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Brent Green and Thyra Heder Win SFFS / Hearst Screenwriting Grant for “Over the Eaves”

Brent Green and Thyra Heder have been selected to receive this year’s $15,000 2015 San Francisco Film Society / Hearst Screenwriting Grant for development of their script Over the Eaves. “Man, it takes a long time to write a screenplay! Way longer than you’d think,” said Green. “Or at least longer than I’d have thought. I’m so very grateful to the San Francisco Film Society and William Hearst III for their generosity, which will allow Thyra and I to set aside the necessary time to finish up writing what we hope to be a stellar movie.” Working in the hills of rural Pennsylvania, Brent Green is a self-taught filmmaker, storyteller and visual artist whose films have screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, the San Francisco Film Society, MoMA, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Walker Art Center and the Hammer Museum. He serves on the board of Rooftop Films, is a 2005 Creative Capital grantee, and the recipient of 2014 MAPfund grant. Green’s work is in permanent collections including the Progressive Collection, the Hammer Museum and MoMA. Green is an alum of the January 2015 Sundance Screenwriters Lab and the 2015 Sundance Directors Lab. Thyra Heder is an author, illustrator and artist who got her start studying film. She graduated from Brown University with a BA in Art Semiotics and put it to use storyboarding for television, feature films and advertising campaigns. Over the last decade her clients have expanded to include major restaurant groups, design companies and hotels, and her work has been regularly featured in Vogue. Her debut picture book, Fraidyzoo, garnered numerous starred reviews and was one of the ALSC Notable Children’s Books of 2014. Her second book, The Bear Report, will be released this fall. She is an alum of the June 2015 Sundance Screenwriters Lab. In the stop-motion animated film, OVER THE EAVES, a young boy begins inventing strange, hand-made machines to ease his mother’s hard labor and bring joy to her monotonous life. When his most daring invention backfires and changes life on Earth forever, his neighbors struggle to understand whether he has done them harm or shown them what they have been missing.
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Complete List + TRAILERS of 16 Animated Feature Films Submitted For 88th Academy Awards

Sixteen features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 88th Academy Awards®. The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are: “Anomalisa” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrrU3is7qvU “The Boy and the Beast” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uifJLWoWv8c “Boy and the World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th0NihA2q-Q “The Good Dinosaur” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-RgquKVTPE “Home” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g50GhaH0U3Y “Hotel Transylvania 2” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3nqmGgnJe8 “Inside Out” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAgJcEmMTek “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9dY5zkwK5M “The Laws of the Universe – Part 0” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxWTp7O0VkM “Minions” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfql_DoHRKc “Moomins on the Riviera” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ie8lqrOe_4 “The Peanuts Movie” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XmV3zGifOE “Regular Show: The Movie” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf6vwAOUDek “Shaun the Sheep Movie” (pictured above) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQvwiOWpj7o “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGjbpO1toTc “When Marnie Was There” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjmrxqcQdYg Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying run. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process. At least eight eligible animated features must be theatrically released in Los Angeles County within the calendar year for this category to be activated. In any year in which 16 or more animated feature films are eligible, a maximum of five motion pictures may be nominated. Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories. 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.
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AMY, Listen To Me Marlon, Among Nominees for 2015 IDA Documentary Awards, Tig Notaro to Host Ceremony

Grammy-nominated comedian Tig Notaro will host the 2015 IDA Documentary Awards ceremony. Tig Notaro is the subject of Tig, the Netflix Original documentary chronicling her life after it famously fell apart. The 2015 edition of the Awards will highlight six films in Best Feature Documentary category. These films include AMY, Asif Kapadia’s moving film about six-time Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse; The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, Stanley Nelson’s vibrant chronicle of the birth of the Black Panther Party; Listen To Me Marlon, Stevan Riley’s fascinating self-portrait of Marlon Brando culled from his vast archive of personal audio and visual materials; The Look of Silence, Joshua Oppenheimer’s powerful companion piece to the Oscar®-nominated The Act of Killing; The Russian Woodpecker, Chad Gracia’s riveting examination of eccentric Ukranian artist Fedor Alexandrovich’s obsession with a Soviet-constructed radio antenna near the Chernobyl site; and What Happened, Miss Simone?, Liz Garbus’s sensitive exploration of the legendary singer and activist Nina Simone. In addition to the awards, this year’s honorees include Matthew Heineman, recipient of the IDA’s Courage Under Fire Award in recognition of conspicuous bravery in the pursuit of truth. Heineman’s gripping film, Cartel Land, documents two modern-day vigilante movements – Dr. José Mireles’s citizen-led uprising against a violent drug cartel wreaking havoc in Mexico and the Arizona Border Recon led by Tim “Nailer” Foley, which is working to prevent Mexico’s drug wars from crossing into the United States. Previous recipients of the award include: Laura Poitras, Christiane Amanpour, Andrew Berends, Jonathan Stack and James Brabazon and Saira Shah. In addition to Heineman, the 2015 IDA Documentary Awards will honor Gordon Quinn with its Career Achievement Award. Tony Tabatznik and the Bertha Foundation (berthafoundation.org) will receive the IDA Amicus Award, and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos will receive IDA’s Pioneer Award. (T)ERROR directors Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe will share the Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award sponsored by the Archibald Family Foundation. The recipients of this year’s IDA Creative Recognition Awards include The Russian Woodpecker (cinematography by Artem Ryzhykov) will be recognized with the award for Best Cinematography; Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (edited by Joe Beshenkovsky and Brett Morgen) will receive the Best Editing award; Best of Enemies (original score by Jonathan Kirkscey) will be presented with the Best Music award, and Listen To Me Marlon (written by Stevan Riley, co-writer Peter Ettedgui) will receive the Best Writing award. The 31st Annual IDA Documentary Awards will take place on Saturday, December 5th at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles, CA 31st Annual IDA Awards Nominees Best Feature Award Amy Director: Asif Kapadia Producer: James Gay-Rees A24 The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution Director: Stanley Nelson Producer: Laurens Grant PBS DISTRIBUTION Listen to Me Marlon Director: Stevan Riley Producer: John Battsek SHOWTIME DOCUMENTARY FILMS The Look of Silence Director: Joshua Oppenheimer Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen DRAFTHOUSE FILMS AND PARTICIPANT MEDIA The Russian Woodpecker Director: Chad Gracia Producer: Ram Devineni and Mike Lerner FILMBUFF What Happened, Miss Simone? Director: Liz Garbus NETFLIX Best Short Award Body Team 12 Director: David Darg Producer: Bryn Mooser RYOT FILMS AND VULCAN PRODUCTIONS Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah Director: Adam Benzine HBO The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul Director: Kitty Green Producer: Philippa Campey KURZFILMAGENTUR HAMBURG (GERMANY) Last Day of Freedom Directors: Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman Object Director: Paulina Skibińska MUNK STUDIO AND POLISH FILMMAKERS ASSOCIATION Best Curated Series Award 30 for 30 Executive Producers John Dahl and Connor Schell ESPN America ReFramed Executive Producers: Chris Hastings and Simon Kilmurry WORLD CHANNEL Independent Lens Executive Producers: Sally Jo Fifer and Lois Vossen ITVS/PBS POV Executive Producers: Simon Kilmurry and Chris White POV, PBS Storyville Series Editor: Nick Fraser Executive Producer: Kate Townsend BBC TV, BBC WORLD NEWS Best Limited Series Award Blood Brothers Executive Producers: Kees Schaap and Anja van Oostrom VARA TELEVISION (THE NETHERLANDS) Hard Earned Executive Producers: Steve James, Justine Nagan, and Gordon Quinn Series Producer: Maggie Bowman AL JAZEERA AMERICA AND KARTEMQUIN FILMS The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst Executive Producer: Jason Blum Co-Executive Producer: Zac Stuart-Pontier Produced by: Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling HBO Life Story Executive Producer: Mike Gunton DISCOVERY Rebel Architecture Executive Producer: Fiona Lawson-Baker AL JAZEERA ENGLISH Best Episodic Series Award Chef’s Table Executive Producers: David Gelb, Andrew Fried, and Brian McGinn NETFLIX Morgan Spurlock Inside Man Executive Producers: Jeremy Chilnick, Matthew Galkin, and Morgan Spurlock CNN AND WARRIOR POETS NOVA Senior Executive Producer: Paula Apsell Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Cort PBS The Seventies Executive Producers: Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, and Mark Herzog CNN, PLAYTONE, AND HERZOG & COMPANY This is Life with Lisa Ling Executive Producers: Amy Bucher, Lisa Ling, and David Shadrack Smith CNN AND PART2 PICTURES Best Short Form Series Award Do Not Track Executive Producer: Hugues Sweeney NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA, UPIAN, ARTE, AND BR Highrise: Universe Within Executive Producers: Anita Lee and Silva Basmajian NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA The New York Times Op-Docs Executive Producer: Jason Spingarn-Koff THE NEW YORK TIMES POV Interactive Documentaries Executive Producer: Simon Kilmurry and Adnaan Wasey POV AND PBS WE THE ECONOMY: 20 Short Films You Can’t Afford to Miss Executive Producer: Paul G. Allen and Morgan Spurlock VULCAN PRODUCTIONS AND CINELAN David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award This award recognizes exceptional achievement in non-fiction film and video production at the university level and brings greater public and industry awareness to the work of students in the documentary field. The Archipelago Director: Benjamin Huguet THE NATIONAL FILM AND TELEVISION SCHOOL The Blue Wall Director: Michael Milano UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY El Cacao Director: Michelle Aguilar University of California Santa Cruz In Attla’s Tracks Director: Catharine Axley STANFORD UNIVERSITY Looking at the Stars Director: Alexandre Peralta UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Pare Lorentz Award The Pare Lorentz Award recognizes films that demonstrate exemplary filmmaking while focusing on the appropriate use of the natural environment, justice for all and the illumination of pressing social problems. How to Change the World Director: Jerry Rothwell ABC News VideoSource Award This award is given each year for the best use of news footage as an integral component in a documentary. (T)ERROR Directors: Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe INDEPENDENT LENS ALONG WITH BBC Best of Enemies Directors: Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville MAGNOLIA PICTURES AND INDEPENDENT LENS Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll Director: John Pirozzi ARGOT PICTURES Night Will Fall Director: André Singer HBO What Happened, Miss Simone? Director: Liz Garbus NETFLIX Creative Recognition Award Winners The Creative Recognition category recognizes special achievement in cinematography, editing, music and writing in films entered in the Feature Category. Best Cinematography The Russian Woodpecker Cinematography by: Artem Ryzhykov Best Editing Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck Edited by: Joe Beshenkovsky and Brett Morgen Best Writing Listen to Me Marlon Written by: Stevan Riley Co-Writer: Peter Ettedgui Best Music Best of Enemies Original Score by: Jonathan Kirkscey
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THE DANISH GIRL, AMY, BROOKLYN are Winners at 2015 Hollywood Film Awards

The 2015 Hollywood Film Awards, the official launch of the awards season, took place last weekend at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The Danish Girl (pictured above) was a big winner, taking awards for Hollywood Director Award for Tom Hooper, Hollywood Breakout Actress Award for Alicia Vikander, and Hollywood Film Composer Award for Alexandre Desplat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d88APYIGkjk Other winners included Carey Mulligan who spoke passionately about women’s rights while accepting the Hollywood Actress Award for her work in Suffragette, Asif Kapadia won the Hollywood Documentary Award for Amy, and Jane Fonda who received a standing ovation after stepping onstage to accept the “Supporting Actress Award” for her work in Youth. Ryan Gosling set the record straight on how to pronounce Saoirse Ronan’s name, while singing her praises, as she accepted the New Hollywood Award for her performance in Brooklyn. The 19th Annual Hollywood Film Awards show honored the following: “Hollywood Career Achievement Award” Robert De Niro, presented by David O. Russell “Hollywood Producer Award” Ridley Scott for The Martian, presented by Russell Crowe “Hollywood Director Award” Tom Hooper for The Danish Girl, presented by Amber Heard “Hollywood Actor Award” Will Smith for Concussion, presented by Jamie Foxx “Hollywood Actress Award” Carey Mulligan for Suffragette, presented by Jake Gyllenhaal “Hollywood Supporting Actor Award” Benicio Del Toro for Sicario, presented by Reese Witherspoon “Hollywood Supporting Actress Award” Jane Fonda for Youth, presented by Laura Dern “Hollywood Breakout Actor Award” Joel Edgerton for Black Mass, presented by Johnny Depp and Dakota Johnson “Hollywood Breakout Actress Award” Alicia Vikander for The Danish Girl, presented by Armie Hammer “New Hollywood Award” Saoirse Ronan for Brooklyn, presented by Ryan Gosling “Hollywood Ensemble Award” The Hateful Eight cast including Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Channing Tatum, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, presented by Jamie Foxx “Hollywood Breakout Ensemble Award” Straight Outta Compton cast including Corey Hawkins, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. & Jason Mitchell, presented by Ice Cube “Hollywood Comedy Award” Amy Schumer for Trainwreck, presented by Selena Gomez “Hollywood Breakthrough Director Award” Adam McKay for The Big Short, presented by Steve Carell “Hollywood Screenwriter Award” Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight, presented by Mark Ruffalo “Hollywood Blockbuster Award” Furious 7 (award accepted by Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez), presented by Kurt Russell “Hollywood Song Award” Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth for “See You Again” from the Furious 7 soundtrack, presented by Vin Diesel “Hollywood Animation Award” Inside Out (award accepted by director Pete Docter), presented by Amy Poehler “Hollywood Documentary Award” Asif Kapadia for Amy “Hollywood Cinematography Award” Janusz Kaminski for Bridge of Spies “Hollywood Film Composer Award” Alexandre Desplat for The Danish Girl and Suffragette “Hollywood Editor Award” David Rosenbloom for Black Mass “Hollywood Visual Effects Award” Tim Alexander for Jurassic World “Hollywood Sound Award” Gary Rydstrom for Bridge of Spies “Hollywood Costume Design Award” Sandy Powell for Cinderella “Hollywood Make-Up & Hair Styling Award” Lesley Vanderwalt for Mad Max: Fury Road “Hollywood Production Design Award” Cory Gibson for Mad Max: Fury Road
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THE LOBSTER Leads Nominations for 2015 Moët British Independent Film Awards

The Lobster topped the list of nominations for the 2015 Moët British Independent Film Awards with 7 nominations, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay andProducer of the Year. Colin Farrell is nominated for Best Actor and Olivia Colmanand Ben Whishaw for their supporting roles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR_NcqD-Gfs 45 Years and Macbeth received six nominations each, including Best British Independent Film and Best Director. 45 Years also has nominations for its screenplay, for Producer of the Year, and for its stars Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillardare nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress and Macduff, Sean Harris, for Best Supporting Actor. The film’s Cinematography also gets a nod. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg5cpiX18TA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqHhKuCQmoY Asif Kapadia’s Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy, has five nominations, for Director, Documentary, Producer of the Year, for its Editing and for Best British Independent Film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yCIwmNuLE Completing the Best British Independent Film line up is Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, which is nominated for Director and Screenplay. The film’s Production Design and Visual Effects are also recognised. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bggUmgeMCdc Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne-Marie Duff are all nominated for their performances in Suffragette. Alicia Vikander is nominated for Best Actress for her performance in The Danish Girl. Tom Hardy is nominated (just once) for Best Actor for his performance as both Kray twins in Legend. Father and son Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson are both nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Suffragette and Brooklyn, respectively. Brooklyn’s other nominations come for Nick Hornby’s Screenplay and for Best Actress Saoirse Ronanand Best Supporting Actress Julie Walters. The film’s Casting is also nominated, in the Outstanding Achievement in Craft category. Amy Jump’s Screenplay for High-Rise, adapted from the novel by JG Ballard, is nominated. The film’s cast are recognised too: Tom Hiddleston is nominated forBest Actor, Sienna Miller for Supporting Actress and Luke Evans for Supporting Actor. There are five first-time performance nominees this year (Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Tom Hiddleston, Marion Cotillard and Luke Evans) and nine past winners: Tom Hardy, Brendan Gleeson Anne-Marie Duff, Olivia Colman, Michael Fassbender, Helena Bonham Carter, Julie Walters and Ben Whishaw, who was BIFA’s Most Promising Newcomer in 2001. This year’s Most Promising Newcomers are Agyness Deyn for Sunset Song, Mia Goth for The Survivalist, Abigail Hardingham for Nina Forever, Milo Parker for Mr Holmes and Bel Powley for A Royal Night Out. Nina Forever and The Survivalist are both nominated for The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director for directors The Blaine Brothers and Stephen Fingleton. The other first-time directors nominated are John Maclean for Slow West, Corin Hardy for The Hallow and Paul Katis for Kajaki: The True Story, which is also nominated for Producer of the Year.The Violators is also nominated for Producer of the Year. Nominated for Best Documentary along with Amy, are Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance, How to Change the World, Palio and A Syrian Love Story. The nominations for the new Discovery Award, which recognises innovation and vision in lower-budget films, are Aaaaaaaah!, Burn Burn Burn, Orion: The Man Who Would Be King, The Return and Winter. The Variety Award, which recognizes a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK, will be presented to Kate Winslet. The winners will be announced at The Moët British Independent Film Awards on Sunday 6 December at Old Billingsgate. 2015 MOËT BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS Best British Independent Film sponsored by Moët & Chandon 45 YEARS Tristan Goligher, Andrew Haigh AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia EX MACHINA Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Alex Garland THE LOBSTER Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos MACBETH Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Laura Hastings-Smith, Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie, Justin Kurzel Best Director 45 YEARS Andrew Haigh AMY Asif Kapadia EX MACHINA Alex Garland THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos MACBETH Justin Kurzel Best Screenplay sponsored by BBC Films 45 YEARS Andrew Haigh BROOKLYN Nick Hornby EX MACHINA Alex Garland HIGH-RISE Amy Jump THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou Best Actress sponsored by MAC MARION COTILLARD Macbeth CAREY MULLIGAN Suffragette CHARLOTTE RAMPLING 45 Years SAOIRSE RONAN Brooklyn ALICIA VIKANDER The Danish Girl Best Actor sponsored by Movado TOM COURTENAY 45 Years COLIN FARRELL The Lobster MICHAEL FASSBENDER Macbeth TOM HARDY Legend TOM HIDDLESTON High-Rise Best Supporting Actress HELENA BONHAM CARTER Suffragette OLIVIA COLMAN The Lobster ANNE-MARIE DUFF Suffragette SIENNA MILLER High-Rise JULIE WALTERS Brooklyn Best Supporting Actor LUKE EVANS High-Rise BRENDAN GLEESON Suffragette DOMHNALL GLEESON Brooklyn SEAN HARRIS Macbeth BEN WHISHAW The Lobster Most Promising Newcomer sponsored by The London Edition AGYNESS DEYN Sunset Song MIA GOTH The Survivalist ABIGAIL HARDINGHAM Nina Forever MILO PARKER Mr Holmes BEL POWLEY A Royal Night Out The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) sponsored by 3 Mills Studios THE HALLOW Corin Hardy KAJAKI: THE TRUE STORY Paul Katis NINA FOREVER Chris & Ben Blaine SLOW WEST John Maclean THE SURVIVALIST Stephen Fingleton The Discovery Award sponsored by Raindance AAAAAAAAH! Andrew Starke, Steve Oram BURN BURN BURN Daniel-Konrad Cooper, Tim Phillips, Charlie Covell, Chanya Button ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING Jeanie Finlay THE RETURN Oliver Nias WINTER Tilly Wood, Paula Crickard, Heidi Greensmith Best Documentary AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia DARK HORSE: THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF DREAM ALLIANCE Judith Dawson, Louise Osmond HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD Bous De Jong, Al Morrow, Jerry Rothwell PALIO James Gay-Rees, John Hunt, Cosima Spender A SYRIAN LOVE STORY Elhum Shakerifar, Sean McAllister Producer of the Year TRISTAN GOLIGHER 45 Years JAMES GAY-REES Amy PAUL KATIS, ANDREW DE LOTBINIERE Kajaki: The True Story CECI DEMPSEY, ED GUINEY, YORGOS LANTHIMOS, LEE MAGIDAY The Lobster DAVID A HUGHES, DAVID MOORES The Violators Outstanding Achievement in Craft ADAM ARKAPAW Cinematography – Macbeth MARK DIGBY Production Design – Ex Machina CHRIS KING Editing – Amy FIONA WEIR Casting – Brooklyn ANDREW WHITEHURST Visual Effects, Ex Machina Best British Short Film BALCONY Tom Kimberly, Ali Mansuri, Toby Fell-Holden CRACK Joseph Taussig, Peter King EDMOND Emilie Jouffroy, Nina Gantz LOVE IS BLIND Lizzie Brown, Dan Hodgson MANoMAN Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl, Simon Cartwright Best International Independent Film CAROL Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley, Christine Vachon, Phyllis Nagy, Todd Haynes FORCE MAJEURE Erik Hemmendorff, Marie Kjellson, Philippe Bober, Ruben Östlund GIRLHOOD Bénédicte Couvreur, Céline Sciamma ROOM Ed Guiney, David Gross, Emma Donoghue, Lenny Abrahamson SON OF SAUL Gábor Sipos, Gábor Rajna, Cara Royer, László Nemes
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Actor and Comedian Mike Epps to Host Inaugural 2016 ABFF Honors

Actor and comedian Mike Epps will host the 2016 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors on February 21 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. This annual gala, held one week before the Academy Awards, is a celebration of Black culture, recognizing individuals, movies and television shows that have had a significant impact on American entertainment, as well as those who are proponents of championing diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. To kick off this inaugural year, 2016 ABFF Honors has chosen a host who the organization describes as “a talented and dedicated actor and comedian”. Among his many notable achievements are the Starz’ hit series Survivor’s Remorse, the ABC series Uncle Buck, HBO’s Emmy-winning biopic Bessie and the much anticipated Lee Daniels’ film Pryor, featuring Oprah Winfrey, Eddie Murphy and Kate Hudson, where he will play the title role of comedy icon Richard Pryor. “I am very proud to be hosting this year’s ABFF Honors celebrating the best in film and television. To be in a room with such amazing talent and creativity will make for an exciting night, and you know I’ll be ready to hit the stage and entertain,” says Epps. The ABFF Honors ceremony describes itself as a hybrid of the Kennedy Center Honors and the Golden Globes Awards, featuring Competitive Awards as well as Special Tributes. The 2016 Awards Committee, comprised of artists, journalists and industry influencers, determines the honorees and competitive award winners. “I am encouraged that a handful of Black artists are now being acknowledged at high-profile mainstream award ceremonies, but work of the majority of our artists continues to be unheralded. ABFF Honors will change this and there’s no better person to host our first show than Mike Epps. He is an inspiration to many standup comics and living proof that talent combined with focus and perseverance will eventually bring success. I plan to be laughing all night,” says Jeff Friday, Executive Producer and President of ABFF Ventures.
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Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” to be Honored at Hollywood Film Awards

Quentin Tarantino’s film The Hateful Eight will be honored with the “Hollywood Ensemble Award” at the “19th Annual Hollywood Film Awards.” The Hateful Eight stars Zoë Bell, Demian Bichir, Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins, Dana Gourrier, Lee Horsley, Samuel L. Jackson, Keith Jefferson, Gene Jones, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Madsen, Belinda Owino, James Parks, Tim Roth, Kurt Russell, Craig Stark and Channing Tatum among others. Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight is produced by Richard N. Gladstein, Stacey Sher and Shannon McIntosh. Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein and Georgia Kacandes are executive producers, and Coco Francini and William Paul Clark are associate producers. The ceremony will be hosted by critically and globally acclaimed actor, comedian and late night talk show host, James Corden, and will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, on November 1, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnRbXn4-Yis About The Hateful Eight Six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock, where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie’s Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Demian Bichir), who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all.
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10 Documentary Shorts on 2015 Oscar’s Shortlist | TRAILERS

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that the field of Documentary Short Subject contenders for the 88th Academy Awards® has been narrowed to 10 films, of which five will earn Oscar® nominations. Voters from the Academy’s Documentary Branch viewed this year’s 74 eligible entries and submitted their ballots to PricewaterhouseCoopers for tabulation. The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies: “Body Team 12,” RYOT Films and Vulcan Productions (pictured above) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2eT2P1TfB8 “Chau, beyond the Lines,” Cynasty Films “Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah,” Jet Black Iris America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJPWP3udqE8 “50 Feet from Syria,” Spin Film https://vimeo.com/141567000 “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness,” SOC Films “Last Day of Freedom,” Living Condition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5diBuNHV75U “Minerita,” Kanaki Films https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY5mbbmN0V4 “My Enemy, My Brother,” Fathom Film Group https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42YFUwCnWzE “Starting Point,” Munk Studio – Polish Filmmakers Association https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAUTn6q2TVo “The Testimony,” Atria Film in association with Escape Artists 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.
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124 Documentary Features Submitted For 2015 Oscar Race

One hundred twenty-four features have been submitted for consideration in the Documentary Feature category for the 88th Academy Awards®. The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are: “Above and Beyond” “All Things Must Pass” “Amy” “The Armor of Light” “Ballet 422” “Batkid Begins” “Becoming Bulletproof” “Being Evel” “Beltracchi – The Art of Forgery” “Best of Enemies” “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” “Bolshoi Babylon” “Brand: A Second Coming” “A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story” “Call Me Lucky” “Cartel Land” “Censored Voices” “Champs” “CodeGirl” “Coming Home” “Dark Horse” “Deli Man” “Dior and I” “The Diplomat” “(Dis)Honesty – The Truth about Lies” “Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll” “Dreamcatcher” “dream/killer” “Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon” “Eating Happiness” “Every Last Child” “Evidence of Harm” “Farewell to Hollywood” “Finders Keepers” “The Forecaster” “Frame by Frame” “Gardeners of Eden” “A Gay Girl in Damascus: The Amina Profile” “Godspeed: The Story of Page Jones” “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” “He Named Me Malala” “Heart of a Dog” “Hitchcock/Truffaut” “How to Change the World” “Human” “The Hunting Ground” “I Am Chris Farley” “In Jackson Heights” “In My Father’s House” “India’s Daughter” “Ingrid Bergman – In Her Own Words” “Iraqi Odyssey” “Iris” “Janis: Little Girl Blue” “Karski & the Lords of Humanity” “Killing Them Safely” “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck” “Lambert & Stamp” “A Lego Brickumentary” “Listen to Me Marlon” “Live from New York!” “The Look of Silence” “Meet the Patels” “Meru” “The Mind of Mark DeFriest” “Misery Loves Comedy” “Monkey Kingdom” “A Murder in the Park” “My Italian Secret” “My Voice, My Life” “1971” “Of Men and War” “One Cut, One Life” “Only the Dead See the End of War” “The Outrageous Sophie Tucker” “Peace Officer” “The Pearl Button” “Pink & Blue: Colors of Hereditary Cancer” “Poached” “Polyfaces” “The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers” “Prophet’s Prey” “Racing Extinction” “The Resurrection of Jake the Snake” “Ride the Thunder – A Vietnam War Story of Victory & Betrayal” “Rosenwald” “The Russian Woodpecker” “Searching for Home: Coming Back from War” “Seeds of Time” “Sembene!” “The Seven Five” “Seymour: An Introduction” “Sherpa” “A Sinner in Mecca” “Something Better to Come” “Song from the Forest” “Song of Lahore” “Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine” “Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans” “Stray Dog” “Sunshine Superman” “Sweet Micky for President” “Tab Hunter Confidential” “The Tainted Veil” “Tap World” “(T)error” “Thao’s Library” “Those Who Feel the Fire Burning” “3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets” “The Touch of an Angel” “TransFatty Lives” “The True Cost” “Twinsters” “Very Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists” “The Wanted 18” “We Are Many” “We Come as Friends” “We Were Not Just…Bicycle Thieves. Neorealism” “Welcome to Leith” “What Happened, Miss Simone?” “What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy” “Where to Invade Next” “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” (pictured above) “The Wolfpack” Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules in order to advance in the voting process. A shortlist of 15 films will be announced in December. Films submitted in the Documentary Feature category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories. 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.
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THE 33, True Story of The Chilean Mine Rescue, Begins Film Festival Run | TRAILER

THE 33 tells the never-before-seen actual events that unfolded above and below ground surrounding the terrifying mine collapse and the desperate international efforts to reach the trapped men. The film has been selected to screen at film festivals from Korea to Brazil and across the United States. On October 13, 2010, the world held its collective breath as the global media broadcast the miraculous rescue of 33 Chilean miners that had been trapped 200 stories below ground for 69 days following the disastrous collapse of a copper-gold mine in Copiapo, Chile. Spurred on by the support and faith of the miners’ families encamped outside the mine, the Chilean miners’ rescue is one of the most moving real-life events of modern times. Made with the cooperation of the real-life miners, their families and their rescuers, “The 33” opens nationwide on November 13, 2015, exactly one month after the five-year anniversary of the rescue. The festival screenings kicked off halfway around the world in Korea, where “The 33” was presented at the Busan International Film Festival on October 5. The film was then shown at the Rio De Janeiro Film Festival in Brazil on October 10. Internationally, “The 33” will also screen at Poland’s Camerimage International Film Festival in November. In the United States, “The 33” will be shown at the following film festivals: The Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis on October 23 The Chicago International Film Festival on October 24 The GEMS/Miami International Film Festival on October 25 The Philadelphia Film Festival on October 26 The Twin Cities Film Fest in Minneapolis on October 31 The Austin Film Festival in Austin, Texas, on November 3 The St. Louis International Film Festival on November 7 The Kansas International Film Festival in Kansas City on November 8 The Napa Valley Film Festival on November 10 The film’s award-winning director, Patricia Riggen, will be in attendance at many of the U.S. events to present The 33 to the festival attendees. In addition, on October 27, the Chilean Ambassador to the United States will attend a special VIP screening of the film at the Newseum in Washington D.C., hosted by Alcon and Warner Bros. with key cast and filmmakers in attendance. Capping the events, on November 9, The 33 will have its Hollywood premiere at the American Film Institute. The premiere will be attended by the cast and filmmakers, including Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, Lou Diamond Phillips and Patricia Riggen, along with industry guests. The festival screenings of The 33 surround the five-year anniversary of the rescue of the miners, on October 13, which was commemorated with special screenings with Chilean Consulates in New York, San Francisco, Houston, Toronto and Chicago, as well as the Chilean Embassy in Ottawa, Canada. The 33 features an international cast led by Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient”), James Brolin, and Lou Diamond Phillips, with Bob Gunton and Gabriel Byrne. The cast also includes Mario Casas, Jacob Vargas, Juan Pablo Raba, Oscar Nuñez, Tenoch Huerta, Marco Treviño, Adriana Barraza, Kate Del Castillo, Cote de Pablo, Elizabeth De Razzo and Naomi Scott. Patricia Riggen directed “The 33” from a screenplay by Mikko Alanne, Oscar nominee Craig Borten (“Dallas Buyers Club”) and Michael Thomas, based on the screen story by Oscar nominee José Rivera (“The Motorcycle Diaries”) and the book Deep Down Dark by Hector Tobar. The film was produced by Oscar nominee Mike Medavoy (“Black Swan”), Robert Katz and Edward McGurn. Carlos Eugenio Lavin, Leopoldo Enriquez, Alan Zhang and José Luis Escolar served as executive producers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOoIBOYqHyw
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THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, SPOTLIGHT and TANGERINE Lead 25th IFP Gotham Independent Film Awards Nominations

The nominees for the 25th IFP Gotham Independent Film Awards were announced today, signaling the kick-off to the film awards season. For 2015, the eight competitive film awards include Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best Actor, Best Actress (presenting sponsor euphoria Calvin Klein), Breakthrough Actor, Best Screenplay, the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director award, and the Gotham Audience Award. In addition to the competitive awards, Gotham Award Tributes will be given to actors Helen Mirren and Robert Redford, director Todd Haynes, and Industry Tribute recipient producer Steve Golin. Twenty-five films received nominations this year. THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL (pictured above) lead with 4 nominations for Best Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Breakthrough Director. CAROL, SPOTLIGHT and TANGERINE closely followed with 3 nominations each. Carol received nods for Best Feature, Best Screenplay and Best Actress; Spotlight received nods for Best Feature, Best Screenplay and Special Jury Award – Ensemble Performance; and Tangerine also nominated for Best Feature in addition to Breakthrough Actors for Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor. As noted, the nominating committee for the Best Actor and Best Actress categories category voted to award a Special Jury Award jointly to cast members Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci and Brian d’Arcy James for their ensemble work in Spotlight. Beyond these individual actors, the committee cited the Spotlight cast as “an outstanding ensemble in which every performance, in every role, of every size, is beautifully realized.” In recognition of the strong work by female actors this year, the jury also chose to include six nominees for Best Actress. The Gotham Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, November 30th at Cipriani Wall Street. The 2015 IFP Gotham Independent Film Award nominations are: Best Feature Carol Todd Haynes, director; Elizabeth Karlsen, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley, producers (The Weinstein Company) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk The Diary of a Teenage Girl Marielle Heller, director; Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit, Miranda Bailey, producers (Sony Pictures Classics) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2M9kqb5wVw Heaven Knows What Josh and Benny Safdie, directors; Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear-McClard, producers (RADiUS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBThfoOQI04 Spotlight Tom McCarthy, director; Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Pagan Faust, producers (Open Road Films) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXymzwz0V2g Tangerine Sean Baker, director; Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou, Marcus Cox & Karrie Cox, producers (Magnolia Pictures) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALSwWTb88ZU Best Documentary Approaching the Elephant Amanda Rose Wilder, director; Jay Craven, Robert Greene, Amanda Rose Wilder, producers (Kingdom County Productions) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdGIkBSkEdc Cartel Land Matthew Heineman, director; Matthew Heineman, Tom Yellin, producers (The Orchard and A&E IndieFilms) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JD7hPM_yxg Heart of a Dog Laurie Anderson, director; Dan Janvey, Laurie Anderson, producers (Abramorama and HBO Documentary Films) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ClaELWDqHU Listen to Me Marlon Stevan Riley, director; John Battsek, RJ Cutler, George Chignell, producers (Showtime Documentary Films) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZlWjE_NJfI The Look of Silence Joshua Oppenheimer, director; Signe Byrge Sørensen, producer (Drafthouse Films) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbPN8-juZUI Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award Desiree Akhavan for Appropriate Behavior (Gravitas Ventures) Jonas Carpignano for Mediterranea (Sundance Selects) Marielle Heller for The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Sony Pictures Classics) John Magary for The Mend (Cinelicious Pics) Josh Mond for James White (The Film Arcade) Best Screenplay Carol, Phyllis Nagy (The Weinstein Company) The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Marielle Heller (Sony Pictures Classics) Love & Mercy, Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner (Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate, and River Road Entertainment) Spotlight, Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer (Open Road Films) While We’re Young, Noah Baumbach (A24) Best Actor* Christopher Abbott in James White (The Film Arcade) Kevin Corrigan in Results (Magnolia Pictures) Paul Dano in Love & Mercy (Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate, and River Road Entertainment) Peter Sarsgaard in Experimenter (Magnolia Pictures) Michael Shannon in 99 Homes (Broad Green Pictures) Best Actress* Cate Blanchett in Carol (The Weinstein Company) Blythe Danner in I’ll See You in My Dreams (Bleecker Street) Brie Larson in Room (A24 Films) Bel Powley in The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Sony Pictures Classics) Lily Tomlin in Grandma (Sony Pictures Classics) Kristen Wiig in Welcome to Me (Alchemy) Breakthrough Actor Rory Culkin in Gabriel (Oscilloscope Laboratories) Arielle Holmes in Heaven Knows What (RADiUS) Lola Kirke in Mistress America (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Kitana Kiki Rodriguez in Tangerine (Magnolia Pictures) Mya Taylor in Tangerine (Magnolia Pictures) * The 2015 Best Actor/Best Actress nominating panel also voted to award a special Gotham Jury Award jointly to Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci and Brian d’Arcy James for their ensemble work in Spotlight. (Open Road Films). Spotlight on Women Directors ‘Live the Dream’ Grant For the sixth consecutive year, IFP is proud present the euphoria Calvin Klein Spotlight on Women Directors ‘Live the Dream’ grant, a $25,000 cash award for an alumna of IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs or IFP’s Screen Forward Lab. In 2015, Screen Forward Lab directors have been included in this opportunity for the first time. This grant aims to further the careers of emerging women directors by supporting the completion, distribution and audience engagement strategies of their first feature film or episodic series. The nominees are: Claire Carré, director, Embers Deb Shoval, director, AWOL Chanelle Aponte Pearson, director, 195 Lewis Gotham Appreciation Award A Gothams Appreciation Award will be given to Ellen Cotter for her contribution to theatrical distribution, including leadership of the Angelika Film Centers.
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Chris Rock is Back …. to Host 2016 Oscars

Chris Rock who hosted the 77th Oscars telecast in 2005 will return to host the Oscars® for a second time, producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today. Rock will host the 88th Academy Awards® scheduled to be broadcast live on Oscar® Sunday, February 28, 2016, on the ABC Television Network. . “Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry,” said Hill and Hudlin. “Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian – he’s done it all. He’s going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!” “I’m so glad to be hosting the Oscars,” said Rock. “It’s great to be back.” “We share David and Reggie’s excitement in welcoming Chris, whose comedic voice has really defined a generation,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “He is certain to bring his amazing array of talents to this year’s show.” “Chris may be best known as a stand-up comic, but we think of him as a creative innovator in many other ways. He is unafraid in his artistry,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “We couldn’t be happier to welcome him back to the Oscars.” “Chris Rock is a comedic powerhouse who will bring tremendous energy to the event, and we’re honored to have him,” said Paul Lee, President ABC Entertainment Group. With a career spanning more than three decades, Rock most recently directed the comedy special “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo,” which premiered this month on HBO. In 2014 he wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed feature “Top Five,” and in 2009 ventured into the documentary world as a writer, producer and star of “Good Hair.” Rock has enjoyed ongoing success in both film and television as a comedian, actor, writer, producer and director. His feature acting credits include “I Think I Love My Wife,” which he also wrote and directed, “Head of State” (writer, producer and director), “Death at a Funeral” (also producer), and the first three films in the blockbuster “Madagascar” series, as the voice of Marty. His other acting credits include “The Longest Yard,” “Nurse Betty,” “2 Days in New York” and “Lethal Weapon 4.” In 2011 Rock made his Broadway debut starring in “The Motherfucker with the Hat,” which was nominated for six Tony Awards®, including Best Play. In television, Rock created, executive produced and narrated the series “Everybody Hates Chris,” which ran from 2005 to 2009 and was inspired by Rock’s childhood. He was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 1990 to 1993. Known internationally for his groundbreaking stand-up comedy, Rock has won four Emmy® Awards for his comedy series and specials, including “Chris Rock – Kill the Messenger,” “The Chris Rock Show” and “Chris Rock: Bring the Pain,” and has achieved record audience numbers around the world. He also has earned three Grammy® Awards for his comedy albums Never Scared, Bigger and Blacker and Roll with the New. 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.
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