The Harder They Fall and King Richard won the top honors with the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) 2021 Awards taking four awards each. The Harder They Fall was named Best Picture of 2021 along with Best Ensemble and Best Director for Jeymes Samuel. King Richard took top acting honors including Best Actor for Will Smith, Supporting Actress for Aunjanue Ellis, Breakout Actor for Saniyya Sidney, along with Emerging Director for Reinaldo Marcus Green.
Berlin International Film Festival continues to add films to the upcoming 72nd edition, confirming films in the Forum and Classics programs. The Forum Special program includes 27 feature-length works in the main program, 14 feature-length works and shorts in the Forum Special program; and Berlinale Classics will present seven world premieres of classic films in digitally restored versions. The Berlinale Classics section opens with Mamma Roma on February 11, and the silent film Brüder (Brothers) with a live music concert will premiere on February 13.
The Iowa Film Critics Association awarded Belfast the honors of Best Film of 2021 along with Best Supporting Actress for Caitríona Balfe for their annual awards honoring the best films and performances. The honor of Best Documentary went to Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised).
Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho was named Best Picture of 2021 by the Hawaii Film Critics Society (HFCS) along with honors for Best Horror Film in addition to Best Sound and Best Film Editing.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car won the three top 2021 awards from the Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA), taking the prizes for Best Picture, Best International Film and Best Screenplay.
The Unmaking of a College, the documentary film directed by Amy Goldstein (Kate Nash: Underestimate the Girl) and produced by Anouchka van Riel and Troy Takaki will open at the IFC Center in New York on February 11, and at Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles on February 18. Other cities will follow.
IFC Midnight dropped the official trailer for Hatching (Pahanhautoja), the Finnish body horror film starring Jani Volanen, Reino Nordin, Saija Lentonen, Siiri Solalinna and Sophia Heikkilä set to premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
Utopia debuted the official trailer for We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, the coming-of-age horror drama film starring Anna Cobb and Michael J Rogers that premiered in the NEXT section of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. The film was also an official selection of New Directors/New Films, Fantasia, Outfest, Rooftop Films and more.
Here is the official trailer for The Last Bus, the British drama starring Timothy Spall as an elderly gentleman who travels across the UK to scatter his late wife’s ashes. Also starring in the film are Phyllis Logan, Natalie Mitson, Brian Pettifer, Patricia Panther, Ben Ewing, Grace Calder and Kevin Mains. Directed by Scottish filmmaker Gillies MacKinnon, the film opens in theaters and on digital on February 18, 2022.
Magnolia Pictures released the official trailer for Indemnity, the South African action-thriller directed by Travis Taute that premiered at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival. Starring Jarrid Geduld, Gail Mabalane, Andre Jacobs, Nicole Fortuin and Tshamano Sebe, the film will open in theaters on February 11, 2022.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza is the big winner with the Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA), winning the top honor of Best Picture of 2021, along with Best Actress and Breakthrough award for Alana Haim, Best Supporting Actor for Bradley Cooper, Best Original Screenplay for Paul Thomas Anderson and Best Ensemble.
The 27th annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival will be held virtually this spring, March 6 – 13, presenting a selection of documentary and feature films from around the world. While all films depict a piece of the Jewish experience, the themes are universal and are meant to appeal to all, regardless of faith. In addition to 13 compelling films, the Festival offers discussions with filmmakers and others associated with the films.