Carol (2015)

National Society of Film Critics Picks ‘Spotlight’ As Best Film of 2015; ‘Amy’ ‘Timbuktu’ Win Awards

The National Society of Film Critics chose Spotlight directed by Tom McCarthy, as Best Picture of the Year 2015. Timbuktu directed by Abderrahmane Sissako won the award for Best Foreign Language Film and Amy directed by Asif Kapadia won the award for Best Non-Fiction Film. Film Heritage Awards were given to the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the programmers Jake Perlin and Michelle Materre, for the series Tell It Like It Is: Black Independents in New York, 1968-1986; the Criterion Collection and L’Immagine Ritrovata for the restoration and packaging of the reconstructed version of The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray; and Association Chaplin for supervising the digital restoration of Charlie Chaplin’s Essanay Films The Special Citation for a film awaiting American distribution went to One Floor Below, a Romanian film directed by Radu Muntean. The complete list of 2015 National Society of Film Critics award winners BEST ACTOR: Michael B. Jordan (Creed) BEST ACTRESS: Charlotte Rampling (45 Years) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg5cpiX18TA BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Kristen Stewart (Clouds of Sils Maria) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbVHlm7RcDs BEST SCREENPLAY: Spotlight (Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgnrwwiIDlI CINEMATOGRAPHY: Carol (Ed Lachman) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk PICTURE: Spotlight (Tom McCarthy) DIRECTOR: Todd Haynes (Carol) FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Timbuktu (Abderrahmane Sissako) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7YeoB5bSBY BEST NON-FICTION FILM: Amy (Asif Kapadia) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yCIwmNuLE
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Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” Dominates Awards at Capri, Hollywood – The International Film Festival

Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” dominated the 2015 Capri, Hollywood – The International Film Festival; apart from acknowledging the film as ‘Best Movie,’ the festival also gave awards to Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and to the music score composed by Ennio Morricone. Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh are considered the Best Leading Actor and Best Supporting Actress, for their roles in “The Hateful Eight”, a film produced by Bob & Harvey Weinstein, and distributed in Italy by Leone Group’s Andrea and Raffaella Leone, who were awarded as Capri’s ‘Producers of the Year’. Here is a detailed list of the assigned awards: Cary Fukunaga is the Best Director for acclaimed “Beasts of No Nation.” He also deserved the Best Cinematography Award whereas performer Idris Elba won as Best Supporting Actor. The film about African children soldiers was produced and distributed by the Netflix platform. Brie Larson (“Room”) is the festival’s Best Leading Actress. The Best Original Screenplay Award goes to David O. Russel’s “Joy”, which in Capri, Hollywood enjoyed its European premiere. Todd Haynes’ “Carol” was awarded as Best Adapted Screenplay, written by Phyllis Nagy, and for the Best Production Design by Judy Becker. Kenneth Branagh’s “Cinderella” received an award for its costumes created by three-time Oscar-winning designer Sandy Powell, who was also assigned the Legend Award and who in Capri exhibited the attires that she created for “Carol.” Pietro Scalia is the festival’s Best Editor for “The Martian.” Apart from acknowledging Ennio Morricone’s music score for “The Hateful Eight”, also “See You Again” – the song by Wiz Khalifa ft Charlie Puth, from “Fast and Furious 7” – won as Best Original Song. The Best Animation Movie is “Inside Out”; The Best Documentary is Paolo Ruffini’s “Resilienza”, the Best Foreign Movie is “Labyrinth of Lies” by Giulio Ricciarelli, a filmmaker of Italian origin and German adoption, running for the Oscar and included in the Academy’s Short List. Enrico Iannaccone was elected by the festival as “Director of the Future” for “La Buona Uscita.” The prestigious ‘Legend award’ went to Irish film director Jim Sheridan. Belgian performer Matthias Schoenaerts was awarded as “Revelation of the Year” for Hooper’s “The Danish Girl”. Oscar-winning screenwriter Bobby Moresco (“Crash”) – who in Capri announced his commitment to the Ambi Film-produced movie about Lamborghini – is the 2016 Italian-American Icon. Other celebrities awarded at the 2015 Capri, Hollywood – The International Film Festival include Italian filmmakers Giuseppe M. Gaudino, Guido Chiesa, Marco Ponti, Massimiliano Bruno, Riccardo Milani; Actors Paola Cortellesi (Capri Award as Italian Actress of the Year); Alessandro Cremona (Exploit Award for “007-Spectre”); Alessandro Siani (Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni’s Special Telegatto for the 2015 Best Box Office Gross “Si accettano miracoli”) Francesco Pannofino, Giulia Elettra Gorietti, Federico R. Rossi; And pianist Giovanni Allevi for music.
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AFI Picks Top 10 Films of 2015 Incl. ‘CAROL’ ‘ROOM’ ‘SPOTLIGHT’

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced the Official Selections of AFI AWARDS 2015, celebrating the year’s most outstanding achievements in the art of the moving image. “Since AFI’s founding in the White House Rose Garden 50 years ago, its mandate has been to celebrate our nation’s storytellers,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “This is the goal of AFI AWARDS — to bring together our community as colleagues, not competitors, and to shine a proper light on their collective efforts to entertain and enlighten the world.” AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR THE BIG SHORT BRIDGE OF SPIES CAROL INSIDE OUT MAD MAX: FURY ROAD THE MARTIAN ROOM SPOTLIGHT STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR THE AMERICANS BETTER CALL SAUL BLACK-ISH EMPIRE FARGO GAME OF THRONES HOMELAND MASTER OF NONE MR. ROBOT UNREAL AFI SPECIAL AWARD MAD MEN
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‘Carol’ ’45 Years’ Lead Nominations for London Critics’ Circle Film Awards

Todd Haynes’ romantic drama Carol lead the 36th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards with seven nominations including Film of the Year and both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara competing for Actress of the Year. Close behind in the race for the awards, which are voted on by 140 members of The Critics‘ Circle Film Section, is Andrew Haigh’s marital study 45 Years, with six nominations. Unusually, two films received three nominations each: Asif Kapadia’s Amy is nominated for Film, Documentary and British Film, while Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Look of Silence is up for Film, Documentary and Foreign-Language Film. The full list of nominees for the 36th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards: FILM OF THE YEAR 45 Years Amy Carol Inside Out The Look of Silence Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Room Spotlight BRITISH/IRISH FILM OF THE YEAR 45 Years Amy Brooklyn The Lobster London Road FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR Eden Hard to Be a God The Look of Silence The Tale of the Princess Kaguya The Tribe DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR Amy Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief The Look of Silence Palio A Syrian Love Story ACTOR OF THE YEAR Tom Courtenay – 45 Years Paul Dano – Love & Mercy Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs Tom Hardy – Legend ACTRESS OF THE YEAR Cate Blanchett – Carol Brie Larson – Room Rooney Mara – Carol Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR Benicio Del Toro – Sicario Tom Hardy – The Revenant Oscar Isaac – Ex Machina Michael Keaton – Spotlight Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR Olivia Colman – The Lobster Kristen Stewart – Clouds of Sils Maria Tilda Swinton – Trainwreck Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR Andrew Haigh – 45 Years Todd Haynes – Carol Alejandro G Iñárritu – The Revenant George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road Ridley Scott – The Martian SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR Emma Donoghue – Room Nick Hornby – Brooklyn Phyllis Nagy – Carol Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy – Spotlight Aaron Sorkin – Steve Jobs BRITISH/IRISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR Michael Caine – Kingsman: The Secret Service, Youth Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation, Second Coming Colin Farrell – The Lobster, Miss Julie Michael Fassbender – Macbeth Slow West, Steve Jobs, Tom Hardy – Legend, London Roa, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenantd BRITISH/IRISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR Emily Blunt – Sicario Carey Mulligan – Far From the Madding Crowd, Suffragette Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years, The Forbidden Room Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn, Lost River Kate Winslet – The Dressmaker, A Little Chaos, Steve Jobs YOUNG BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER Asa Butterfield – X + Y Milo Parker – Mr Holmes, Robot Overlords Florence Pugh – The Falling Liam Walpole – The Goob Maisie Williams – The Falling BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH/IRISH FILMMAKER Tom Browne – Radiator Mark Burton & Richard Starzak – Shaun the Sheep Movie Emma Donoghue – Room Alex Garland – Ex Machina John Maclean – Slow West BRITISH/IRISH SHORT FILM Directed by Tweedie – dir Duncan Cowles Leidi – dir Simon Mesa Soto Over – dir Jorn Threlfall Rate Me – dir Fyzal Boulifa Stutterer – dir Benjamin Cleary TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Carter Burwell, music – Carol Wade Eastwood, stunts – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Colin Gibson, production design – Mad Max: Fury Road Elliott Graham, editing – Steve Jobs Edward Lachman, cinematography – Carol Tom Ozanich, sound design – Sicario Sandy Powell, costumes – Cinderella John Seale, cinematography – Mad Max: Fury Road Alistair Sirkett and Markus Stemler, sound design – Macbeth Andrew Whitehurst, visual effects – Ex Machina
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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
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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
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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)
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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
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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.”
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‘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
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Jamie M. Dagg’s RIVER Dominates 2015 Whistler Film Festival Awards

The 15th anniversary celebration of the Whistler Film Festival wrapped, and the romantic drama CAROL, directed by Todd Haynes and starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, took home the Pandora Audience Award. The WFF Audience Award runner-ups were THE LEGEND OF BARNEY THOMSON, actor Robert Carlyle’s first theatrical feature and directorial debut, which received its North American premiere at the festival, followed by Ricardo Trogi’s mid-life crisis dramedy, Quebec film LE MIRAGE, the highest grossing and most popular Canadian film of the year so far. Toronto’s first-time feature director Jamie M. Dagg’s RIVER dominated 2015 Whistler Film Festival awards, winning for best Canadian feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature. The jury also awarded French-Canadian actor Paul Savoie with Best Performance in a Borsos Film for his performance in THE DIARY OF AN OLD MAN, as well as provided honorable mention for Rossif Sutherland’s work in RIVER and Laura Abramsen’s roles in BASIC HUMAN NEEDS and THE SABBATICAL. Receiving WFF’s Trailblazer Award and Tribute, British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director Kiefer Sutherland discussed his extensive acting career spanning film, stage and television, with CTV Film Critic Jim Gordon, followed by the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest film, FORSAKEN. Scottish-born Robert Carlyle, one of the most recognizable actors today, graced the Festival’s red carpet at this year’s Spotlight event as WFF’s Maverick Award honoree and sat down with Jim Gordon to discuss his bold choices that have led to the creation of some of the most dynamic, memorable, and beloved characters of our time before the North American Premiere of his directorial debut, THE LEGEND OF BARNEY THOMSON. One of Canada’s hardest working and most accomplished character actors, Bruce Greenwood was the recipient of WFF’s Career Achievement Award, at the World Premiere of his latest film REHEARSAL, directed by admired WFF Alumni Carl Bessai. Winners of the 2015 Whistler Film Festival Awards World Documentary Award LAST HARVEST Honorable Mention AL PURDY WAS HERE Best Mountain Culture Film ECLIPSE Canadian ShortWork Award WITHHELD Honorable Mention MIA by Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett International ShortWork Award DISSONANCE Canadian ShortWork Award for Best Screenplay THE WOLF WHO CAME TO DINNER Student ShortWork Awarded THE BLUE JET MPPIA Short Film Award HOODS AWFJ EDA Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature Award A LIGHT BENEATH THEIR FEET AWFJ EDA Best Female-Directed Documentary Award LAST HARVEST Honorable Mention AL PURDY WAS HERE by Brian D. Johnson AWFJ EDA Best Female-Directed Short Award SUNDAY LUNCH AL PURDY WAS HERE receives honorable mention from World Documentary Jury and AWFJ EDA Jury
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‘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
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