40 feature films, 15 documentary films have been selected for this year’s European Film Awards Feature and Documentary Film Selection. With more films to be announced for the Feature Film Selection (part 2) in September, 2021 seems to be a record year with high-quality films from all over Europe.
“Judas and the Black Messiah” was named the year’s Best Film of 2020 by the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), the world’s largest group of Black film critics. Night of the Kings won the honor of Best Foreign Film and Best Documentary went to All In: The Fight For Democracy.
Neon released the trailer for Philippe Lacôte’s sophomore feature, Night of the Kings, the Ivory Coast submission for this year’s Academy Awards, set to debut in the U.S. at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
The Polish film Sweat directed by Magnus von Horn won the Gold Hugo for Best International Feature Film at the 56th Chicago International Film Festival. The film also won the Silver Hugo for Best Art Direction for Jagna Dobesz. The insightful drama about loneliness and insecurity in the digital age chronicles three days in the candy-colored life of social media celebrity Sylwia Zajac played by stage actress Magdalena Kolésnik.
Philippe Lacôte’s sophomore feature, Night of the Kings has been chosen as the Ivory Coast submission for the 93rd Academy Awards. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and went on to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival. Night of the Kings will be released by NEON, with plans to be announced at a later date.
The 40th edition of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival set to open on November 5th through the 29th, will be a hybrid of in-person and virtual screenings, with over 200 films from 25 countries, and 17 world premieres.
Normally held in late September, Aspen Filmfest moves to October with some of the most buzzed films of the season, including the Frances McDormand “Nomadland,” the new documentary from Oscar-winning Colorado filmmaker Bryan Fogel “The Dissident” and a drive-in screening of the Spike Lee/David Byrne concert film “American Utopia.”
Film at Lincoln Center announced the 25 films that comprise the Main Slate of the 58th New York Film Festival, taking place September 17 – October 11, 2020.