News

All the News.

Toronto Film Critics Association names ‘Carol’ the Best Film of the Year

Todd Haynes’ 1950s melodrama ‘Carol’, the swooning tale of a life-changing love affair, won two top prizes at the 2015 awards of the Toronto Film Critics Association, including Best Picture, and Haynes named Best Director. The film’s stars, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, were runners-up for this year’s Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress prizes, respectively. Joshua Oppenheimer, who won the Allan King Documentary Award in 2013 for The Act of Killing, won the 2015 prize for its companion piece, The Look of Silence, which revisits the Indonesian genocide from the perspective of an optometrist confronting his brother’s murderers. The membership also chose the three finalists for the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award: The Forbidden Room, directed by Guy Maddin and Evan Johnson; My Internship In Canada, directed by Philippe Falardeau, and Sleeping Giant, directed by Andrew Cividino. The winner will be named at the TFCA’s awards gala, to be held January 5, 2016. Other winners include, Nina Hoss was named Best Actress for her performance as a woman forced to assume her own identity in post-war German in Christian Petzold’s Phoenix, which also won Best Foreign-Language Film. Alicia Vikander won Best Supporting Actress for her work as the calculating android Ava in Alex Garland’s near-future drama Ex Machina, which was named the year’s Best First Feature. The full list of Toronto Film Critics Association Awards winners and runners-up: BEST PICTURE “Carol” (Entertainment One) Runners-up “Mad Max: Fury Road” (Warner Bros.) “Spotlight” (Entertainment One) BEST ACTOR Tom Hardy, “Legend” Runners-up Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Revenant” Michael Fassbender, “Steve Jobs” BEST ACTRESS Nina Hoss, “Phoenix” Runners-up Cate Blanchett, “Carol” Brie Larson, “Room” BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Mark Rylance, “Bridge of Spies” Runners-up Benicio Del Toro, “Sicario” Michael Shannon, “99 Homes” BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Alicia Vikander, “Ex Machina” Runners-up Rooney Mara, “Carol” Kristen Stewart, “Clouds of Sils Maria” BEST DIRECTOR Todd Haynes, “Carol” Runners-up Tom McCarthy, “Spotlight” George Miller, “Mad Max: Fury Road” Denis Villeneuve, “Sicario” BEST SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED OR ORIGINAL “The Big Short”, Charles Randolph and Adam McKay; based upon the book by Michael Lewis Runners-up “Anomalisa,” Charlie Kaufman; based on his stage play “Carol,” by Phyllis Nagy; based on the novel “The Price of Salt” by Patricia Highsmith “Spotlight,” by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy BEST FIRST FEATURE “Ex Machina,” directed by Alex Garland Runners-up “Sleeping Giant,” directed by Andrew Cividino “Son of Saul,” directed by Lázsló Nemes BEST ANIMATED FEATURE “Shaun the Sheep Movie” (Elevation Pictures) Runners-up “Anomalisa” (Paramount Pictures) “Inside Out” (Disney*Pixar) BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM “Phoenix” (Films We Like) Runners-up “The Assassin” (Amplify Releasing) “Son of Saul” (Mongrel Media) ALLAN KING DOCUMENTARY AWARD “The Look of Silence” (Blue Ice Docs) Runners-up “Amy” (Mongrel Media) “Listen To Me Marlon” ( distributor unknown ) ROGERS BEST CANADIAN FILM AWARD FINALISTS “The Forbidden Room,” directed by Guy Maddin and Evan Johnson “My Internship in Canada,” directed by Philippe Falardeau “Sleeping Giant,” directed by Andrew Cividino
Read more
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Reveals 2016 Nominations, ‘Room’ Leads Canadian Nominations

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant leads all films in the 2016 Vancouver Film Critics Circle International section with three nominations. The nominees for Best Documentary are Amy, Cartel Land and Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, while The Assassin, Goodnight Mommy and Son of Saul are up for Best Foreign Language Film. A riveting and uplifting tale of a mother and son escaping confinement, the Canadian-Irish co-production Room has earned six VFCC nominations in the Canadian categories, including one for Best Canadian Film, and director Lenny Abrahamson is nominated for Best Director of a Canadian Film, Room (pictured above) will face off against Guy Maddin and co-director Evan Johnson’s The Forbidden Room and Andrew Cividino’s Sleeping Giant for Best Canadian Film. Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World will also compete with Jerry Rothwell’s How to Change the World, Alan Zweig’s Hurt and Damien Gillis & Fiona Rayher’s Fractured Land for Best Canadian Documentary. The full list of 2016 Vancouver Film Critics Circle International nominees. BEST FILM Mad Max: Fury Road The Revenant Spotlight BEST ACTOR Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant Michal Fassbender, Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl BEST ACTRESS Cate Blanchett, Carol Brie Larson, Room Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies Michael Shannon, 99 Homes Sylvester Stallone, Creed BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina BEST DIRECTOR Todd Haynes, Carol Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road BEST SCREENPLAY Emma Donoghue, Room Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy, Spotlight BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM The Assassin Goodnight Mommy Son of Saul BEST DOCUMENTARY Amy Cartel Land Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief The full list of nominees in the 2016 Vancouver Film Critics Circle Canadian categories. BEST CANADIAN FILM The Forbidden Room Room Sleeping Giant BEST ACTOR IN A CANADIAN FILM Michael Eklund, Eadweard Christopher Plummer, Remember Jacob Tremblay, Room BEST ACTRESS IN A CANADIAN FILM Marie Brassard, Sabali Brie Larson, Room Julia Sarah Stone, Wet Bum BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A CANADIAN FILM Patrick Huard, My Internship in Canada Reece Moffett, Sleeping Giant Nick Serino, Sleeping Giant BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A CANADIAN FILM Joan Allen, Room Suzanne Clement, My Internship in Canada Tara Pratt, No Men Beyond This Point BEST SCREENPLAY FOR A CANADIAN FILM Benjamin August, Remember Andrew Cividino, Blain Watters & Aaron Yeger, Sleeping Giant Emma Donoghue, Room BEST DIRECTOR OF A CANADIAN FILM Lenny Abrahamson, Room Andrew Cividino, Sleeping Giant Atom Egoyan, Remember BEST CANADIAN DOCUMENTARY Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World Fractured Land How to Change the World Hurt BEST FIRST FILM BY A CANADIAN DIRECTOR Hit 2 Pass, Kurt Walker Sleeping Giant, Andrew Cividino Wet Bum, Lindsay Mackay BEST BRITISH COLUMBIA FILM Eadweard Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World No Men Beyond This Point
Read more
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Picks SPOTLIGHT as 2015 Best Film; TANGERINE Wins Best Indie Film

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association voted the newsroom drama SPOTLIGHT as the best film of 2015, according to the results of its 22nd annual critics’ poll. This year’s awards are presented in memory of Philip Wuntch, the longtime Dallas Morning News film critic who passed away in October. Rounding out the composite list of the top 10 films of the year were THE REVENANT (2), CAROL (3), SICARIO (4), MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (5), THE BIG SHORT (6), THE MARTIAN (7), ROOM (8), THE DANISH GIRL (9) and BROOKLYN (10). The association voted SON OF SAUL as the best foreign language film of the year. Runners-up included THE ASSASSIN (2), THE SECOND MOTHER (3), MUSTANG (4) and GOODNIGHT MOMMY (5). AMY won for Best Documentary over THE LOOK OF SILENCE (2), THE WOLFPACK (3), GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF (4) and THE HUNTING GROUND (5). The association voted TANGERINE as the winner of the Russell Smith Award, named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film. The 2015 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association award winners. Best Picture: Spotlight (director — Tom McCarthy) Best Animated Feature: Inside Out (director — Pete Docter) Best Foreign Language Film: Son of Saul (Hungary) Best Documentary: Amy Best Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant) Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) Best Actress: Brie Larson (Room) Best Supporting Actor: Paul Dano (Love and Mercy) Best Supporting Actress: Rooney Mara (Carol) Best Screenplay: Spotlight (Josh Singer, TomMcCarthy) Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki (The Revenant) Best Musical Score: The Revenant (Bryce Dessner, Carsten Nicolai and Ryûichi Sakamoto) Russell Smith Award (named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film.) Tangerine (director — Sean Baker)
Read more
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Picks SPOTLIGHT as Best Picture of 2015; Guy Maddin’s THE FORBIDDEN ROOM Wins For ‘Underappreciated Independent Film’

The San Francisco Film Critics Circle picked SPOTLIGHT as the Best Picture of 2015, and gave three awards to MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, two to BROOKLYN and two to LOVE & MERCY. Paul Dano and Saoirse Ronan collected Best Actor and Best Actress, the former for his portrayal of Brian Wilson’s youthful but troubled musical genius in LOVE & MERCY and the latter for essaying delicate, nuanced emotional detail as a young immigrant woman coming of age and facing the choice of her life in BROOKLYN. The same films were also recognized for their screenwriters: Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner for the thoughtfully structured biopic LOVE & MERCY and Nick Hornby for locating the emotion and internal struggle of an immigrant experience in his screen adaptation of the novel BROOKLYN. Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress honors went, respectively, to Michael Shannon for his utterly credible work as a fiery real-estate exploiter in 99 HOMES and Mya Taylor for powerfully grounding, with heart and humor, TANGERINE, a tale of transgender sex workers navigating a nighttime odyssey on the streets of L.A. The SFFCC recognized SON OF SAUL as Best Foreign Language Film, ANOMALISA as Best Animated Feature, and LISTEN TO ME MARLON as Best Documentary. Finally, the SFFCC’s annual Special Citation Award for an underappreciated independent film went to Guy Maddin’s THE FORBIDDEN ROOM (pictured above). Best Picture WINNER – SPOTLIGHT BROOKLYN CAROL LOVE & MERCY MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Best Director WINNER – George Miller, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD John Crowley, BROOKLYN Todd Haynes, CAROL Alejandro González Iñárritu, THE REVENANT Tom McCarthy, SPOTLIGHT Best Actor WINNER – Paul Dano, LOVE & MERCY Bryan Cranston, TRUMBO Leonardo DiCaprio, THE REVENANT Michael Fassbender, STEVE JOBS Ian McKellen, MR. HOLMES Best Actress WINNER – Saoirse Ronan, BROOKLYN Cate Blanchett, CAROL Brie Larson, ROOM Rooney Mara, CAROL Charlotte Rampling, 45 YEARS Best Supporting Actor WINNER – Michael Shannon, 99 HOMES Paul Dano, LOVE & MERCY Benicio Del Toro, SICARIO Mark Rylance, BRIDGE OF SPIES Sylvester Stallone, CREED Best Supporting Actress WINNER – Mya Taylor, TANGERINE Elizabeth Banks, LOVE & MERCY Helen Mirren, TRUMBO Alicia Vikander, THE DANISH GIRL Alicia Vikander, EX MACHINA Best Screenplay, Original WINNER – LOVE & MERCY, Oren Moverman; Michael Alan Lerner EX MACHINA, Alex Garland SICARIO, Taylor Sheridan SPOTLIGHT, Tom McCarthy; Josh Singer TANGERINE, Sean Baker; Chris Bergoch Best Screenplay, Adapted WINNER – BROOKLYN, Nick Hornby CAROL, Phyllis Nagy DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, Marielle Heller 45 YEARS, Andrew Haigh THE MARTIAN, Drew Goddard ROOM, Emma Donahue Best Cinematography WINNER – MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, John Seale THE ASSASSIN, Ping Bing Lee CAROL, Edward Lachmann THE REVENANT, Emmanuel Lubezki SICARIO, Roger Deakins Best Production Design WINNER – CAROL, Judy Becker; Heather Loeffler BRIDGE OF SPIES, Adam Stockhausen; Rena DeAngelo; Bernard Henrich BROOKLYN, François Séguin; Suzanne Cloutier MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, Colin Gibson; Katie Sherrock; Lisa Thompson THE REVENANT, Jack Fisk; Hamish Purdy Best Film Editing WINNER – MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, Margaret Sixel THE BIG SHORT, Hank Corwin LOVE & MERCY, Dino Jonsater THE REVENANT, Stephen Mirrione SICARIO, Joe Walker Best Animated Feature WINNER – ANOMALISA BOY AND THE WORLD INSIDE OUT THE PEANUTS MOVIE SHAUN THE SHEEP Best Foreign Language Picture WINNER – SON OF SAUL THE ASSASSIN GOODNIGHT MOMMY A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE TIMBUKTU Best Documentary WINNER – LISTEN TO ME MARLON AMY BEST OF ENEMIES THE LOOK OF SILENCE MERU Marlon Riggs Award for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community Frank Lee For his lifelong dedication to film culture in San Francisco—in particular his twenty-plus-year film stewardship of the 4 Star Theatre in the tradition of the family-run independent art house and his attention to Hong Kong film, both marked by his astute taste and knowledge. Special Citation for under-appreciated independent cinema THE FORBIDDEN ROOM Guy Maddin’s haunted scream, full of artfully recreated, vinegar-eaten celluloid, is a rat’s nest of affairs too strange to recall and too troubling to forget
Read more
Carol, The Assassin, Among Films on Film Comment 2015 Best-of-Year Lists

Film Comment’s annual end-of-the-year survey of film critics, journalists, film-section editors, and past and present contributors is out, and Todd Haynes’s Carol, Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin (pictured above), and George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road take the top spots among films released in 2015. Of the films that made appearances at film festivals or special screenings worldwide but have not received stateside distribution this year, Hong Sangsoo’s Right Now, Wrong Then, Athina Rachel Tsangari’s Chevalier, and Ben Rivers’s The Sky Trembles and the Earth Is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers received the top rankings. Film Comment 2015 Top 10 Films Released in: 1. Carol Todd Haynes, U.S. 2. The Assassin Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan 3. Mad Max: Fury Road George Miller, U.S. 4. Clouds of Sils Maria Olivier Assayas, France 5. Arabian Nights Miguel Gomes, Portugal 6. Timbuktu Abderrahmane Sissako, Mauritania/France 7. Spotlight Tom McCarthy, U.S. 8. Phoenix Christian Petzold, Germany 9. Inside Out Pete Docter & Ronnie del Carmen, U.S. 10. The Look of Silence Joshua Oppenheimer, Denmark/Indonesia The rankings of other films making strong showings during the awards season are John Crowley’s Brooklyn (#18), Frederick Wiseman’s In Jackson Heights (#13), and Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies (#20). Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin (#2) was the cover subject of Film Comment magazine’s September/October issue, and László Nemes’s Son of Saul (#14) was the cover subject of the November/December issue. Film Comment’s survey also ranks films that have screened and made notable appearances at festivals throughout the year, but remain without U.S. distribution at press time. Film Comment 2015 Top 10 Unreleased Films: 1. Right Now, Wrong Then Hong Sangsoo, South Korea 2. Chevalier Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greece 3. The Sky Trembles and the Earth Is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers Ben Rivers, U.K. 4. The Academy of Muses José Luis Guerín, Spain 5. Don’t Blink – Robert Frank Laura Israel, U.S. 6. Cosmos Andrzej Zulawski, Poland 7. Journey to the Shore Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan 8. Happy Hour Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Japan 9. Lost and Beautiful Pietro Marcello, Italy 10. Minotaur Nicolas Pereda, Mexico Film Comment editor Gavin Smith said: “The 20 films that critics have voted for can be divided into four categories: mainstream Hollywood critical and box-office hits (3), American art-house-inclined indies (7), foreign-language art movies in a variety of familiar modes (5), and foreign-language movies that challenge viewers to enter cinematic realms they’ve never previously experienced (5). That balance, which happens to be encapsulated in the top five in micro form, feels about right for the agenda of this magazine, which, since the very beginning, has been to champion the best in cinema wherever it hails from, all creatures great and small. Since we managed to run features on 11 of these and sung the praises of another five, it’s a pleasure to close out the year on a high note.”
Read more
‘Carol’ ‘Brooklyn’ ‘The Danish Girl’ ‘Spotlight’ Among 21st Critics’ Choice Awards Nominations

“Mad Max: Fury Road” leads the nominations for the 21st Critics’ Choice Awards with 13 nominations including Best Picture. “Carol,” impressed with nine nominations including Best Picture, and Best Director. “Spotlight” earned eight nominations, “Brooklyn,” “The Danish Girl,” each garnered five nominations and “Room” earned four. The winners will be revealed live at the Critics’ Choice Awards gala, which will be broadcast from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on A&E, Lifetime and LMN on Sunday, January 17 at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT. Actor and comedian T.J. Miller will serve as the show’s host. NOMINATIONS FOR THE 21st CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS BEST PICTURE The Big Short Bridge of Spies Brooklyn Carol Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Room Sicario Spotlight BEST ACTOR Bryan Cranston – Trumbo Matt Damon – The Martian Johnny Depp – Black Mass Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl BEST ACTRESS Cate Blanchett – Carol Brie Larson – Room Jennifer Lawrence – Joy Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Paul Dano – Love & Mercy Tom Hardy – The Revenant Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies Michael Shannon – 99 Homes Sylvester Stallone – Creed BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight Rooney Mara – Carol Rachel McAdams – Spotlight Helen Mirren – Trumbo Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation RJ Cyler – Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Shameik Moore – Dope Milo Parker – Mr. Holmes Jacob Tremblay – Room BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE The Big Short The Hateful Eight Spotlight Straight Outta Compton Trumbo BEST DIRECTOR Todd Haynes – Carol Alejandro González Iñárritu – The Revenant Tom McCarthy – Spotlight George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road Ridley Scott – The Martian Steven Spielberg – Bridge of Spies BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen – Bridge of Spies Alex Garland – Ex Machina Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley – Inside Out Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy – Spotlight BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Charles Randolph and Adam McKay – The Big Short Nick Hornby – Brooklyn Drew Goddard – The Martian Emma Donoghue – Room Aaron Sorkin – Steve Jobs BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Carol – Ed Lachman The Hateful Eight – Robert Richardson Mad Max: Fury Road – John Seale The Martian – Dariusz Wolski The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki Sicario – Roger Deakins BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Bridge of Spies – Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo Brooklyn – François Séguin, Jennifer Oman and Louise Tremblay Carol – Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler The Danish Girl – Eve Stewart, Michael Standish Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson The Martian – Arthur Max, Celia Bobak BEST EDITING The Big Short – Hank Corwin Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel The Martian – Pietro Scalia The Revenant – Stephen Mirrione Spotlight – Tom McArdle BEST COSTUME DESIGN Brooklyn – Odile Dicks-Mireaux Carol – Sandy Powell Cinderella – Sandy Powell The Danish Girl – Paco Delgado Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan BEST HAIR & MAKEUP Black Mass Carol The Danish Girl The Hateful Eight Mad Max: Fury Road The Revenant BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Ex Machina Jurassic World Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant The Walk BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Anomalisa The Good Dinosaur Inside Out The Peanuts Movie Shaun the Sheep Movie BEST ACTION MOVIE Furious 7 Jurassic World Mad Max: Fury Road Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation Sicario BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE Daniel Craig – Spectre Tom Cruise – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation Tom Hardy – Mad Max: Fury Road Chris Pratt – Jurassic World Paul Rudd – Ant-Man BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE Emily Blunt – Sicario Rebecca Ferguson – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation Bryce Dallas Howard – Jurassic World Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road BEST COMEDY The Big Short Inside Out Joy Sisters Spy Trainwreck BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY Christian Bale – The Big Short Steve Carell – The Big Short Robert De Niro – The Intern Bill Hader – Trainwreck Jason Statham – Spy BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY Tina Fey – Sisters Jennifer Lawrence – Joy Melissa McCarthy – Spy Amy Schumer – Trainwreck Lily Tomlin – Grandma BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE Ex Machina It Follows Jurassic World Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM The Assassin Goodnight Mommy Mustang The Second Mother Son of Saul BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Amy Cartel Land Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief He Named Me Malala The Look of Silence Where to Invade Next BEST SONG Fifty Shades of Grey – Love Me Like You Do Furious 7 – See You Again The Hunting Ground – Til It Happens To You Love & Mercy – One Kind of Love Spectre – Writing’s on the Wall Youth – Simple Song #3 BEST SCORE Carol – Carter Burwell The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone The Revenant – Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto Sicario – Johann Johannsson Spotlight – Howard Shore
Read more
‘Youth’ ‘Mustang’ ‘Amy’ ‘The Lobster’ ‘Marshland’ Win European Film Awards

‘Youth’ (‘La Giovinezza’) directed and written by Academy Award-winner Paul Sorrentino, and starring Michal Kane, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano and Jane Fonda, won the top award, Best European Film of 2015, at the 28th European Film Awards. ‘Youth’ also won the awards for European Director for Paolo Sorrentino; and European Actor for Michael Caine. ‘Youth’ is the story of a retired orchestra conductor, on holiday in the Alps with his daughter and film director/best friend, who unexpectedly receives an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to perform for Prince Philip’s birthday. Complete list of winners of 28th European Film Awards EUROPEAN FILM 2015 YOUTH (LA GIOVINEZZA) WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Paolo Sorrentino PRODUCED BY: Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima & Carlotta Calori https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T7CM4di_0c EUROPEAN COMEDY 2015 A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE (EN DUVA SATT PÅ EN GREN OCH FUNDERADE PÅ TILLVARON) by Roy Andersson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7pna4laaAk EUROPEAN DISCOVERY 2015 – Prix FIPRESCI MUSTANG by Deniz Gamze Ergüven https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU9JAN8LtIk EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY 2015 AMY by Asif Kapadia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yCIwmNuLE EUROPEAN ANIMATED FEATURE FILM 2015 SONG OF THE SEA by Tomm Moore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7erpJFZhvTU EUROPEAN SHORT FILM 2015 PICNIC (PIKNIK) by Jure Pavlović EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2015 Paolo Sorrentino for YOUTH (La Giovinezza) EUROPEAN ACTRESS 2015 Charlotte Rampling in 45 YEARS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg5cpiX18TA EUROPEAN ACTOR 2015 Michael Caine in YOUTH (La Giovinezza) EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2015 Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthimis Filippou for THE LOBSTER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z069ldsumxA EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER 2015 – Prix CARLO DI PALMA Martin Gschlacht for GOODNIGHT MOMMY (Ich Seh Ich Seh) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kXpUaQpXMA EUROPEAN EDITOR 2015 Jacek Drosio for BODY (Ciało) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ-3VAxWwnk EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER 2015 Sylvie Olivé for THE BRAND NEW TESTAMENT (Le Tout nouveau testament) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5QNKcwe_lM EUROPEAN COSTUME DESIGNER 2015 Sarah Blenkinsop for THE LOBSTER EUROPEAN COMPOSER 2015 Cat’s Eyes for THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-xIMBnclyA EUROPEAN SOUND DESIGNER 2015 Vasco Pimentel & Miguel Martins for ARABIAN NIGHTS – VOL. I-III (As Mil e uma noites – Vol. I-III) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yONovEHyvXo EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Charlotte Rampling EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT IN WORLD CINEMA Christoph Waltz HONORARY AWARD Sir Michael Caine EUROPEAN CO-PRODUCTION AWARD 2015 – Prix EURIMAGES Andrea Occhipinti PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD 2015 for Best European Film MARSHLAND (LA ISLA MÍNIMA) by Alberto Rodríguez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fpk3Lnc638
Read more
13 Filmmakers Win 2015 Rooftop Filmmakers Fund Grant

Rooftop Films has awarded thirteen cash and service grants to alumni filmmakers, including The Rooftop Filmmakers’ Fund Garbo NYC Feature Film Grants, which were awarded to directors Kitty Green and Sebastian Silva. Green will receive a monetary grant of $15,000 to help finish her new film, Casting JonBenet, and Silva will receive a $10,000 grant to support his film, Demon Me. “Kitty Green’s film Casting JonBenet represents the type of daring and meaningful cinema that Rooftop Films wants to support,” said Rooftop’s Founder and Artistic Director Mark Elijah Rosenberg. Green’s film is a sly and stylized documentary about the infamous murder of child model JonBenet Ramsey, using casting tapes and recreations by people from the community to create an emotional investigation of the case and its ramifications. “Like all our filmmakers, Green is working outside the mainstream, approaching a complex situation with narrative nuance and filmic innovation. We’re confident that all the films we’re supporting, from serious documentaries to outlandish fairy tales, are going to have a substantial impact.” Kitty Green’s previous films include Ukraine is Not a Brothel, which won the 2015 AACTA Award for Best Feature Length Documentary, and “The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul,” which won the Jury Award for best non-fiction short documentary at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Sebastian Silva’s work includes The Maid, Nasty Baby, and Crystal Fairy, all of which have won numerous awards around the world. COMPLETE LIST OF 2015 ROOFTOP FILMMAKERS FUND GRANTS Rooftop Films / GarboNYC $15,000 Feature Film Grant: Kitty Green, Casting JonBenet Rooftop Films / GarboNYC $10,000 Feature Film Grant: Sebastian Silva, Demon Me Rooftop Films / Brigade Festival Publicity Grant: Anna Rose Holmer, The Fits (pictured above) Rooftop Films / Technological Cinevideo Services Camera Grant: Khalik Allah, Jamaica Rooftop Films / Eastern Effects Equipment Grant: Lauren Wolkstein & Chris Radcliff, The Strange Ones Rooftop Films / Edgeworx Post-Production Grant: Anja Marquardt, Wolf Rooftop Films / DCTV Color Correction Feature Film Grant: Sarah J. Christman, Swarm Season Rooftop Films / DCTV Equipment and Services Short Film Grant: Ryan Mauskopf, Sloof’s Supershop Rooftop Films / DCTV Equipment and Services Short Film Grant: Nathan Kensinger, Managed Retreat Rooftop Films / Adrienne Shelly Foundation Short Film Grant For Women: Jennifer Reeder, All Small Bodies In addition to the above grants, Rooftop Films helped negotiate post-production services at Metropolis Films for alumni filmmaker Robert Greene. Robert Greene, Kate Plays Christine Rooftop Filmmakers’ Fund Short Film Grant: Christopher K. Walker & Michael Beach Nichols, Beast of Man Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Market Place Nathan Kensinger, Managed Retreat This year’s grantees join the ranks of past Rooftop Filmmakers Fund grantees, an illustrious group that includes Ana Lily Amirpour’s soon to be completed The Bad Batch, Gillian Robespierre with her indie hit Obvious Child, Jonas Carpignano’s recent Gotham award-winner Mediterranea, Lucy Walker with her Academy Award-nominated short documentary “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom,” Jeremy Saulnier’s FIPRESCI Critics’ award-winner, Blue Ruin, Keith Miller’s critically acclaimed and Tribeca Film Festival award-winning Five Star, and Benh Zeitlin’s Academy Award-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild.
Read more
Complete List of 74 Original Songs Eligible for 2015 Oscar

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that 74 songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures released in 2015 are in contention for nominations in the Original Song category for the 88th Academy Awards®. The original songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by film title and song title: “Happy” from “Altered Minds” “Home” from “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip” “None Of Them Are You” from “Anomalisa” “Stem To The Rose” from “Becoming Bulletproof” “The Mystery Of Your Gift” from “Boychoir” “I Run” from “Chi-Raq” “Pray 4 My City” from “Chi-Raq” “Sit Down For This” from “Chi-Raq” “Strong” from “Cinderella” “So Long” from “Concussion” “Fighting Stronger” from “Creed” “Grip” from “Creed” “Waiting For My Moment” from “Creed” “Don’t Look Down” from “Danny Collins” “Hey Baby Doll” from “Danny Collins” “Dreamsong” from “The Diary of a Teenage Girl” (pictured above) “It’s My Turn Now” from “Dope” “Ya Rahem, Maula Maula” from “Dukhtar” “Earned It” from “Fifty Shades of Grey” “Love Me Like You Do” from “Fifty Shades of Grey” “Salted Wound” from “Fifty Shades of Grey” “Hands Of Love” from “Freeheld” “See You Again” from “Furious Seven” “Brother” from “Godspeed: The Story of Page Jones” “As Real As You And Me” from “Home” “Dancing In The Dark” from “Home” “Feel The Light” from “Home” “Red Balloon” from “Home” “Two Of A Crime” from “Hot Pursuit” “Til It Happens To You” from “The Hunting Ground” “I’ll See You In My Dreams” from “I’ll See You in My Dreams” “The Movie About Us” from “Ingrid Bergman – In Her Own Words” “Bhoomiyilenghanumundo” from “Jalam” “Koodu Vaykkan” from “Jalam” “Pakalppaathi Chaari” from “Jalam” “Yaathra Manoradhamerum” from “Jalam” “Lost In Love” from “Jenny’s Wedding” “True Love Avenue” from “Jenny’s Wedding” “Hypnosis” from “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet” “Juntos (Together)” from “McFarland, USA” “The Light That Never Fails” from “Meru” “The Crazy Ones” from “Miss You Already” “There’s A Place” from “Miss You Already” “Johanna” from “Mortdecai” “Little Soldier” from “Pan” “Something’s Not Right” from “Pan” “Paranoid Girl” from “Paranoid Girls” “Better When I’m Dancin'” from “The Peanuts Movie” “Pink & Blue” from “Pink & Blue: Colors of Hereditary Cancer” “Flashlight” from “Pitch Perfect 2” “Birds Of A Feather” from “Poached” “Still Breathing” from “Point Break” “Manta Ray” from “Racing Extinction” “Cold One” from “Ricki and the Flash” “Torch” from “Rock the Kasbah” “Someone Like You” from “The Rumperbutts” “Aankhon Me Samaye Dil” from “Salt Bridge” “Bachpana Thaa” from “Salt Bridge” “Kanpne Lage Tum” from “Salt Bridge” “Kyaa Bataaun Tujhe” from “Salt Bridge” “Le Jaaye Jo Door Tumse” from “Salt Bridge” “Na Jaane Kitni Door” from “Salt Bridge” “Sookha Hi Rang Daalo” from “Salt Bridge” “Feels Like Summer” from “Shaun the Sheep Movie” “Phenomenal” from “Southpaw” “Writing’s On The Wall” from “Spectre” “Squeeze Me” from “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water” “Teamwork” from “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water” “Who Can You Trust” from “Spy” “Came To Win” from “Sweet Micky for President” “Mean Ol’ Moon” from “Ted 2” “Love Was My Alibi” from “The Water Diviner” “Fine On The Outside” from “When Marnie Was There” “Simple Song #3” from “Youth” During the nominations process, all voting members of the Music Branch will receive a Reminder List of works submitted in the category and a DVD copy of the song clips. Members will be asked to watch the clips and then vote in the order of their preference for not more than five achievements in the category. The five achievements receiving the highest number of votes will become the nominations for final voting for the award. A maximum of two songs may be nominated from any one film. 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 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The 88th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Read more
‘Carol’ Leads Nominations for 73rd Golden Globe Awards

‘Carol’ led the nominations for the 73rd Golden Globe Awards, with five nominations – best motion picture, drama; best performance by an actress, drama for both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara; best director, Todd Haynes; and best original score, Carter Burwell. Film festival hits The Danish Girl, Room and Spotlight were right behind with 3 nominations each. In the foreign film category Europe took the lead with nominations for France (Mustang), Hungary (Son of Saul), Finland/Germany/Estonia (The Fencer) and Belgium/France/Luxembourg (The Brand New Testament). Latin America rounded up the nominations with Chile’s The Club. The Golden Globes will be presented on January 10 and broadcast live by NBC. The complete list of nominations for 73rd Golden Globe Awards. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA CAROL Number 9 Films; The Weinstein Company MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Warner Bros. Pictures / Village Roadshow Pictures / Kennedy Miller Mitchell; Warner Bros. Pictures THE REVENANT Regency Enterprises; Twentieth Century Fox ROOM Element Pictures / No Trace Camping; A24 SPOTLIGHT Anonymous Content / Participant Media / First Look; Open Road Films BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA CATE BLANCHETT CAROL BRIE LARSON ROOM ROONEY MARA CAROL SAOIRSE RONAN BROOKLYN ALICIA VIKANDER THE DANISH GIRL BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA BRYAN CRANSTON TRUMBO LEONARDO DICAPRIO THE REVENANT MICHAEL FASSBENDER STEVE JOBS EDDIE REDMAYNE THE DANISH GIRL WILL SMITH CONCUSSION BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY THE BIG SHORT Paramount Pictures / Regency Enterprises; Paramount Pictures JOY Fox 2000 Pictures; Twentieth Century Fox THE MARTIAN Twentieth Century Fox; Twentieth Century Fox SPY Twentieth Century Fox; Twentieth Century Fox TRAINWRECK Universal Pictures / Apatow Productions; Universal Pictures BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY JENNIFER LAWRENCE JOY MELISSA MCCARTHY SPY AMY SCHUMER TRAINWRECK MAGGIE SMITH THE LADY IN THE VAN LILY TOMLIN GRANDMA BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY CHRISTIAN BALE THE BIG SHORT STEVE CARELL THE BIG SHORT MATT DAMON THE MARTIAN AL PACINO DANNY COLLINS MARK RUFFALO INFINITELY POLAR BEAR BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED ANOMALISA Starburns Industries; Paramount Pictures THE GOOD DINOSAUR Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures INSIDE OUT Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures THE PEANUTS MOVIE Blue Sky Studios; Twentieth Century Fox SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE Aardman; Lionsgate / Studiocanal BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE THE BRAND NEW TESTAMENT (BELGIUM / FRANCE / LUXEMBOURG) Terra Incognita / Climax Films / Après le Déluge / Juliette Films / Caviar; Belga Films / Le Pacte THE CLUB (CHILE) Fabula; Music Box Films THE FENCER (FINLAND / GERMANY / ESTONIA) Making Movies / Kick Film GmbH / Allfilm; Oy Nordisk Film Ab MUSTANG (FRANCE) CG Cinéma / Vistamar Flimproduktion; Cohen Media Group SON OF SAUL (HUNGARY) Laokoon Filmgroup; Sony Pictures Classics BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE JANE FONDA YOUTH JENNIFER JASON LEIGH THE HATEFUL EIGHT HELEN MIRREN TRUMBO ALICIA VIKANDER EX MACHINA KATE WINSLET STEVE JOBS BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE PAUL DANO LOVE & MERCY IDRIS ELBA BEASTS OF NO NATION MARK RYLANCE BRIDGE OF SPIES MICHAEL SHANNON 99 HOMES SYLVESTER STALLONE CREED BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE TODD HAYNES CAROL ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU THE REVENANT TOM MCCARTHY SPOTLIGHT GEORGE MILLER MAD MAX: FURY ROAD RIDLEY SCOTT THE MARTIAN BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE EMMA DONOGHUE ROOM TOM MCCARTHY, JOSH SINGER SPOTLIGHT CHARLES RANDOLPH, ADAM MCKAY THE BIG SHORT AARON SORKIN STEVE JOBS QUENTIN TARANTINO THE HATEFUL EIGHT BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE CARTER BURWELL CAROL ALEXANDRE DESPLAT THE DANISH GIRL ENNIO MORRICONE THE HATEFUL EIGHT DANIEL PEMBERTON STEVE JOBS RYUICHI SAKAMOTO, ALVA NOTO THE REVENANT BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE “LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO” — FIFTY SHADES OF GREY Music by: Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Ali Payami, Ilya Salmanzadeh Lyrics by: Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Ali Payami, Ilya Salmanzadeh “ONE KIND OF LOVE” — LOVE & MERCY Music by: Brian Wilson, Scott Bennett Lyrics by: Brian Wilson, Scott Bennett “SEE YOU AGAIN” — FURIOUS 7 Music by: Justin Franks, Andrew Cedar, Charlie Puth, Cameron Thomaz Lyrics by: Justin Franks, Andrew Cedar, Charlie Puth, Cameron Thomaz “SIMPLE SONG #3” — YOUTH Music by: David Lang Lyrics by: David Lang “WRITING’S ON THE WALL” — SPECTRE Music by: Sam Smith, Jimmy Napes Lyrics by: Sam Smith, Jimmy Napes BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA EMPIRE FOX 20th Century Fox Television / Imagine Television GAME OF THRONES HBO HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360 and Startling Television MR. ROBOT USA NETWORK Universal Cable Productions NARCOS NETFLIX Gaumont International Television for Netflix OUTLANDER STARZ Sony Pictures Television BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA CAITRIONA BALFE OUTLANDER VIOLA DAVIS HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER EVA GREEN PENNY DREADFUL TARAJI P. HENSON EMPIRE ROBIN WRIGHT HOUSE OF CARDS BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA JON HAMM MAD MEN RAMI MALEK MR. ROBOT WAGNER MOURA NARCOS BOB ODENKIRK BETTER CALL SAUL LIEV SCHREIBER RAY DONOVAN BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY CASUAL HULU Lionsgate TV / Right of Way MOZART IN THE JUNGLE AMAZON VIDEO Amazon Studios ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK NETFLIX Lionsgate Television for Netflix SILICON VALLEY HBO HBO Entertainment in association with Judgemental Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky Works, and 3 Arts Entertainment TRANSPARENT AMAZON VIDEO Amazon Studios VEEP HBO HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY RACHEL BLOOM CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND JAMIE LEE CURTIS SCREAM QUEENS JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS VEEP GINA RODRIGUEZ JANE THE VIRGIN LILY TOMLIN GRACE AND FRANKIE BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY AZIZ ANSARI MASTER OF NONE GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL MOZART IN THE JUNGLE ROB LOWE THE GRINDER PATRICK STEWART BLUNT TALK JEFFREY TAMBOR TRANSPARENT BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION American Crime ABC ABC Studios American Horror Story: Hotel FX 20th Century Fox Television Fargo FX MGM Television Studios / FX Productions Flesh & Bone Starz Starz Wolf Hall PBS A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures production for BBC and MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Atlus Media and Prescience BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION KIRSTEN DUNST FARGO LADY GAGA AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL SARAH HAY FLESH & BONE FELICITY HUFFMAN AMERICAN CRIME QUEEN LATIFAH BESSIE BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION IDRIS ELBA LUTHER OSCAR ISAAC SHOW ME A HERO DAVID OYELOWO NIGHTINGALE MARK RYLANCE WOLF HALL PATRICK WILSON FARGO BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION UZO ADUBA ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK JOANNE FROGGATT DOWNTON ABBEY REGINA KING AMERICAN CRIME JUDITH LIGHT TRANSPARENT MAURA TIERNEY THE AFFAIR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION ALAN CUMMING THE GOOD WIFE DAMIAN LEWIS WOLF HALL BEN MENDELSOHN BLOODLINE TOBIAS MENZIES OUTLANDER CHRISTIAN SLATER MR. ROBOT
Read more
‘Chi-Raq’ ‘A Ballerina’s Tale’ Among 2015 African-American Film Critics Award Winners

Straight Outta Compton, the surprise summer box office hit centered on the 90’s rap group N.W.A., captured an overwhelming majority of the votes cast by members of the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) for the 7th AAFCA Awards, including Best Picture. Best Independent Film went to Spike Lee’s “Chi-Raq”, and Best Documentary went to “A Ballerina’s Tale,” (pictured above) the feature documentary about ballerina Misty Copeland. “Our members found an interesting theme in many of the films released this year, giving a voice to communities who have generally been underserved and marginalized in society,” says AAFCA president Gil Robertson. “With movies like Straight Outta Compton, Chi-Raq, 3 1/2 Minutes and Dope, filmmakers brought to life many storylines that are a reflection of what’s happening in our world today, including the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Pictures like Carol and The Danish Girl, give voice to another community that is too often ridiculed and ignored by the status-quo. With Creed, the members of AAFCA found an opportunity to celebrate a film with “a” universal message of hope, honor and perseverance – something that everyone can embrace. Overall, it was a transformative year in cinema.” AAFCA will hold its 7th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, CA. The following is a complete list of 2015 AAFCA Awards winners. Best Picture: “Straight Outta Compton” (Universal Pictures) Best Director: Ryan Coogler –“Creed” (Warner Bros.) Best Ensemble: “Straight Outta Compton” (Universal Pictures) Best Actor: Will Smith “Concussion” (Sony) Best Actress: Teyonah Parris “Chi-Raq” (Roadside Attractions) Best Supporting Actor: Jason Mitchell “Straight Outta Compton” (Universal Pictures) Best Supporting Actress: Tessa Thompson “Creed” (Warner Bros.) Best Independent Film: “Chi-Raq” (Roadside Attractions) Best Screenplay: Rick Famuyiwa, “Dope” (Open Road Films) Breakout Performance: Michael B. Jordan “Creed” (Warner Bros.) Best Animation: “The Peanuts Movie” (20th Century Fox) Best Documentary: “A Ballerina’s Tale” (Sundance Selects) Best Song: “See You Again” Furious 7 (Atlantic Records) Best TV Comedy: “Black-ish” (ABC) Best TV Drama: “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC) Best Cable/New Media TV Show: “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz) AAFCA Top Ten Films of 2015 are as follows in order of distinction: 1. Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures) 2. Creed (Warner Bros.) 3. Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.) 4. Beasts of No Nation (Netflix) 5. The Martian (20th Century Fox) 6. 3-1/2 Minutes/Dope (HBO/Open Road Films) 7. Chi-Raq (Roadside Attractions) 8. Carol (Weinstein Co.) 9. The Big Short (Paramount Pictures) 10. The Danish Girl (Focus Features) AAFCA’s Special Achievement honors will be awarded to Codeblack Entertainment CEO, Jeff Clanagan; director John Singleton; Maverick Carter and LeBron James’ SpringHill Entertainment. New York Times film critic, Manohla Dargis will receive the organization’s Roger Ebert Award and HBO will receive the group’s Cinema Vanguard Award.
Read more
‘Spotlight’ ‘Amy’ ‘The Look of Silence’ Among Boston Society of Film Critics 2015 Award Winners

The Boston Society of Film Critics picked ‘Spotlight’ as the Best Film of 2015. ‘Spotlight’ directed by Academy Award-nominee Tom McCarthy and starring Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Brian d’Arcy James and Stanley Tucci, tells the riveting true story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church. ‘Spotlight’ was also given the awards for Best Screenplay and Best Ensemble Cast. The Amy Winehouse documentary titled ‘Amy’ received the award for Best Documentary; and ‘The Look of Silence’, director Joshua Oppenheimer’s powerful companion piece to the Oscar®-nominated The Act of Killing was voted Best Foreign-Language Film. 2015 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Best Picture – Spotlight Best Actor – (tie) Paul Dano for Love & Mercy and Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant Best Actress – Charlotte Rampling for 45 Years Best Supporting Actor – Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies Best Supporting Actress – Kristen Stewart for Clouds of Sils Maria Best Director – Todd Haynes for Carol Best Screenplay – Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight Best Cinematography – Edward Lachman for Carol Best Documentary – Amy Best Foreign-Language Film (awarded in memory of Jay Carr) – The Look of Silence Best Animated Film – (tie) Anomalisa and Inside Out Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) – Margaret Sixel for Mad Max: Fury Road Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) – Marielle Heller for The Diary of a Teenage Girl Best Ensemble Cast – Spotlight Best Use of Music in a Film – Love & Mercy
Read more