Rebecca Hall’s Passing was awarded the honor of Best Movie About Women at the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC), 2021 awards, along with Best Screen Couple for Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson. The film based on Nella Larsen’s 1929 book, Passing, stars Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson as two light-skinned Black women, one of whom passes for white.
Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast took Best Picture honors, and Branagh won for Best Director and Best Screenplay, in the Phoenix Film Critic’s Society’s 2021 awards. The film also captured awards for Ciaran Hinds for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and for Jude Hill for Best Performance by a Youth. With five wins, Belfast tied with Dune for the most honored film of the year.
“Belfast” along with “West Side Story” lead this year’s film contenders for the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards, earning eleven nominations each. In addition to Best Picture, “Belfast” racked up several acting nominations including Best Supporting Actor nods for both Jamie Dornan and Ciarán Hinds, Best Supporting Actress for Caitríona Balfe, Best Young Actor/Actress for Jude Hill, and Best Acting Ensemble, while Kenneth Branagh could take home both the Best Director and Best Original Screenplay trophies. “Belfast” also earned nominations for Haris Zambarloukos for Best Cinematography, Jim Clay and Claire Nia Richards for Best Production Design, and Úna Ní Dhonghaíle for Best Editing.
The Philadelphia Film Critics Circle named Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog the Best Film of 2021 at its fifth annual year-end awards. The Power of the Dog received six award including Best Director and Best Script (both for Jane Campion), Best Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), Best Supporting Actor (for Kodi Smit-McPhee) and Best Soundtrack/Score (for Johnny Greenwood.)
The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) announced their top honorees for 2021 with Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” winning Best Film and Best Original Screenplay. The semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama from filmmaker centers on a nine-year-old boy and his family during the troubles in 1969 Northern Ireland.
Joe Wright’s Cyrano was named Best Picture of 2021 by the Detroit Film Critics Society along with Best Actor for Peter Dinklage. Best Actress honors went to Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye. In other categories, Flee and Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) tied for Best Documentary.
Actor and filmmaker Kristen Stewart will receive a Performer Tribute and President of Magnolia Pictures, Eamonn Bowles, will receive the Industry Tribute during the 2021 Gotham Awards Ceremony taking place live and in person on Monday, November 29, 2021 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
Austin Film Festival (AFF) will close out the 2021 festival with the highly anticipated Kristen Stewart stunner, Spencer, directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Academy Award Nominee Steven Knight. The Writers Conference’s annual celebration of some of the industry’s most talented wordsmiths will culminate with a Centerpiece screening of A24’s The Humans by Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Stephen Karam.
The 24th annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival returns in-person and virtually from October 23–30, 2021 with 157 films, including 45 narrative feature films, 15 documentary feature films and 97 shorts – with 63 of these films directed by women.
Virginia Film Festival is back in-person in its 34th year with a vibrant and diverse program of more than 85 films, including 60 features, and an outstanding lineup of special guests and discussions. The 2021 VAFF will feature theatrical presentations as well as reprise last year’s popular drive-in series at the picturesque Morven Farm in eastern Albemarle County.
Neon released the official trailer for Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart (Personal Shopper, Clouds of Sils Maria) as Princes Diana in Pablo Larraín’s critically acclaimed drama. Spencer opens in theaters on November 5th, 2021.
