organization’s 2011 Satellite Awards.

In a sharp twist from most of the other awards of the seasons, the Satellite award for Best Foreign Film was given to Mysteries of Lisbon and Best Documentary to Senna.

The International Press Academy is a group of entertainment journalists formed by a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association 15 years ago.

MOTION PICTURES

Motion Picture: “The Descendants”

Actress in a Motion Picture: Viola Davis, “The Help”

Actor in a Motion Picture: Ryan Gosling, “Drive”

Actress in a Supporting Role: Jessica Chastain, “The Tree of Life”

Actor in a Supporting Role: Albert Brooks, “Drive”

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn, “Drive”

Screenplay, Original: “The Tree of Life,” Terrence Malick

Screenplay, Adapted: “The Descendants,” Alexander Payne, Jim Rash, Nax Faxon

Foreign Film: “Mysteries of Lisbon”

Motion Picture, Animated or Mixed Media: “The Adventures of Tintin”

Motion Picture, Documentary: “Senna”

Original Score: “Soul Surfer,” Marco Beltrani

Original Song: “Lay Down Your Head” from “Albert Nobbs,” Brian Byrne and Glenn Close

Cinematography: “War Horse,” Janusz Kaminski

Visual Effects: “Hugo,” Robert Legato

Film Editing: “The Guard,” Chris Gill

Sound (Editing and Mixing): “Drive,” Dave Patterson, Lon Bender, Robert Fernandez, Victor Ray Ennis

Art Direction & Production Design: “The Artist,” Gregory S. Hooper, Laurence Bennett

Costume Design: “Water for Elephants,” Jacqueline West


TELEVISION

Television Series, Drama: “Justified”

Television Series, Comedy or Musical: “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”

Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:

Television Series, Genre:

Actress in a Series, Drama:

Actor in a Series, Drama:

Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical:

Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical:

Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television:

Actor in a Miniseries of a Motion Picture Made for Television:

Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:

Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Best First Feature: Paddy Considine, “Tyrannosaur”

Best Ensemble: “The Help”

Outstanding Performance in a TV Series: Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”

Mary Pickford Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment Industry: Mitzi Gaynor

Nikola Tesla Award in Recognition of Visionary Achivement in Filmmaking Technology: Douglas Trumbull

Auteur Award: Peter Bogdanovich

Humanitarian Award: Tim Hetherington (1970-2011)

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[caption id="attachment_1595" align="alignnone"]The Interrupters won Best Documentary[/caption]

The Chicago Film Critics Association voted “The Tree of Life” the Best Picture of 2011, director Terrence Malick received the prize of Best Director and one of the film’s stars,  Jessica Chastain was awarded the win for Best Supporting Actress.

“Martha Marcy May Marlene” was also a top winner with wins for Elizabeth Olsen – Promising Performer and director Sean Durkin – Promising Filmmaker.

Michael Shannon was awarded Best Actor for “Take Shelter” and Michelle Williams won Best Actress for her performance in “My Week With Marilyn.”

The Chicago-based documentary “The Interrupters” won for best documentary, and “A Separation” won Best Foreign Language Film.

The complete list of 2011 winners:

PICTURE: The Tree of Life
DIRECTOR: Terrence Malick (-) The Tree of Life
ACTOR: Michael Shannon (-) Take Shelter
ACTRESS: Michelle Williams (-) My Week With Marilyn
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Albert Brooks (-) Drive
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jessica Chastain (-) The Tree of Life
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Artist (-) Michel Hazanavicius
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Moneyball (-) Steven Zaillian & Aaron Sorkin
CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Tree of Life (-) Emmanuel Lubezki
ORIGINAL SCORE: Drive (-) Cliff Martinez
ANIMATED FEATURE: Rango
DOCUMENTARY: The Interrupters
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: A Separation
PROMISING PERFORMER: Elizabeth Olsen (-) Martha Marcy May Marlene
PROMISING FILMMAKER: Sean Durkin (-) Martha Marcy May Marlene

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