Roma (2018)

  • American Film Institute Names Top 10 Films + 10 Top TV Shows of 2018

    [caption id="attachment_31935" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]ROMA ROMA[/caption] The American Film Institute has named the honorees of AFI AWARDS 2018, celebrating the year’s most outstanding achievements in the art of the moving image — with 10 films and 10 television programs deemed culturally and artistically significant. In addition to the 20 honorees, AFI also recognizes ROMA with an AFI Special Award, designated for a work of excellence outside the Institute’s criteria for American film.

    AFI MOVIES OF 2018

    BLACKKKLANSMAN BLACK PANTHER EIGHTH GRADE THE FAVOURITE FIRST REFORMED GREEN BOOK IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK MARY POPPINS RETURNS A QUIET PLACE A STAR IS BORN

    AFI TV PROGRAMS OF 2018

    THE AMERICANS THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY ATLANTA BARRY BETTER CALL SAUL THE KOMINSKY METHOD THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL POSE SUCCESSION THIS IS US

    AFI SPECIAL AWARD

    ROMA

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  • THE FAVOURITE, BLACKkKLANSMAN, EIGHTH GRADE Among Nominees for 2018 Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Honors

    [caption id="attachment_29297" align="aligncenter" width="926"]BlacKkKlansman BlacKkKlansman[/caption] The Favourite and Black Panther top the 2018 Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society (LAOFCS) nominations list with ten nominations each, followed by A Star is Born with nine and BlacKkKlansman with eight.  Indie films were well represented with Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade scoring six nominations. and Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk scoring a total of five nominations including Best Supporting Actress. The members of the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society have also voted on some of the more underrepresented films this award season including Fox’s The Hate U Give, Focus Features’ Tully, Sony Pictures’ Searching, and Roadside’s Ben is Back, among several others. “In a year where diversity and representation have been at the forefront of so many conversations, I believe that the LAOFCS nominations this year proves how much representation truly matters. There have been a lot of great films this year that have tackled important issues, so I am thrilled to see that reflected in our nominations,” added LAOFCS’ Scott Menzel. In addition to the film nominations, the LAOFCS will also announce a few other awards including the recipient of this Trailblazer Award which was previously awarded to Jessica Chastain. The Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society (LAOFCS) 2nd Annual Awards Ceremony will be held on January 9th, 2019, at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles.

    2018 Los Angeles Online Film Critics SocietyAwards Nominations

    Best Picture

    A Star is Born Eighth Grade Black Panther The Favourite The Hate U Give BlackKklansman Green Book Roma A Quiet Place Searching

    Best Actor

    Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody Bradley Cooper – A Star is Born Christian Bale – Vice Ethan Hawke – First Reformed Viggo Mortensen – Green Book

    Best Actress

    Toni Collette – Hereditary Charlize Theron – Tully Lady Gaga – A Star is Born Olivia Colman – The Favourite Nicole Kidman – Destroyer

    Best Supporting Actor

    Adam Driver – BlackKklansman Mahershala Ali – Green Book Russell Hornsby – The Hate U Give Sam Elliott – A Star is Born Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    Best Supporting Actress

    Elizabeth Debicki – Widows Emma Stone – The Favourite Rachel Weisz – The Favourite Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk Amy Adams – Vice

    Best Adapted Screenplay

    Bradley Cooper and Eric Roth – A Star is Born Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, and Charlie Wachtel – BlacKkKlansman Barry Jenkins – If Beale Street Could Talk Audrey Wells – The Hate U Give Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    Best Original Screenplay

    Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski – A Quiet Place Bo Burnham – Eighth Grade Tony McNamara and Deborah Davis – The Favourite Boots Riley – Sorry to Bother You Adam McKay – Vice

    Best Male Director

    Alfonso Cuaron – Roma Spike Lee – BlackKklansman Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite Bradley Cooper – A Star is Born Ryan Coogler – Black Panther

    Best Female Director

    Chloe Zhao – The Rider Debra Granik – Leave No Trace Tamara Jenkins – Private Life Marielle Heller – Can You Ever Forgive Me? Lynne Ramsey – You Were Never Really Here

    Best Animated Film

    Incredibles 2 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Isle of Dogs Ralph Breaks the Internet Mirai

    Best Foreign Film

    Burning Cold War Roma Shoplifters Girl

    Best Documentary

    Free Solo Minding the Gap RBG Three Identical Strangers Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    Best Visual Effects

    Ready Player One Mission Impossible – Fallout First Man Black Panther Avengers: Infinity War

    Best Cinematography

    Linus Sandgren – First Man James Laxton – If Beale Street Could Talk Alfonso Cuarón – Roma Robbie Ryan – The Favourite Rachel Morrison – Black Panther

    Best Blockbuster

    Avengers: Infinity War Black Panther Deadpool 2 Mission: Impossible Fallout Ready Player One

    Best Independent Film

    Eighth Grade First Reformed Sorry to Bother You Ben Is Back If Beale Street Could Talk

    Best First Feature

    Bo Burnham – Eighth Grade Bradley Cooper – A Star is Born Ari Aster – Hereditary Paul Dano – Wildlife Aneesh Chaganty – Searching

    Best Comedy/Musical

    Crazy Rich Asians Game Night Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! The Favourite Bohemian Rhapsody

    Best Action Film

    Mission: Impossible -Fallout Black Panther Avengers: Infinity War Deadpool 2 Widows

    Best Sci-Fi/Horror

    A Quiet Place Annihilation Halloween Hereditary Suspiria

    Best Performance by an Actor 23 and Under

    Alex Wolff – Hereditary Lucas Hedges – Boy Erased Lucas Hedges – Ben Is Back Noah Jupe – A Quiet Place Timothée Chalamet – Beautiful Boy

    Best Performance by an Actress 23 and Under

    Amandla Stenberg – The Hate You Give Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade Millicent Simmonds – A Quiet Place Milly Shapiro – Hereditary Thomasin McKenzie- Leave No Trace

    Best Breakthrough Performance

    Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade John David Washington – BlackKklansman Lady Gaga – A Star is Born Yalitza Aparicio – Roma Amandla Stenberg – The Hate U Give

    Best Cast

    Black Panther The Favourite Blackkklansman Crazy Rich Asians Widows

    Best Stunt Work

    Avengers: Infinity War Mission: Impossible – Fallout Black Panther Deadpool 2 Upgrade

    Best Score

    Justin Hurwitz – First Man Nicholas Britell – If Beale Street Could Talk Alexandre Desplat – Isle of Dogs Ludwig Göransson- Black Panther Terence Blanchard – BlackKklansman

    Best Original Song

    All the Stars – Black Panther Shallow – A Star is Born Hollywood Ending – Anna and The Apocalypse Revelation – Boy Erased Hearts Beat Loud – Hearts Beat Loud

    Best Editing

    Adam Gough and Alfonso Cuarón – Roma Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick – Searching Yorgos Mavropsaridis – The Favourite Barry Alexander Brown – BlackKklansman Hank Corwin – Vice

    Best Visual Effects or Animated Performance

    Ben Whishaw – Paddington 2 Jason Liles – Rampage Josh Brolin – Avengers: Infinity War Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Solo: A Star Wars Story Tom Hardy – Venom

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  • Detroit Film Critics Loves EIGHTH GRADE, Named Best Film of 2018. No Love for THE FAVOURITE

    [caption id="attachment_27753" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]EIGHTH GRADE EIGHTH GRADE[/caption] Eighth Grade is the big winner at 2018 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards with eight nominations and three wins for Best Picture; Best Supporting Actor; and Breakthrough for Bo Burnham, the film’s writer and director.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8lFgF_IjPw Vice received five nominations and three wins for Adam McKay, Best Director; Best Ensemble; and tied for Best Screenplay with Green Book, which had four nominations. Other top nominees include A Star Is Born with six nominations and one win for Best Use of Music and The Favourite with five nominations, but no wins. The Detroit Film Critics Society was founded in the Spring of 2007 and consists of a group of 21 film critics with a Michigan connection who write or broadcast in the Detroit area as well as other major cities including Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Flint, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; and New York, New York.

    2018 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards Winners

    (nominees are listed in alphabetical order)

    BEST PICTURE

    Winner: Eighth Grade A Quiet Place First Reformed Green Book Roma

    BEST DIRECTOR

    Winner: Adam McKay, Vice Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Alfonso Cuarón, Roma Paul Schrader, First Reformed

    BEST ACTOR

    Winner: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed Christian Bale, Vice Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody John David Washington, BlackKklansman

    BEST ACTRESS

    Winner: Toni Collette, Hereditary Olivia Colman, The Favourite Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

    Winner: Josh Hamilton, Eighth Grade Mahershala Ali, Green Book Sam Elliott, A Star Is Born Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me? Jesse Plemons, Game Night

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

    Winner: Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk Amy Adams, Vice Thomasin McKenzie, Leave No Trace Emma Stone, The Favourite Rachel Weiss, The Favourite

    BEST ENSEMBLE

    Winner: Vice Crazy Rich Asians Eighth Grade The Favourite Roma

    BREAKTHROUGH

    Winner: Bo Burnham, Writer/Director (Eighth Grade) Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs, Writers/Actors (Blindspotting) Elsie Fisher, Actress (Eighth Grade) Lady Gaga, Actress (A Star Is Born) Boots Riley, Writer/Director (Sorry to Bother You)

    BEST SCREENPLAY

    Winner: Adam McKay, Vice Winner: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly, Green Book Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara, The Favourite Paul Schrader, First Reformed

    BEST DOCUMENTARY

    Winner: Three Identical Strangers Free Solo RBG Whitney Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

    Winner: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse The Incredibles 2 Isle of Dogs Ralph Breaks the Internet Smallfoot

    BEST USE OF MUSIC

    Winner: A Star Is Born Bohemian Rhapsody Green Book Mandy Mary Poppins Returns

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  • THE FAVOURITE, FIRST REFORMED, ROMA Win 2018 Atlanta Film Critics Awards

    [caption id="attachment_30988" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Favourite The Favourite[/caption] Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite continues to be the star of the award season winning multiple accolades from the Atlanta Film Critics Circle (AFCC) 2018 film awards including Best Lead Actress for Olivia Colman, Best Supporting Actress for Emma Stone, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Screenplay. In addition the film emerged as number one on the list of the Top 10 Films of 2018. Other winning films include Best Documentary for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and Roma for Best Foreign Language Film. “Our list includes period dramas, inventive horror, commentary on religion, race relations and the environment, minimalist art-house fare, stark social media observations, sci-fi fantasy and a fresh take on the traditional Hollywood epic,” says AFCC co-founder Michael Clark. “It covers the gamut and I’m very pleased with the members’ collective enthusiasm.”

    Top 10 Films

    1. The Favourite 2. A Star Is Born 3. Roma 4. A Quiet Place 5. First Reformed 6. Eighth Grade 7. BlacKkKlansman 8. First Man & Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (TIE) 10. Black Panther

    Best Lead Actor

    Ethan Hawke – First Reformed

    Best Lead Actress

    Olivia Colman – The Favourite

    Best Supporting Actor

    Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born

    Best Supporting Actress

    Emma Stone – The Favourite

    Best Ensemble Cast

    The Favourite

    Best Director

    Alfonso Cuarón – Roma

    Best Screenplay

    The Favourite

    Best Documentary

    Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    Best Foreign Language Film

    Roma

    Best Animated Film

    Isle Of Dogs

    Best Cinematography

    Alfonso Cuarón – Roma

    Best Original Score

    Justin Hurwitz – First Man

    AFCC Special Award for BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER

    Elsie Fisher and Lady Gaga (TIE)

    AFCC Special Award for BEST FIRST FILM

    Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born

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  • Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Names ROMA Best Film of 2018

    [caption id="attachment_33001" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Roma Roma[/caption] “Roma” the Mexico-set period drama dedicated to director Alfonso Cuarón’s real-life childhood nanny, triumphed with four wins when the Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) announced their 2018 honorees.    “Roma” won Best Film and Best Director, as well as Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography for its sweeping black-and-white lensing. Best Documentary kudos went to the lovely, feel-good “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” The film centers on the life and philosophy of the late Fred Rogers, host of long-running, often groundbreaking children’s program “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC, given each year in honor of one of WAFCA’s cherished late members, went to Adam McKay’s offbeat Dick Cheney biopic “Vice.” The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association comprises 60 DC-VA-MD-based film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet.

    2018 Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award Winners

    Best Film: Roma Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Best Actor: Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) Best Actress: Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (Green Book) Best Supporting Actress: Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) Best Acting Ensemble: The Favourite Best Youth Performance: Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) Best Voice Performance: Bryan Cranston (Isle of Dogs) Best Motion Capture Performance: Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War) Best Original Screenplay: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara (The Favourite) Best Adapted Screenplay: Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) Best Animated Feature: Isle of Dogs Best Documentary: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Best Foreign Language Film: Roma Best Production Design: Production Designer: Hannah Beachler; Set Decorator: Jay Hart (Black Panther) Best Cinematography: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Best Editing: Tom Cross, ACE (First Man) Best Original Score: Nicholas Britell (If Beale Street Could Talk) The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC: Vice

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  • THE FAVOURITE Leads Nominations for 2018 Washington DC Area Film Critics Award

    [caption id="attachment_30991" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Favourite The Favourite[/caption] The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) which comprises of 60 DC-based film critics from the District, Maryland and Virginia announced their nominees for the 2018 awards. The Favourite lead with 10 nominations  including Best Film and Best Director for Yorgos Lanthimos.  Other films nominated for Best Film include A Star Is Born, Green Book, If Beale Street Could Talk, and Roma. The nominees for Best Documentary are Free Solo, RBG, Science Fair, Three Identical Strangers and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?  The nominees for Best Foreign Film are Burning, Capernaum, Cold War, Roma and Shoplifters. The nominees for the special category The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC are The Front Runner, RBG and Vice. The 2018 WAFCA Award winners will be announced on Monday, December 3, 2018.

    2018 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) AWARD NOMINEES

    Best Film:

    The Favourite Green Book If Beale Street Could Talk Roma A Star Is Born

    Best Director:

    Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk) Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite)

    Best Actor:

    Christian Bale (Vice) Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) Ethan Hawke (First Reformed) Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) Viggo Mortensen (Green Book)

    Best Actress:

    Glenn Close (The Wife) Toni Collette (Hereditary) Olivia Colman (The Favourite) Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

    Best Supporting Actor:

    Mahershala Ali (Green Book) Timothée Chalamet (Beautiful Boy) Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born) Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther)

    Best Supporting Actress:

    Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale) Nicole Kidman (Boy Erased) Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) Emma Stone (The Favourite) Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)

    Best Acting Ensemble:

    Black Panther The Favourite If Beale Street Could Talk Vice Widows

    Best Youth Performance:

    Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie (Leave No Trace) Milly Shapiro (Hereditary) Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place) Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give)

    Best Voice Performance:

    Bryan Cranston (Isle of Dogs) Holly Hunter (Incredibles 2) Shameik Moore (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) Sarah Silverman (Ralph Breaks the Internet) Ben Whishaw (Paddington 2)

    Best Motion Capture Performance:

    Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War) Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One) Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Solo: A Star Wars Story)

    Best Original Screenplay:

    Bo Burnham (Eighth Grade) Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara (The Favourite) Paul Schrader (First Reformed) Nick Vallelonga & Brian Currie & Peter Farrelly (Green Book) Alfonso Cuarón (Roma)

    Best Adapted Screenplay:

    Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman) Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole (Black Panther) Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk) Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters (A Star Is Born)

    Best Animated Feature:

    Incredibles 2 Isle of Dogs Mirai Ralph Breaks the Internet Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

    Best Documentary:

    Free Solo RBG Science Fair Three Identical Strangers Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    Best Foreign Language Film:

    Burning Capernaum Cold War Roma Shoplifters

    Best Production Design:

    Production Designer: Hannah Beachler; Set Decorator: Jay Hart (Black Panther) Production Designer: Fiona Crombie; Set Decorator: Alice Felton (The Favourite) Production Designer: Nathan Crowley; Set Decorator: Kathy Lucas (First Man) Production Designer: John Myhre; Set Decorator: Gordon Sim (Mary Poppins Returns) Production Designer: Eugenio Caballero; Set Decorator: Bárbara Enríquez (Roma)

    Best Cinematography:

    Robbie Ryan, BSC (The Favourite) Linus Sandgren, FSF (First Man) James Laxton (If Beale Street Could Talk) Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Matthew Libatique, ASC (A Star Is Born)

    Best Editing:

    Yorgos Mavropsaridis, ACE (The Favourite) Tom Cross, ACE (First Man) Alfonso Cuarón, Adam Gough (Roma) Jay Cassidy, ACE (A Star Is Born) Joe Walker, ACE (Widows)

    Best Original Score:

    Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther) Justin Hurwitz (First Man) Nicholas Britell (If Beale Street Could Talk) Thom Yorke (Suspiria) Hans Zimmer (Widows)

    The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:

    The Front Runner RBG Vice

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  • ROMA Named Best Film, EIGHTH GRADE, FIRST REFORMED Win 2018 New York Film Critics Circle Awards

      [caption id="attachment_30917" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]ROMA ROMA[/caption] The New York Film Critics Circle announced its 2018 award winners live on Twitter this morning, naming Roma the Best Film of 2018, along with awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography for Alfonso Cuarón.  First Reformed won awards for Best Screenplay: Paul Schrader and Best Actor for Ethan Hawke. Minding the Gap directed by Bing Liu won for Best Documentary, Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War won for Best Foreign Language Film, and Eighth Grade director Bo Burnham won the award for Best First Film.

    2018 New York Film Critics Award Winners

    Best Picture: Roma Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma Best Screenplay: Paul Schrader, “First Reformed” Best Actress: Regina Hall, Support the Girls Best Actor: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed Best Supporting Actress: Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk Best Supporting Actor: Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me? Best Cinematography: Roma, Alfonso Cuaron Best Non-fiction Film: Minding the Gap, director Bing Liu Best Foreign Language Film: “Cold War,” director Pawel Pawlikowski Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Best First Film: Eighth Grade, director Bo Burnham Special Award For Career Achievement: David Schwartz, Chief Film Curator at Museum of the Moving Image for 33 years Special Award: Kino Classics Box Set Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers

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  • National Board of Review Announces 2018 Film Honorees, GREEN BOOK Named Best Film of the Year

    [caption id="attachment_32616" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]“Green Book” directed by Peter Farrelly “Green Book” directed by Peter Farrelly[/caption] The National Board of Review named Green Book as Best Film of the Year, Bradley Cooper as Best Director of the Year for A Star is Born,  Viggo Mortensen as Best Actor of the Year for his performance in Green Book, and Lady Gaga as Best Actress of the Year for her performance in A Star is Born. NBR President Annie Schulhof said, “We are proud to honor Green Book as our best film – it is a warm and heartfelt look at a remarkable friendship, brought to the screen at a moment where its story of love, compassion, and shared humanity deeply resonates. We are also thrilled to award Bradley Cooper as our best director – he is an extraordinary talent behind the camera, bringing a fresh and modern perspective, as well as superb craftsmanship and tremendous heart, to the classic story of A Star is Born.” The 2018 awards continue the NBR’s tradition of recognizing excellence in filmmaking, going back 109 years. This year 261 films were viewed by this select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students, many of which were followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. The National Board of Review’s awards celebrate the art of cinema, with categories that include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Original and Adapted Screenplay, Breakthrough Performance, and Directorial Debut, as well as signature honors such as Freedom of Expression and the William K. Everson Film History Award. The honorees will be feted at the NBR Awards Gala, hosted by Willie Geist, on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at Cipriani 42nd Street.

    2018 National Board of Review Award WInners

    Best Film: GREEN BOOK Best Director: Bradley Cooper, A STAR IS BORN Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen, GREEN BOOK Best Actress: Lady Gaga, A STAR IS BORN Best Supporting Actor: Sam Elliott, A STAR IS BORN Best Supporting Actress: Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Best Original Screenplay: Paul Schrader, FIRST REFORMED Best Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Best Animated Feature: INCREDIBLES 2 Breakthrough Performance: Thomasin McKenzie, LEAVE NO TRACE Best Directorial Debut: Bo Burnham, EIGHTH GRADE Best Foreign Language Film: COLD WAR Best Documentary: RBG Best Ensemble: CRAZY RICH ASIANS William K. Everson Film History Award: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND and THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD NBR Freedom of Expression Award: 22 JULY NBR NBR Freedom of Expression Award: ON HER SHOULDERS Top Films (in alphabetical order) The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Black Panther Can You Ever Forgive Me? Eighth Grade First Reformed If Beale Street Could Talk Mary Poppins Returns A Quiet Place Roma A Star Is Born Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order) Burning Custody The Guilty Happy as Lazzaro Shoplifters Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order) Crime + Punishment Free Solo Minding the Gap Three Identical Strangers Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order) The Death of Stalin Lean on Pete Leave No Trace Mid90s The Old Man & the Gun The Rider Searching Sorry to Bother You We the Animals You Were Never Really Here  

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  • ROMA Director Alfonso Cuarón to Receive Award at Palm Springs International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_30917" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]ROMA Alfonso Cuarón directing ROMA[/caption] Academy Award winning director Alfonso Cuarón will receive the Sonny Bono Visionary Award for Roma at the annual Film Awards Gala of the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival  (PSIFF) on Thursday, January 3. The Festival runs January 3-14. The most personal project to date from Academy Award®-winning director and writer Alfonso Cuarón, Roma follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in Mexico City’s middle-class Roma neighborhood. Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst Mexico’s political turmoil of the 1970s. Produced by Esperanto Filmoj and Participant Media, Roma will launch globally on Netflix as well as theatrically around the world in December. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BS27ngZtxg “Alfonso Cuarón’s latest feature Roma is a masterful achievement in filmmaking,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “Drawing upon his childhood memories, Cuarón has created an emotionally driven story about a family growing up in 1970s Mexico City. A film he not only directed, but also was a writer, producer, cinematographer and editor. For his ability to take on many roles and for his expert storytelling of this subject matter, the festival is proud to present Alfonso Cuarón with the Sonny Bono Visionary Award.” Cuarón joins previously announced honorees Glenn Close, Melissa McCarthy, Rami Malek and Green Book. Past recipients of the Sonny Bono Visionary Award include filmmakers Danny Boyle, Michel Hazanavicius, Tom Hooper, Tom McCarthy, Richard Linklater and Quentin Tarantino. The award is named after the festival’s founder and former Palm Springs Mayor, accorded to a filmmaker that breaks boundaries in the work. Cuarón is a two-time Academy Award® winner who has written and directed a wide range of acclaimed films. He most recently won two Oscars® for directing and editing the drama Gravity. Cuarón made his feature film directorial debut with Sólo con Tu Pareja (Love in the Time of Hysteria), and his American feature film debut with A Little Princess, a critically acclaimed adaptation of the beloved children’s book. His other credits Great Expectations, Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men. He also produced Desierto and executive produced the documentary This Changes Everything.

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  • AT ETERNITY’S GATE to Open 2018 Marrakech International Film Festival, Fest Unveils Official Selection

    [caption id="attachment_31186" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]At Eternity’s Gate At Eternity’s Gate[/caption] From November 30 to December 8, 2018, festival-goers and cinema-lovers alike will discover no fewer than 80 films coming from 29 different countries at the 17th Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM).  The Festival with open with At Eternity’s Gate directed by Julian Schnabel, the remarkable biopic that depicts the most celebrated period of the life and works of Vincent Van Gogh will open the Festival. The line-up is divided into several sections, the main ones including the Official Competition; Gala Screenings; Special Screenings; The 11th Continent; Moroccan Panorama; Jamaa El-Fna Square Screenings; Audio-described Cinema; and a Tribute section. International Film Festival. Fourteen (14) films, six directed by women, are in the running to win the Marrakech Etoile d’Or (or, the Gold Star), in the Official Competition.  Tributes will be made to four great names in cinema, namely: Robert De Niro, Jillali Ferhati, Agnès Varda, and Robin Wright.

    2018 Marrakech International Film Festival Official Selections

    COMPETITION

    THE GOOD GIRLS (Las niñas bien) / Mexico By Alejandra Márquez Abella Cast: Ilse Salas, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Paulina Gaitán, Johanna Murillo, Flavio Medina JOY / Austria By Sudabeh Mortezai Cast: Joy Anwulika Alphonsus, Precious Mariam Sanusi, Angela Ekeleme Pius, Gift Igweh, Sandra John, Chika Kipo, Ella Osagie, Christian Ludwig, Mary Kreutzer DIANE / USA By Kent Jones Cast: Mary Kay Place, Jake Lacy, Andrea Martin, Estelle Parsons, Deirdre O’Connell, Joyce Van Patten, Phyllis Gallagher, Glynnis O’Connor et Paul McIsaac THE LOAD (Teret) / Serbia, France, Croatia, Iran, Qatar By Ognjen Glavonić Cast: Leon Lučev, Pavle Čemerikić THE CHAMBERMAID (La camarista) / Mexico By Lila Avilés Cast: Gabriela Cartol, Teresa Sánchez RED SNOW (Akai yuki) / Japan By Sayaka Kai Cast: Masotoshi Nagase, Nahana, Arata Lura, Yui Nastukawa, Koichi Sato LOOK AT ME (Fi ‘ainaya / Regarde-moi) / Tunisia By Nejib Belkhadhi Cast: Nidhal Saadi, Idryss Kharroubi, Sawssen Maalej, Aziz Jebali, Mouna Nourredine IRINA / Bulgaria By Nadejda Koseva Cast: Martina Apostolova, Hristo Ushev, Irini Jambonas, Kasiel Noah Asher, Krassimir Dokov, Alexander Kossev VANISHING DAYS (Màn yóu) / China By Zhu Xin Cast: Jlang Li, Huang Jing as, Qiu Xiaqiu, Chen Yan, Li Xiaoxing, Lu Jiahe URGENT (Tafaha al-kail / Une urgence ordinaire) / Morocco, Switzerland By Mohcine Besri Cast: Rachid Mustapha, Fatima Zahra Benacer, Youssef Alaoui, Saïd Bey, Ghalia Ben Zaouia, Ayoub Layoussifi, Younes Bouab. ROJO / Argentina, Brazil, France, the Netherlands, Germany By Benjamín Naishtat Cast: Dario Grandinetti, Andrea Frigerio, Alfredo Castro, Diego Cremonesi AKASHA / Sudan, South Africa, Germany, Qatar By hajooj kuka Cast: Ekram Marcus, Kamal Ramadan, Ganja Mohamed Chakado, Abdallah Alnur Najla Kamal THE GIRAFFE (La ahdun hunak) / Egypt By Ahmed Magdy Cast: Amr Hosny, Shaza Moharam, Haidy Koussa, Salma Hassan, Rasha Magdy ALL GOOD (Alles ist gut) / Germany By Eva Trobisch Cast: Aenne Schwarz, Andreas Döhler, Hans Löw, Tilo Nest, Lisa Hagmeister, Lina Wendel

    Gala Screenings

    AT ETERNITY’S GATE / USA, France By Julian Schnabel Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner EUFORIA / Italy By Valeria Golino Cast: Riccardo Scamarcio, Valerio Mastandrea, Isabella Ferrari, Valentina Cervi, Jasmine Trinca ROMA / Mexico, USA By Alfonso Cuarón Cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira GREEN BOOK / USA By Peter Farrelly Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini YOMEDDINE / Egypt, USA, Austria By A.B.Shawky Cast: Rady Gamal, Ahmed Abdelhafiz, Shahira Fahmy CAPERNAUM (Capharnaüm) / Lebanon, USA By Nadine Labaki Cast: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shifera, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Youssef, Nadine Labaki.

    SPECIAL SCREENINGS

    THE ACCUSED (Acusada) / Argentina By Gonzalo Tobal Cast: Lali Espósito, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Inés Estévez, Daniel Fanego, Ferardo Romano, Gael García Bernal WILDLIFE /USA By Paul Dano Cast: Ed Oxenbould, Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal EXT. NIGHT (Leil kharigi) / Egypt By AhmadAbdalla Cast: Karim Kassem, Mona Hala, Sherief El Desouky, Ahmad Magdy, Aly Kassem HER SMELL / USA By Alex Ross Perry Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Amber Heard, Agyness Deyn THE TOWER / Norway By Mats Grorud Film d’animation LIONHEART / Nigeria By Genevieve Nnaji Cast: Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie, Onyeka Onwenu REAL LOVE (C’est ça l’amour) / France, Belgium By Claire Burger Cast: Bouli Lanners, Justine Lacroix, Sarah Henochsberg RAFIKI / Kenya By Wanuri Kahiu Cast: Samantha Mugatsia, Sheila Munyiva, Jimmi Gathu, Nini Wacera, Dennis Muskoya POISONOUS ROSES (Ward masmum) / Egypt By Fawzi Saleh Cast: Koky, Mahmoud Hemida, Ibrahim El Nagary BIRDS OF PASSAGE (Pájaros de verano) / Colombia, Denmark, Mexico By Cristina Gallego et Ciro Guerra Cast: Carmiña Martínez, Jose Acosta, Natalia Reyes, Jhon Narváez, Greider Meza, José Vicente Cote DIVINE WIND (Rih Rabbani) / Algeria By Merzak Allouache Cast: Sarah Layssac, Mohamed Oughlis, Messaouda Boukhira, Hacene Benzerari, Abdelatif Benahmed, Brahim Derris

    THE 11th CONTINENT

    VIEWS FROM MOROCCO AND THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE Presented by Jay Weissberg BURNING / South Korea By Lee Chang-dong Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jun Jong-seo ANGELO / Austria, Luxembourg By Markus Schleinzer Cast: Makita Samba, Alba Rohrwacher, Larisa Faber, Kenny Nzogang, Lukas Miko NERVOUS TRANSLATION / The Philippines By Shireen Seno Cast: Jana Agoncillo, Angge Santos, Sid Lucero, Cocoy Lumbao HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING / USA By RaMell Ross Documentary THE DEAD AND THE OTHERS (Chuva é cantoria na aldeia dos mortos) / Brazil By João Salaviza, Renée Nader Messora Cast: Henrique Ihjãc Krahô, Raene Kôtô Krahô SRBENKA / Croatia By Nebojša Slijepčević Documentaire ERASED,ASCENTOFTHE INVISIBLE (Tirss, rihlat al sou’oud ila al mar’i) / Lebanon By Ghassan Halwani Documentary ENDLESS TAIL (Beskrajni Rep) / Croatia By Željka Suková Cast: Julie Suková, Kašpar Suk, Prolaznici Tokijom, Željka Suková, Aleš Suk MANTA RAY(Kraben rahu) / Thailand, France, China By Phuttiphong Aroonpheng Cast: Wanlop Rungkumjad, Aphisit Hama, Rasmee Wayrana THE SOUND OF MASKS / South Africa, Portugal By Sara CF de Gouveia Documentary YESTERDAY (Tegnap) / Hungary, France, the Netherlands, Morocco, Sweden, Germany By Kenyeres Bálint Cast: Vlad Ivanov, Djemel Barek, Jacques Weber, Gamil Ratib, Johanna Ter Steege STILL RECORDING (Lisah’am tsajil) / Syria, Lebanon, Qatar, Germany By Saeed Al Batal, Ghiath Ayoub RENAULT 12 / France By Mohamed El Khatib Docu-fiction

    MOROCCAN PANORAMA

    VOLUBILIS (Walili) By Faouzi Bensaïdi Cast: Mouhcine Malzi, Nadia Kounda, Abdelhadi Taleb, Nezha Rahil, Faouzi Bensaidi, Mouna Fettou WE COULD BE HEROES By Hind Bensari Documentary THE HEALER (Mbarkaa) By Mohamed Zineddaine Cast: Ahmed Moustafid, Fatima Atif, Mehdi Laarroubi, Hanane Elkabani, Nosrine Adam SOFIA By Meryem Benm’Barek Cast: Maha Alemi, Lubna Azabal, Faouzi Bensaidi, Sarah Perles, Hamza Khafif, Raouia STATELESS (Bila mawtin) By Narjiss Nejjar Cast: El Ghalia Ben Zaouia, Avishay Benazra, Aziz Fadili, Nadia Niazi, Mohamed Nadif, Julie Gayet CATHARSYS, OR THE AFINA TALES OF THE LOST WORLD By Yassine Marco Marroccu Cast: Mohamed Zouaoui, Aziz Dadas, Sonia Okacha, Ljubisa Ristic JAHILIYA By Hicham Lasri Cast: Mostapha Houari, Salma Eddlimi, Hassan Ben Badida, Rami Fijjaj

    CINEMA FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

    THE TOWER (Al borj) / Norway By Mats Grorud Animated film IQBAL, A TALE OF A FEARLESS CHILD / Italy, France By Michael Fuzellier, Babak Payami Animated film THE PRINCESS BRIDE / USA By Rob Reiner Cast: Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage THE BIG BAD FOX AND OTHER TALES (Le Grand Méchant Renard et autres contes) / France, Belgium By Benjamin Renner, Patrick Imbert Cast: Guillaume Darnault, Jules Bienvenu, Augustin Jahn Sani, Violette Samama, Céline Ronté Film d’animation THE BREADWINNER / Canada, Ireland, Luxembourg By Nora Twomey Animated film

    LE CINÉMA EN AUDIODESCRIPTION POUR LES MALVOYANTS

    FACES PLACES (Visages villages) / France By Agnès Varda et JR Documentary THE EAVESDROPPER (La Mécanique de l’ombre) / Belgium, France By Thomas Kruithof Cast: François Cluzet, Denis Polalydès, Sami Bouajila, Siman Akbarian, Alba Rohrwacher LAHNECH / Morocco By Driss Mrini Cast: Aziz Dades, Majdouline Idrissi, Fadila Benmoussa, Mouhcine Malzi, Abdelghani Sannak BLADE RUNNER 2049 / USA, United Kingdom, Hungary, Canada By Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, LADY BIRD / USA By Greta Gerwig Cast: Robin Wright, Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet

    JEMAA EL FNA

    KORSA / Morocco By Abdellah Toukouna Cast: Abdellah Ferkous, Bouchera Ahraich, Khouloud Batioui, Fadilla Ben Moussa, Omar Azzouzi AS LONG AS I LIVE (Jab tak hai jaan) / India By Yash Chopra Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma THE UNTOUCHABLES / USA By Brian De Palma Cast : Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Sean Connery KUNDUN / USA By Martin Scorsese ALEXANDRIA AGAIN AND FOREVER (Iskandariyya Kaman wa Kaman) / Egypt, France By Youssef Chahine Cast: Youssra, Youssef Chahine, Hussein Fahmy, Hesham Selim, Taheya Cariocca FORREST GUMP / USA By Robert Zemeckis Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field BROOKS, MEADOWS AND LOVELY FACES (Al-ma’ wal-khodra wal-wajh al-hassan) / Egypt By Yousry Nasrallah Cast: Laila Elwi, Bassem Samra, Menna Shalabi, Zeina Mansour, Sabreen HUSBAND MATERIAL (Manmarziyaan) / India By Anurag Kashyap Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Abhishek Bachchan ANT-MAN AND THE WASP / USA By Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Douglas ASTERIX & OBELIX: MISSION CLEOPATRA (Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléôpatre) / France, Italy By Alain Chabat Cast: Gérard Dépardieu, Christian Clavier, Jamel Debbouze, Monica Bellucci, Alain Chabat, Claude Rich, Gérard Darmon LAHNECH / Morocco By Driss Mrini Cast: Aziz Dades, Majdouline Idrissi, Fadila Benmoussa, Mouhcine Malzi, Abdelghani Sannak

    Tributes

    ROBERT DE NIRO

    GOODFELLAS / USA By Martin Scorsese Cast: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino THE UNTOUCHABLES / USA By Brian De Palma Cast: Robert De Niro,Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Sean Connery RAGING BULL / USA By Martin Scorsese Cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty, Frank Vincent, Nicholas Colasanto

    AGNÈS VARDA

    CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 (Cléo de 5 à 7) / France De Agnès Varda Interprétation: Georges de Beauregard, Carlo Ponti, Corinne Marchand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dominique Davray FACES PLACES (Visages villages) / France By Agnès Varda, JR Documentaire VAGABOND (Sans toit ni loi) / France By Agnès Varda Cast: Sandrine Bonnaire, Macha Méril, Stephane Freiss, Yolande Moreau, Patrick Lepczynski, Yahiaoui Assouna

    ROBIN WRIGHT

    THE PRINCESS BRIDE/ USA By Rob Reiner Cast: Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage SHE’S SO LOVELY / USA By Nick Cassavetes Cast: Sean Penn, Robin Wright, Harry Dean Stanton, James Gandolfini, John Travolta FORREST GUMP / USA By Robert Zemeckis Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field BLADE RUNNER 2049 / USA, United Kingdom, Hungary, Canada By Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks

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  • WE THE ANIMALS, EIGHTH GRADE, FIRST REFORMED Lead Nominations for 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards

    [caption id="attachment_30337" align="aligncenter" width="1228"]WE THE ANIMALS We the Animals[/caption] We the Animals leads the nominations for the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards with 5 nods including Best First Feature, but missed out on a nomination for Best Feature. Nominees for Best Feature are Eighth Grade, First Reformed, If Beale Street Could Talk, Leave No Trace and You Were Never Really Here. Suspiria was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts. Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grant and Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 5, 2019.

    2019 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

    BEST FEATURE

    (Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.) Eighth Grade Producers: Eli Bush, Scott Rudin, Christopher Storer, Lila Yacoub First Reformed Producers: Jack Binder, Greg Clark, Gary Hamilton, Victoria Hill, David Hinojosa, Frank Murray, Deepak Sikka, Christine Vachon If Beale Street Could Talk Producers: Dede Gardner, Barry Jenkins, Jeremy Kleiner, Sara Murphy, Adele Romanski Leave No Trace Producers: Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini You Were Never Really Here Producers: Rosa Attab, Pascal Caucheteux, Rebecca O’Brien, Lynne Ramsay, James Wilson

    BEST FIRST FEATURE

    (Award given to the director and producer) Hereditary Director: Ari Aster Producers: Kevin Frakes, Lars Knudsen, Buddy Patrick Sorry to Bother You Director: Boots Riley Producers: Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jonathan Duffy, Charles D. King, George Rush, Forest Whitaker, Kelly Williams The Tale Director/Producer: Jennifer Fox Producers: Sol Bondy, Lawrence Inglee, Mynette Louie, Oren Moverman, Simone Pero, Reka Posta, Laura Rister, Regina K. Scully, Lynda Weinman We the Animals Director: Jeremiah Zagar Producers: Andrew Goldman, Christina D. King, Paul Mezey, Jeremy Yaches Wildlife Director/Producer: Paul Dano Producers: Andrew Duncan, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riva Marker, Oren Moverman, Ann Ruark, Alex Saks

    JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD

    Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. (Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.) A Bread Factory Writer/Director/Producer: Patrick Wang Producers: Daryl Freimark, Matt Miller En el Séptimo Día Writer/Director/Producer: Jim McKay Producers: Alex Bach, Lindsey Cordero, Caroline Kaplan, Michael Stipe Never Goin’ Back Writer/Director: Augustine Frizzell Producers: Liz Cardenas, Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston Sócrates Writer/Director/Producer: Alex Moratto Writer: Thayná Mantesso Producers: Ramin Bahrani, Jefferson Paulino, Tammy Weiss Thunder Road Writer/Director: Jim Cummings Producers: Natalie Metzger, Zack Parker, Benjamin Weissner

    BEST DIRECTOR

    Debra Granik Leave No Trace Barry Jenkins If Beale Street Could Talk Tamara Jenkins Private Life Lynne Ramsay You Were Never Really Here Paul Schrader First Reformed

    BEST SCREENPLAY

    Richard Glatzer (Writer/Story By), Rebecca Lenkiewicz & Wash Westmoreland Colette Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty Can You Ever Forgive Me? Tamara Jenkins Private Life Boots Riley Sorry to Bother You Paul Schrader First Reformed

    BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

    Bo Burnham Eighth Grade Christina Choe Nancy Cory Finley Thoroughbreds Jennifer Fox The Tale Quinn Shephard (Writer/Story By), Laurie Shephard (Story By) Blame

    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

    Ashley Connor Madeline’s Madeline Diego Garcia Wildlife Benjamin Loeb Mandy Sayombhu Mukdeeprom Suspiria Zak Mulligan We the Animals

    BEST EDITING

    Joe Bini You Were Never Really Here Keiko Deguchi, Brian A. Kates, Jeremiah Zagar We the Animals Luke Dunkley, Nick Fenton, Chris Gill, Julian Hart American Animals Anne Fabini, Alex Hall, Gary Levy The Tale Nick Houy Mid90s

    BEST FEMALE LEAD

    Glenn Close The Wife Toni Collette Hereditary Elsie Fisher Eighth Grade Regina Hall Support the Girls Helena Howard Madeline’s Madeline Carey Mulligan Wildlife

    BEST MALE LEAD

    John Cho Searching Daveed Diggs Blindspotting Ethan Hawke First Reformed Christian Malheiros Sócrates Joaquin Phoenix You Were Never Really Here

    BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

    Kayli Carter Private Life Tyne Daly A Bread Factory Regina King If Beale Street Could Talk Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie Leave No Trace J. Smith-Cameron Nancy

    BEST SUPPORTING MALE

    Raúl Castillo We the Animals Adam Driver BLACKkKLANSMAN Richard E. Grant Can You Ever Forgive Me? Josh Hamilton Eighth Grade John David Washington Monsters and Men

    ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD

    Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast Suspiria Director: Luca Guadagnino Casting Directors: Avy Kaufman, Stella Savino Ensemble Cast: Malgosia Bela, Ingrid Caven, Lutz Ebersdorf, Elena Fokina, Mia Goth, Jessica Harper, Dakota Johnson, Gala Moody, Chloë Grace Moretz, Renée Soutendijk, Tilda Swinton, Sylvie Testud, Angela Winkler

    BEST DOCUMENTARY

    (Award given to the director and producer) Hale County This Morning, This Evening Director/Producer: RaMell Ross Producers: Joslyn Barnes, Su Kim Minding the Gap Director/Producer: Bing Liu Producer: Diane Quon Of Fathers and Sons Director: Talal Derki Producers: Hans Robert Eisenhauer, Ansgar Frerich, Eva Kemme, Tobias N. Siebert On Her Shoulders Director: Alexandria Bombach Producers: Hayley Pappas, Brock Williams Shirkers Director/Producer: Sandi Tan Producers: Jessica Levin, Maya Rudolph Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Director/Producer: Morgan Neville Producers: Caryn Capotosto, Nicholas Ma

    BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

    (Award given to the director) Burning South Korea Director: Lee Chang-Dong The Favourite United Kingdom Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Happy as Lazzaro Italy Director: Alice Rohrwacher Roma Mexico Director: Alfonso Cuarón Shoplifters Japan Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu

    BONNIE AWARD

    Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the second Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines. Debra Granik Tamara Jenkins Karyn Kusama PRODUCERS AWARD The 22nd annual Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant. Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams Gabrielle Nadig Shrihari Sathe

    SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD

    The 25th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant. Alex Moratto Director of Sócrates Ioana Uricaru Director of Lemonade Jeremiah Zagar Director of We the Animals

    TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD

    The 24th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant. Alexandria Bombach Director of On Her Shoulders Bing Liu Director of Minding the Gap RaMell Ross Director of Hale County This Morning, This Evening

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  • MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS to Open, MOMENTUM GENERATION to Close 2018 Whistler Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_31897" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (l-r) Grace Molony stars as Dorothy Stafford, Margot Robbie stars as Queen Elizabeth I and Georgia Burnell as Kate Carey in MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, a Focus Features release.[/caption] Festival goers attending the 18th annual Whistler Film Festival (WFF), taking place from November 28 to December 2,  can look forward to 85 fresh films including 50 features and 35 shorts representing 12 countries.  WFF is set to open this year with Josie Rourke’s MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, starring two of last year’s Oscar nominated best actresses, Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie. Rourke’s breathtakingly beautiful directorial debut explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart (Ronan), and her struggle to reclaim her rightful throne as Queen of Scotland, then under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I (Robbie). Closing the festival is the Canadian Premiere of groundbreaking surf documentary MOMENTUM GENERATION. Directed by Academy Award-shortlisted and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmakers Jeff and Michael Zimbalist, the documentary follows the biggest names in surfing, including Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Kalani Robb and the late Todd Chesser. Executive produced by Sundance founder Robert Redford with stunning archival footage from the godfather of surf films Taylor Steele, MOMENTUM GENERATION gives audiences an inside look at the lives of these teenagers as they rose to super stardom as the first competitive surfers. WFF will screen six award season contenders including hosting the Canadian premieres of ON THE BASIS OF SEX, Mimi Leder’s topical biography of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg played by Felicity Jones, and Robert Budreau’s STOCKHOLM with Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace. The festival will also feature Western Canadian Premieres of AT ETERNITY’S GATE, director Julian Schnabel’s take on the life on Vincent Van Gogh played by Willem Dafoe; IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK, the first film from director Barry Jenkins since winning the Academy Award for Best Picture with MOONLIGHT; Alfonso Cuarón’s masterful ROMA, which – for the first time ever at WFF – will be shown in 4k projection and 7.2 sound; and FAMILY FIRST (CHIEN DE GARDE) directed by Sophie Dupuis, Canada’s entry in this year’s Best Foreign Language Oscar category. Other highlights include the World Premiere of Borsos Jury member Bruce McDonald’s CLAIRE’S HAT, an unprecedented filmic mea culpa about the making of the 2001 fiasco PICTURE CLAIRE. This funny, insightful and brilliantly reconstructed exploration documents what went wrong during the shooting of McDonald’s biggest budget movie to date. Direct from its premiere at Telluride, Brigitte Berman’s HUGH HEFNER’S AFTER DARK: SPEAKING OUT IN AMERICA, features a treasure trove of archival footage with everyone from Lenny Bruce to Moms Mabley. Programming strands include American Indies, Canadian Vanguard, Contenders, Doc Bloc, First Features, From Overseas, From The Vault, Mountain Culture, ShortWork, and World Premieres. WFF boasts that four of its five films in its American Indies strand will grace Canadian screens for the first time in Whistler. Titles include Wendy McColm’s funny and bittersweet BIRDS WITHOUT FEATHERS; Adisa’s horrifying look at sex trafficking in SKIN IN THE GAME; Alex Harvey’s brilliant WALDEN: LIFE IN THE WOODS with Oscar nominee Demián Bichir; and Emma Forrest’s moving UNTOGETHER, with Jamie Dornan (50 SHADES OF GREY), Jemima Kirke, Lola Kirke, Ben Mendelsohn and Jennifer Grey. Finally, Sebastián Silva’s TYREL features Michael Cera in a story about a lone black man on otherwise all-white weekend of drunken bro debauchery on a birthday trip to a cabin in the Catskills. This year, 18 Canadian films will compete for Canada’s second largest festival prize in the 15th annual Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature. Borsos titles feature seven World Premieres including Jon Silverberg’s haunting WOODLAND (shot in BC); Métis director Shane Belcourt’s mission to Mars comedy RED ROVER starring Cara Gee; Jesse Zigelstein’s restaurant owner drama for foodies NOSE TO TAIL, Carolyn Combs’ ode to multiculturalism in Vancouver BELLA CIAO!; Natty Zavitz’s moving forbidden romance drama ACQUAINTED; Maja Zdanowski’s ambitious multi-character drama IN GOD I TRUST; Zack Bernbaum’s hilariously deadpan road movie about two Toronto Jews on a trek into Poland THE DANCING DOGS OF DOMBROVA; and Rama Rau’s HONEY BEE, which features another unforgettable performance by Julia Sarah Stone (WFF 2017 Star to Watch Alumni) as an underage truckstop hooker. Western Canadian premieres in the Borsos Competition include Deanne Foley’s poignant exploration of mental illness and maternal yearnings, AN AUDIENCE OF CHAIRS; Kristina Wagenbauer’s moving story of mother/daughter conflict SASHINKA; Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’  A COLONY (UNE COLONIE), a memorable small-town coming of age story; Roz Owen’s study of a disenfranchised First Nations woman TROUBLE IN THE GARDEN featuring Cara Gee; Renée Beaulieu’s shockingly honest THE NATURALLY WANTON PLEASURE OF SKIN (LES SALOPES); Darlene Naponse’s FALLS AROUND HER featuring a career-best performance by Tantoo Cardinal; Lenin M. Sivam’s ROOBHA, a moving and empathetic look at transgender romance within the Canadian Tamil community; Sébastien Pilote’s award-winning coming of age story THE FIREFLIES ARE GONE; Sophie Dupuis’ first feature FAMILY FIRST (CHIEN DE GARDE), Canada’s entry in this year’s Foreign language Oscar category; and the Canadian Premiere of Robert Budreau’s STOCKHOLM with Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace. In addition to the Canadian Premiere of the definitive surfing documentary MOMENTUM GENERATION which will close the festival, this year’s Mountain Culture films include premieres of Whistler-based directors Brian Hockenstein and Tamo Campos’ THE RADICALS which follows a group of snowboarders and surfers who drift from the mountains and oceans into the world of activism; Patagonia’s stunning winter film TREELINE which explores the diverse forests of British Columbia, Nevada, and Japan, directed by Vancouver-based Jordan Manley; and winner of the Best Documentary award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, FREE SOLO, directed by E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, a stunning, intimate and unflinching portrait of the free soloist climber Alex Honnold’s preparations to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock – the 3,000ft El Capitan in Yosemite National Park – without a rope. This year’s Doc Bloc competition features a refreshingly diverse line-up. Two BC-based productions will grace our screens, including NEVER BE DONE: THE RICHARD GLEN LETT STORY directed by Roy Tighe about a self-sabotaging Vancouver based stand-up comic, and the World Premiere of FUCK YOU ALL: THE UWE BOLL STORY directed by Sean Patrick Shaul. Canadian premieres include Brian Bellinkoff’s PSYCHONAUTICS: A COMIC’S EXPLORATION OF PSYCHEDELICS with comedian Shane Mauss, and Brigitte Berman’s HUGH HEFNER’S AFTER DARK: SPEAKING OUT IN AMERICA. In addition, WFF will screen the World Premiere of Jaren Hayman’s eye-opening exploration of Canada’s largest black community in THIS IS NORTH PRESTON. Western Canadian premieres include THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING, Tom Donahue’s timely reminder of gender inequality in the film and television industries being shown as part of WFF’s Women on Top Series, and our British Columbia premiere selection includes Laura Marie Wayne’s LOVE, SCOTT, about the lasting impact of a horrific incident of homophobic violence, produced by the National Film Board of Canada. Other films of note in this year’s lineup include the family-friendly first feature from the Northwest Territories’ Jennifer Walden, ELIJAH AND THE ROCK CREATURE; musical Christmas zombie movie ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE that simply must be seen to be believed; Gillian McKercher’s realistic look at working in the Alberta oil sands CIRCLE OF STEEL; Collin Friesen’s hilarious comedy about burying a deceased father’s ashes featuring a stand-out performance from Bruce Greenwood, SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS; and Eva Husson’s rousing film detailing a Kurdish all-female battalion, GIRLS OF THE SUN. Borsos award winner Maxime Giroux (FELIX AND MEIRA 2014) returns with his newest THE GREAT DARKENED DAYS, and Gary Burns honors the festival with his Mountain Culture entry MAN RUNNING, about a doctor running a marathon in the Rockies.

    WFF 2018 COMPLETE FEATURE FILM LISTING BY STRAND

    American Indies

    BIRDS WITHOUT FEATHERS (United States) Dir. Wendy McColm SKIN IN THE GAME (United States) Dir. Adisa TYREL (United States) Dir. Sebastián Silva UNTOGETHER (United States) Dir. Emma Forrest WALDEN: LIFE IN THE WOODS (United States) Dir. Alex Harvey

    Canadian Vanguard

    AN AUDIENCE OF CHAIRS (Canada) Dir. Deanne Foley FALLS AROUND HER (Canada) Dir. Darlene Naponse THE FIREFLIES ARE GONE (Canada) Dir. Sébastien Pilote THE GREAT DARKENED DAYS (Canada) Dir. Maxime Giroux MAN RUNNING (Canada) Dir. Gary Burns THE NATURALLY WANTON PLEASURE OF SKIN (Canada) Dir. Renée Beaulieu

    Contenders

    AT ETERNITY’S GATE (United States) Dir. Julian Schnabel FAMILY FIRST (CHIEN DE GARDE) (Canada) Dir. Sophie Dupuis IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (United States) Dir. Barry Jenkins ON THE BASIS OF SEX (United States) Dir. Mimi Leder ROMA (United States, Mexico) Dir. Alfonso Cuarón STOCKHOLM (Canada) Dir. Robert Budreau

    Discoveries

    A COLONY (Canada) Dir. Geneviève Dulude-De Celles ACQUAINTED (Canada) Dir. Natty Zavitz THE DANCING DOGS OF DOMBROVA (Canada) Dir. Zack Bernbaum HONEY BEE (Canada) Dir. Rama Rau ROOBHA (Canada) Dir. Lenin M. Sivam

    Doc Bloc

    FUCK YOU ALL: THE UWE BOLL STORY (Canada) Dir. Sean Patrick Shaul HUGH HEFNER’S AFTER DARK: SPEAKING OUT IN AMERICA (Canada) Dir. Brigitte Berman LOVE, SCOTT (Canada) Dir. Laura Marie Wayne NEVER BE DONE: THE RICHARD GLEN LETT STORY (Canada) Dir. Roy Tighe PSYCHONAUTICS: A COMIC’S EXPLORATION OF PSYCHEDELICS (United States) Dir. Brian Bellinkoff THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING (United States) Dir. Tom Donahue THIS IS NORTH PRESTON (Canada) Dir. Jaren Hayman

    First Features

    CIRCLE OF STEEL (Canada) Dir. Gillian McKercher ELIJAH AND THE ROCK CREATURE (Canada) Dir. Jen Walden SASHINKA (Canada) Dir. Kristina Wagenbauer SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS (Canada) Dir. Collin Friesen TROUBLE IN THE GARDEN (Canada) Dir. Roz Owen

    From Overseas

    ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE (United Kingdom) Dir. John McPhail GIRLS OF THE SUN (France) Dir. Eva Husson KARMA (China) Dir. Lutao Wang THE QUAKE (Norway) Dir. John Andreas Andersen

    From The Vault

    CLAIRE’S HAT (Canada) Dir. Bruce McDonald

    Galas

    MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (United Kingdom) Dir. Josie Rourke [caption id="attachment_31845" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Momentum Generation Momentum Generation[/caption] MOMENTUM GENERATION (United States) Dir. Jeff & Michael Zimbalist

    Mountain Culture

    FREE SOLO (United States) Dir. E. Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin MAN RUNNING (Canada) Dir. Gary Burns MOMENTUM GENERATION (United States) Dir. Jeff & Michael Zimbalist THE RADICALS (Canada) Dir. Brian Hockenstein & Tamo Campos TREELINE (Canada) Dir. Jordan Manley

    World Premieres

    BELLA CIAO! (Canada) Dir. Carolyn Combs IN GOD I TRUST (Canada) Dir. Maja Zdanowski INTO INVISIBLE LIGHT (Canada) Dir. Shelagh Carter NOSE TO TAIL (Canada) Dir. Jesse Zigelstein RED ROVER (Canada) Dir. Shane Belcourt WOODLAND (Canada) Dir. Jon Silverberg

    WFF 2018 Feature Films Eligible for the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature:

    A COLONY ACQUAINTED AN AUDIENCE OF CHAIRS BELLA CIAO! THE DANCING DOGS OF DOMBROVA FALLS AROUND HER FAMILY FIRST THE FIREFLIES ARE GONE HONEY BEE IN GOD I TRUST THE NATURALLY WANTON PLEASURE OF SKIN NOSE TO TAIL RED ROVER ROOBHA TROUBLE IN THE GARDEN SASHINKA STOCKHOLM WOODLAND

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