The Chicago Indie Critics announced their nominees for their fifth annual film awards. Leading all films with an impressive nine nominations is Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom helmed by Best Director nominee George C. Wolfe and starring acting nominees Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis.
The winner of the 2020 Whistler Film Festival (WFF) Audience Award is The Paper Man (Lafortune en papier) directed and produced by journalist Tanya Lapointe, which received its world premiere at the fest as well as an honorable mention in WFF’s World Documentary Competition. This is an affectionate look at Claude Lafortune, Quebec’s own version of Mr. Rogers, who was a staple of French-Canadian television bringing his inspirational story and beautiful paper sculptures to life. The beloved children’s television host inspired generations of children through his celebration of creativity, inclusivity and diversity. For over five decades, he dedicated his life to transforming mere paper into whimsical sculptures, creatures and film sets. The Paper Man reveals the depths of Claude Lafortune’s work, as well as his continuing legacy. The gentle, compassionate and truly humble folk artist Lafortune passed away in April at the age of 83 after contracting COVID-19.
Once upon a time, the Venezuelan village of Congo Mirador was prosperous, alive with fishermen and poets. Now it is decaying and disintegrating – a small but prophetic reflection of Venezuela itself. The massive political and economic crisis and one of the world’s largest refugee crises in Venezuela is the backdrop of the documentary Once Upon A Time In Venezuela, selected as Venezuela’s official Oscar submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
The 6th annual British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) came to a close with the annual awards ceremony streamed online via the festival website (see video below) and hosted by actor, writer and director Femi Oyeniran. How to Stop a Recurring Dream directed by Ed Morris won the Victor Adebodun Award: Best Feature along with Best Actress for Ruby Barker. Exploring themes of separation and loss this dreamy trip takes place over a weekend in the lives of two sisters. In the film, an imminent family separation forces the oldest daughter to kidnap her sister in an attempt to reconnect before they part.
Kamikaze Dogfight and Gravitas Ventures will release the psychological thriller, “Go/Don’t Go” written and directed by first time filmmaker, Alex Knapp on digital and cable VOD platforms on January 12, 2021. The thriller stars Alex Knapp, Olivia Luccardi, Nore Davis, Bettina Skye, Tom Essig, and Zoey Wagner.
Sony Classics released the trailer for Pedro Almodóvar’s The Human Voice. starring Tilda Swinton. The Human Voice, running approximately 30 minutes, is a very free adaptation of the original stage play by Jean Cocteau, with which Pedro Almodóvar has been dreaming of for decades. It tells the story of a desperate woman (Tilda Swinton), who waits for the phone call of the lover who has just abandoned her. It marks Pedro Almodóvar’s first time shooting in English.
The National Film Board of Canada withdrew Michelle Latimer’s documentary Inconvenient Indian from active distribution and all upcoming festivals, including the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. The withdrawal comes after questions were raised about filmmaker Latimer’s claims about her Indigenous identity.
Nina Hoss and Lars Eidinger star in the Swiss drama, My Little Sister opening in virtual cinema on January 15, 2021. The film selected as Switzerland’s Official Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film, also stars Marthe Keller, Jens Albinus, Thomas Ostermeier,Linne-Lu Lungerhausen, and Noah Tscharland.
Samson Styles’ documentary Killing Beef ‘Gun Violence In The Black Community’ debuted the official trailer ahead of the release on February 16, 2021.
The Music City Film Critics Association (MCFCA) – based in Nashville announced their nominees representing the best in film for 2020. Films receiving multiple nominations including for Best Film include Nomadland, Sound of Metal, and The Father.
Lifetime released a trailer for the new documentary Whitney Houston & Bobbi Kristina: Didn’t We Almost Have It All, which premieres on Saturday, February 6 at 8pm ET/PT, immediately followed by an encore presentation of the Lifetime original movie Whitney (2015) at 10pm ET/PT.
The Greater Western New York Film Critics Association’s announced the nominations for the third annual end-of-year Film Awards. Leading the 2020 nominations are Sound of Metal (8 nominations), Nomadland (6 nominations), and Mank, Minari, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, and The Father (5 nominations each).