PADRE NUESTRO, an immigrant saga about a Mexican teen's heartbreaking search for his father in America, received the grand-jury prize for best U.S. drama at the Sundance Film Festival. Jorge Adrian Espindola portrays the youth who sneaks into the U. S., Jesus Ochoa the father, and Armando Hernandez a conniving fellow illegal immigrant.
PADRE NUESTRO (Our Father, U.S.) is Christopher Zalla's debut film, and it follows last year's QUINCEAÑERA (Fifteenth Birthday, Brazil/ U.S., 06 - also known as Echo Park), which qualified for this year's Oscars but received no nominations. This makes two years in a row that a Mexican-immigrant tale with U.S. producing credits have won top dramatic honors.
For more about PADRE NUESTRO, see the previous post, "Banderas Film Premieres at Sundance." For more of my notes about the winners, click my Film Festival Page's link on the right sidebar.
The grand-jury award in the U.S. documentary competition went to another Latin Amercian story recounting government corruption and kidnapping in Brazil, MANDA BALA (Send a Bullet, Brazil / U.S.), directed by Jason Kohn, MANDA BALA also won the documentary cinematography prize for Heloisa Passos.
From the U.S., GRACE IS GONE, a tear-jerker movie about a father (John Cusack) who takes his young daughters on a road trip to postpone breaking the news that their Army sergeant mother has been killed in Iraq, won the audience award for favorite U.S. drama. The award is chosen by balloting among Sundance movie-goers. Writer-director James C. Strouse won the Waldo Salt screenwriting award for the movie.
For a full list of winners, click (.pdf).
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Banderas Film Premieres at Sundance
SUMMER RAIN, (El Camino de los Ingleses, Spain), directed by Antonio Banderas had its world premiere at this year's Sundance International Film Festival, wrapping tonight. The film is adapted from an award-winning novel written by the director's childhood friend, Antonio Soler, who wrote the screenplay. It is a deeply personal and lyrical recreation of their generation growing up in Malaga in the late 1970s, pulsating with sexuality, resonant with poetry and song. The cast: Alberto Amarilla, María Ruiz, Raúl Arévalo, Victoria Abril, Félix Gómez, Juan Diego, and Fran Perea. In 1999, Banderas directed his first film, Crazy in Alabama, and then returned to acting in Spy Kids and The Legend of Zorro. With SUMMER RAIN, he returns to his Spanish roots.
— The film follows the lives of three young men--Miguelito, Paco, and Babirusa--each of whom must confront his past, as well as his future, while indulging in the expected pursuits of youth on the threshold of adulthood, especially, of course, love and sex. For Miguelito, the poet, this centers on one girl in particular, Luli. As each young man discovers what life's erratic fortunes have in store for him, they venture forth together, leaving their past and youthful indiscretions behind.
SUMMER RAIN also screened on the evening of 24 January as a part of SUNDANCE EN ESPAÑOL (Sundance in Spanish), which featured a collection of six Spanish Language films, selected from throughout the Festival program. Each film was selected by the Festival’s programming team and reflects a variety of Spanish speaking cultures from Spain, Mexico, Bolivia, and the U.S. The other films screened were:
BAJO JUAREZ, THE CITY DEVOURING ITS DAUGHTERS (Mexico, Alejandra Sánchez and José Antonio Cordero, directors)
— In an industrial town in Mexico near the U.S. border, hundreds of women have been sexually abused and murdered. As the body count continues to rise, a web of corruption unfolds that reaches the highest levels of Mexican society. U.S. Premiere.
COCALERO (Bolivia/Argentina, Alejandro Landes, director)
— Set against the backdrop of the Bolivian government’s attempted eradication of the coca crop and oppression of the indigenous groups that cultivate it and the American war on drugs, an Aymara Indian named Evo Morales travels through the Andes and the Amazon in jeans and sneakers, leading a historic campaign to become the first indigenous president of Bolivia. World Premiere.
LA MISMA LUNA (The Same Moon, U.S., Patricia Riggen, director, and Ligiah Villalobos, screenwriter.)
— When his grandmother dies a young Mexican boy struggles to cross the border to reunite with his beloved mother, who is working hard in Los Angeles to create a better life for the family. World Premiere.
EL BUFALO DE LA NOCHE (The Night Buffalo, Mexico, Jorge Hernandez Aldana, director. Jorge Hernandez Aldana and Guillermo Arriaga, screenwriters,) BUFALO, adapted from a novel by Guillermo Arriaga, who also co-wrote and produced the film, is best known for his longtime collaboration with director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Amores Peros, 21 Grams), and for making waves with their film BABEL at the Golden Globes this year, winning best picture and six other nominations including best screenplay. BABEL is one of the five nominees for best screenplay and best picture Oscar®. See most previous posts.
— The Night Buffalo tells the erotic tale of, Manuel a young man of 22, whose lust for beautiful women leads him down a path of deception, betrayal, and disillusionment. He lays out a plan that will drive him and his lover into an abyss of madness. World Premiere.
PADRE NUESTRO (Our Father, U.S., Christopher Zalla, director and screenwriter)
— Fleeing a criminal past, Juan hops a truck transporting illegal immigrants from Mexico to New York City, where he meets Pedro, who is seeking his long-lost father. World Premiere.
For more on Sundance, click Film Festival Page link on right sidebar.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
More on DREAMGIRLS Snub and Tidbits
According to an article supplied to Yahoo! by Reuters, it turns out that the movie DREAMGIRLS, which led all the Oscar nominees with eight nominations, is a historical omission in the Best Film category. Never in the 79-year history of the awards has the film with the most nominations failed to earn a best picture nomination. Furthermore, DREAMGIRLS box office gross is second only to THE DEPARTED.
BEST FILM NOMINEES (in order of best gross, millions, as of 21 January. DREAMGIRLS, not nominated in this category is in brackets, shows where it would have ranked in the box office gross had it been):
THE DEPARTED = $121,732,446
[DREAMGIRLS = $78,669,177]
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE = $59,593,606
THE QUEEN = $35,557,521
BABEL = $23,658,420
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA = $2,442,552
BABEL received seven nominations, Mexico's PAN'S LABYRINTH (nominated in the best foreign language film category) and THE QUEEN, six each. Martin Scorsese's THE DEPARTED snared five each as did BLOOD DIAMONDS.
TIDBITS:
BEST FILM NOMINEES (in order of best gross, millions, as of 21 January. DREAMGIRLS, not nominated in this category is in brackets, shows where it would have ranked in the box office gross had it been):
THE DEPARTED = $121,732,446
[DREAMGIRLS = $78,669,177]
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE = $59,593,606
THE QUEEN = $35,557,521
BABEL = $23,658,420
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA = $2,442,552
BABEL received seven nominations, Mexico's PAN'S LABYRINTH (nominated in the best foreign language film category) and THE QUEEN, six each. Martin Scorsese's THE DEPARTED snared five each as did BLOOD DIAMONDS.
TIDBITS:
1 - SUNSHINE A SLEEPER? - THE DEPARTED will be re-released to theaters this Friday, 26 January. Watch for it at your local theater, if you have not seen it. The DvD will be available 13 February, so get Netfilx (link on right sidebar), and/or put it in your queue, now! I've seen it, and with DREAMGIRLS out of the running, I think DEPARTED's closest competition is THE QUEEN.
However, as I wrote in yesterday's post, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE might squeeze through and win. The article from Reuters (linked above) stated, "Rolling Stone magazine critic Peter Travers said the best picture race was now a toss-up. If Oscar voters find the Scorsese and Eastwood films too violent, THE QUEEN too British and BABEL too multilingual, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE could win. The low-budget comedy was recently named best picture by the Producers Guild of America, a group whose choices are often echoed by the Oscars."
Another however - - The Producers Guild missed the last two years. See my recent entry for Producers Guild on my Film Awards Page (link on right sidebar). Also, the article was released after I made my post and prediction.
2 - SCORSESE/EASTWOOD BEST DIRECTOR DUEL - Interesting quote in that Reuters article, "Movie pundit Tom O'Neil was quoted as having said Eastwood and his low-profile IWO JIMA -- with U.S. ticket sales of just $2.4 million -- have 'once again ambushed the Oscar race when Martin Scorsese was out front, and was now the one to beat."
I know, with what happened to DREAMGIRLS it's easy to speculate, but I think THE DEPARTED is way out front in direction compared to MILLION DOLLAR BABY and THE AVIATOR. If Scorsese does not win this year . . . well, when?
3 - STREEP'S RECORD - Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) is the sole American contender for the best actress in the leading role. Penelope Cruz (Volver) is from Spain, while the other three are Brits Kate Winslet (Little Children) and the two Dames, Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal) Helen Mirren (The Queen). This year Streep breaks her 2002 record for the most nominations for anyone with her 14th nomination this year. The DvD will be in my mailbox Friday!!
4 - MORE INTERESTING BOX OFFICE - Gross for some other films as of 21 January (in millions):
CARS (Best Animated Film ) = $244,082,982
HAPPY FEET (Best Animated Film ) = $190,695,949
MONSTER HOUSE (Best Animated Film) = $73,661,010
PAN'S LABYRINTH (Best Foreign Language Film) = $9,932,414
VOLVER (film not nominated) = $6,718,079
The 2006 Box Office Champ - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest = $423,315,812.
The Box Office Reports from: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/
However, as I wrote in yesterday's post, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE might squeeze through and win. The article from Reuters (linked above) stated, "Rolling Stone magazine critic Peter Travers said the best picture race was now a toss-up. If Oscar voters find the Scorsese and Eastwood films too violent, THE QUEEN too British and BABEL too multilingual, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE could win. The low-budget comedy was recently named best picture by the Producers Guild of America, a group whose choices are often echoed by the Oscars."
Another however - - The Producers Guild missed the last two years. See my recent entry for Producers Guild on my Film Awards Page (link on right sidebar). Also, the article was released after I made my post and prediction.
2 - SCORSESE/EASTWOOD BEST DIRECTOR DUEL - Interesting quote in that Reuters article, "Movie pundit Tom O'Neil was quoted as having said Eastwood and his low-profile IWO JIMA -- with U.S. ticket sales of just $2.4 million -- have 'once again ambushed the Oscar race when Martin Scorsese was out front, and was now the one to beat."
I know, with what happened to DREAMGIRLS it's easy to speculate, but I think THE DEPARTED is way out front in direction compared to MILLION DOLLAR BABY and THE AVIATOR. If Scorsese does not win this year . . . well, when?
3 - STREEP'S RECORD - Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) is the sole American contender for the best actress in the leading role. Penelope Cruz (Volver) is from Spain, while the other three are Brits Kate Winslet (Little Children) and the two Dames, Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal) Helen Mirren (The Queen). This year Streep breaks her 2002 record for the most nominations for anyone with her 14th nomination this year. The DvD will be in my mailbox Friday!!
4 - MORE INTERESTING BOX OFFICE - Gross for some other films as of 21 January (in millions):
CARS (Best Animated Film ) = $244,082,982
HAPPY FEET (Best Animated Film ) = $190,695,949
MONSTER HOUSE (Best Animated Film) = $73,661,010
PAN'S LABYRINTH (Best Foreign Language Film) = $9,932,414
VOLVER (film not nominated) = $6,718,079
The 2006 Box Office Champ - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest = $423,315,812.
The Box Office Reports from: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
No DREAMGIRLS, VOLVER
It is hard to believe that with television viewers of the Academy Awards® consistently decreasing over the past decade, the members of the Academy did not nominate DREAMGIRLS for Best Picture of 2006. What were they thinking? The awards will lose even more viewers this year because of this oversight. I have seen it, and it is an audience pleaser with a powerful message, and great music. I watched the nominations today on Good Morning America, and the first thing out of Diane Sawyers mouth was, "No DREAMGIRLS for best picture?"
DREAMGIRLS, the motion picture, is nominated for art direction, costume, sound mixing, and three original songs, "Listen," "Love You I Do," and "Patience.” Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy are nominated for best acting in supporting roles. Surely, Hudson and Murphy will each sing one of the nominated songs. That could be a tiny crumb of saving grace for the Academy's best picture snub.
Martin Scorsese vs. Clint Eastwood for best director, again? Looks that way. If Scorsese does not win this year, many will be disappointed. I have seen THE DEPARTED and Eastwood's FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS. I am rooting for THE DEPARTED to win best motion picture on the merits of the film itself, best adapted screenplay, and Scorsese is way overdue that best director nod.
I know, too, that LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA is a huge achievement, a film in Japanese with a Japanese POV made by an American director, but that film will not play in Peoria. The smaller theaters rarely show films with subtitles. BABEL screened in my area for a only a shortened booking, a few days. I missed it because of bad weather.
VOLVER. The situation here is that two excellent Spanish-language films were submitted for best foreign language film, VOLVER (Pedro Almodóvar, director) from Spain and PAN'S LABYRINTH (El Laberinto del Fauno, Guillermo del Toro, director) from Mexico. The first in Castilian Spanish and the second in South American/Mexican Spanish. Guess which is more understood in New York and L.A.?
Plus, Almodóvar has won at least two Oscars® with a number of nominations, and VOLVER is visually much the same as his other films, while del Toro's LABYRINTH is something new visually, and this is his first nomination. Two films containing the same language, in this case technically Spanish, and the Academy must choose one to nominate. They chose LABYRINTH, and I am not surprised. Of course, neither film will screen anywhere near me. I must wait for the DvD.
I think LABYRINTH will win the best foreign language film, and possibly more, because it has five other nominations: art direction, cinematography, makeup, original score and original screenplay. Penélope Cruz is nominated in the best actress in a leading role category for her performance in VOLVER but if I were betting, I would go with Helen Mirren for her performance in THE QUEEN.
Other than the three nominated films mentioned above, I think THE QUEEN will be a strong contender as best picture and in other categories. The sleeper film could be LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE because of big splits in the votes for the other four nominees. Remember CRASH and SIDEWAYS? Will it happen with SUNSHINE this year? I think it is possible. It is available on DvD and in my queue at Netflix, as are THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, CARS and MONSTER HOUSE. See Netflix link on the right sidebar.
The ABC-assisted Official Oscar Web site, http://www.oscar.com/, is now up and running. See all the nominees by category listings as well as by film. There are direct links to the films, categories, and much more, plus the printer-friendly options for the full nomination list and a handy ballot!
I will be writing more on the major categories in the days to come, but I must give a nod to Al Gore's AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH for its nomination in the best documentary category. I have seen it, and it is available on DvD. So, get it and watch it!
The Oscars® will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour red carpet arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars.”
DREAMGIRLS, the motion picture, is nominated for art direction, costume, sound mixing, and three original songs, "Listen," "Love You I Do," and "Patience.” Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy are nominated for best acting in supporting roles. Surely, Hudson and Murphy will each sing one of the nominated songs. That could be a tiny crumb of saving grace for the Academy's best picture snub.
Martin Scorsese vs. Clint Eastwood for best director, again? Looks that way. If Scorsese does not win this year, many will be disappointed. I have seen THE DEPARTED and Eastwood's FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS. I am rooting for THE DEPARTED to win best motion picture on the merits of the film itself, best adapted screenplay, and Scorsese is way overdue that best director nod.
I know, too, that LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA is a huge achievement, a film in Japanese with a Japanese POV made by an American director, but that film will not play in Peoria. The smaller theaters rarely show films with subtitles. BABEL screened in my area for a only a shortened booking, a few days. I missed it because of bad weather.
VOLVER. The situation here is that two excellent Spanish-language films were submitted for best foreign language film, VOLVER (Pedro Almodóvar, director) from Spain and PAN'S LABYRINTH (El Laberinto del Fauno, Guillermo del Toro, director) from Mexico. The first in Castilian Spanish and the second in South American/Mexican Spanish. Guess which is more understood in New York and L.A.?
Plus, Almodóvar has won at least two Oscars® with a number of nominations, and VOLVER is visually much the same as his other films, while del Toro's LABYRINTH is something new visually, and this is his first nomination. Two films containing the same language, in this case technically Spanish, and the Academy must choose one to nominate. They chose LABYRINTH, and I am not surprised. Of course, neither film will screen anywhere near me. I must wait for the DvD.
I think LABYRINTH will win the best foreign language film, and possibly more, because it has five other nominations: art direction, cinematography, makeup, original score and original screenplay. Penélope Cruz is nominated in the best actress in a leading role category for her performance in VOLVER but if I were betting, I would go with Helen Mirren for her performance in THE QUEEN.
Other than the three nominated films mentioned above, I think THE QUEEN will be a strong contender as best picture and in other categories. The sleeper film could be LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE because of big splits in the votes for the other four nominees. Remember CRASH and SIDEWAYS? Will it happen with SUNSHINE this year? I think it is possible. It is available on DvD and in my queue at Netflix, as are THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, CARS and MONSTER HOUSE. See Netflix link on the right sidebar.
The ABC-assisted Official Oscar Web site, http://www.oscar.com/, is now up and running. See all the nominees by category listings as well as by film. There are direct links to the films, categories, and much more, plus the printer-friendly options for the full nomination list and a handy ballot!
I will be writing more on the major categories in the days to come, but I must give a nod to Al Gore's AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH for its nomination in the best documentary category. I have seen it, and it is available on DvD. So, get it and watch it!
The Oscars® will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour red carpet arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars.”
Sunday, January 21, 2007
OSCAR® POSTER FOR SALE
Dozens of the most memorable and quotable lines from motion pictures will share the 79th Academy Awards® poster canvas with Oscar. The commemorative poster features words and phrases that have become part of society’s colloquial speech.
All of the lines showcased in the poster except one are from films that have received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Picture, Writing, or both, between 1936 and 2005. (Finding the exception should be the first of many trivia contests that the Academy expects the poster to generate.)
The concept and design for the poster was created for the Academy by TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles. Photographer Albert Watson captured the Oscar statuette featured on the poster. You can read the lines, and order the poster until 12 March, by clicking the link below, or the link for the Academy (AMPAS®) on the right sidebar.
The 27x40 poster, printed on premium recycled paper, uses a black canvas and highlights the quotes in gold metallic ink, each in a distinctive typeface to reflect the movie it represents.
The poster will be available for purchase only through March 12, 2007, on the Academy’s Web site at http://www.oscars.org/publications/ or by calling 1-800-554-1814. The price is $25 per poster, which includes tax and shipping within the U.S. for up to five posters. Shipping and handling for international orders is an additional $15 for each five posters.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis and Academy member, plus past Oscar® nominee, Salma Hayek will preside.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Nine Foreign Language Films Make Cut
Nine films will advance in the voting process in the Foreign Language Film category for the 79th Academy Awards®, 2006 Oscar®.
The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 61 eligible films qualified in the Best Foreign Language Film Category, and their ballots determined the shortlist of nine which is listed in alphabetical order by country:
Algeria, DAYS OF GLORY, Rachid Bouchareb, director.
Canada, WATER, Deepa Mehta, director.
Denmark, AFTER THE WEDDING, Susanne Bier, director.
France, AVENUE MONTAIGNE, Daniele Thompson, director.
Germany, THE LIVES OF OTHERS, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director.
Mexico, PAN'S LABYRINTH, Guillermo del Toro, director.
The Netherlands, BLACK BOOK, Paul Verhoeven, director.
Spain, VOLVER, Pedro Almodovar, director.
Switzerland, VITUS, Fredi M. Murer, director
Next, the Phase II committee, made up of ten randomly selected members from the Phase I group and joined by additional ten-member contingents in New York and Los Angeles, will view the short-listed films and select the five 2006 nominees for the category. Screenings for this group will take place from Friday, January 19, through Sunday, January 21, in both Hollywood and New York City.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced this coming Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Actress Salma Hayek will join Academy President Sid Ganis in announcing the nominees.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars®.”
The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 61 eligible films qualified in the Best Foreign Language Film Category, and their ballots determined the shortlist of nine which is listed in alphabetical order by country:
Algeria, DAYS OF GLORY, Rachid Bouchareb, director.
Canada, WATER, Deepa Mehta, director.
Denmark, AFTER THE WEDDING, Susanne Bier, director.
France, AVENUE MONTAIGNE, Daniele Thompson, director.
Germany, THE LIVES OF OTHERS, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director.
Mexico, PAN'S LABYRINTH, Guillermo del Toro, director.
The Netherlands, BLACK BOOK, Paul Verhoeven, director.
Spain, VOLVER, Pedro Almodovar, director.
Switzerland, VITUS, Fredi M. Murer, director
Next, the Phase II committee, made up of ten randomly selected members from the Phase I group and joined by additional ten-member contingents in New York and Los Angeles, will view the short-listed films and select the five 2006 nominees for the category. Screenings for this group will take place from Friday, January 19, through Sunday, January 21, in both Hollywood and New York City.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced this coming Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Actress Salma Hayek will join Academy President Sid Ganis in announcing the nominees.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars®.”
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
GLOBES ALL OVER THE MAP
If you did not attend the Golden Globe awards, or watch it on television last night (January 15th), you missed one of the best award shows since the Academy Awards® last year. Beautiful people everywhere, including Lorraine Nicholson, 16, daughter of actor Jack Nicholson with Rebecca Broussard. Miss Nicholson is Miss Golden Globe this year and assisted in the ceremony.
The awards were scattered among various films and television shows. Only one person emerged as a true winner, actress Helen Mirren. She won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama - for THE QUEEN, as Elizabeth II. She also won and Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television - for her role as Elizabeth I in the series Elizabeth I. The series also won the "best" Globe for a mini-series.
BABEL won Best Motion Picture - Drama. As I expected, DREAMGIRLS won Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, plus two others. Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson won for Best Supporting Actor/Actress in a Motion Picture. Therefore, with three awards, DREAMBIRLS won the most for the night.
The Globes made history last night in regards to the awards in particular and Hollywood in general. As for the awards, this year marked the first time the Globes had a Best Animated Motion Picture category. CARS, HAPPY FEET and MONSTER HOUSE were nominated. CARS won. HAPPY FEET'S song, "The Song of the Heart" by Prince, won the Best Song.
The Globes made history last night for the Hollywood film industry in general by nominating two movies made in the U.S. in the Best Foreign Language category: Mel Gibson's APOCALYTO and Clint Eastwood's LETTERS FRM IWO JIMA, which won, from the Hollywood Foreign Press at that. A total history-making event. Will the Academy Awards nominate likewise?
Hopefully, the win by Martin Scorsese as Best Director - Motion Picture - for THE DEPARTED will hold true for the Academy Awards. Some have felt that he has been deprived of the golden statuette because he made THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, a movie the Christian Fundamental Evangelicals railed, still rail against, and one that was mainly misunderstood. Listen up, you'll. Forgiveness, already.
You can see the full list of winners and make your own analysis at the Golden Globes Official Web Site. Also, you might like to check my Film Awards Page, updated today. See link on right sidebar.
Now, I have some awards I wish to make:
1. Best Acceptance Speech - Meryl Streep, accepting Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - for THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. The runner up is Warren Beatty, accepting the honorary Cecil B. De Mille Lifetime Achievement Award.
2. Best Presentation - Tom Hanks, presenting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement to Warren Beatty. However, Hanks went a bit over the top when honoring him for having balls, which Hanks defined as artistic determination and talents.
3. Most Crude and Vulgar Acceptance - Sacha Baron Cohen, accepting the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. If he receives a nomination by AMPAS, I hope he is not allowed to repeat this performance. It was embarrassing and disgusting.
4. Most Disappointing - Apparently, neither Dame Judi Dench or Peter O'Toole attended.
Since the nomination ballots for the Academy Awards were already at PWC by last night, these awards will have no impact upon the Oscar® nominations. However, there is no doubt that many Academy members may take them into account when they vote for the final winners.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment.
The awards were scattered among various films and television shows. Only one person emerged as a true winner, actress Helen Mirren. She won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama - for THE QUEEN, as Elizabeth II. She also won and Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television - for her role as Elizabeth I in the series Elizabeth I. The series also won the "best" Globe for a mini-series.
BABEL won Best Motion Picture - Drama. As I expected, DREAMGIRLS won Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, plus two others. Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson won for Best Supporting Actor/Actress in a Motion Picture. Therefore, with three awards, DREAMBIRLS won the most for the night.
The Globes made history last night in regards to the awards in particular and Hollywood in general. As for the awards, this year marked the first time the Globes had a Best Animated Motion Picture category. CARS, HAPPY FEET and MONSTER HOUSE were nominated. CARS won. HAPPY FEET'S song, "The Song of the Heart" by Prince, won the Best Song.
The Globes made history last night for the Hollywood film industry in general by nominating two movies made in the U.S. in the Best Foreign Language category: Mel Gibson's APOCALYTO and Clint Eastwood's LETTERS FRM IWO JIMA, which won, from the Hollywood Foreign Press at that. A total history-making event. Will the Academy Awards nominate likewise?
Hopefully, the win by Martin Scorsese as Best Director - Motion Picture - for THE DEPARTED will hold true for the Academy Awards. Some have felt that he has been deprived of the golden statuette because he made THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, a movie the Christian Fundamental Evangelicals railed, still rail against, and one that was mainly misunderstood. Listen up, you'll. Forgiveness, already.
You can see the full list of winners and make your own analysis at the Golden Globes Official Web Site. Also, you might like to check my Film Awards Page, updated today. See link on right sidebar.
Now, I have some awards I wish to make:
1. Best Acceptance Speech - Meryl Streep, accepting Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - for THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. The runner up is Warren Beatty, accepting the honorary Cecil B. De Mille Lifetime Achievement Award.
2. Best Presentation - Tom Hanks, presenting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement to Warren Beatty. However, Hanks went a bit over the top when honoring him for having balls, which Hanks defined as artistic determination and talents.
3. Most Crude and Vulgar Acceptance - Sacha Baron Cohen, accepting the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. If he receives a nomination by AMPAS, I hope he is not allowed to repeat this performance. It was embarrassing and disgusting.
4. Most Disappointing - Apparently, neither Dame Judi Dench or Peter O'Toole attended.
Since the nomination ballots for the Academy Awards were already at PWC by last night, these awards will have no impact upon the Oscar® nominations. However, there is no doubt that many Academy members may take them into account when they vote for the final winners.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment.
Friday, January 12, 2007
OSCAR® BALLOTS DUE
AMPAS® members must return their completed Oscar nomination ballots by 5:00 PM tomorrow (Saturday, January 13) to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), which means Academy members must make their nomination choices before the Golden Globe winners are known. The Golden Globes will be give out January 15. See previous post about Golden Globes.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards® will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills.
For more, click the links on the right sidebar for Mimi's Film Awards Page, AMPAS, and IMDB's Road To the Oscars.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards® will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills.
For more, click the links on the right sidebar for Mimi's Film Awards Page, AMPAS, and IMDB's Road To the Oscars.
DOWNLOAD GOLDEN GLOBES BALLOT
The Foreign Press Association will award its 64th annual Golden Globes for film and television Monday night (15th), broadcast live (NBC) beginning at 8:00 p.m., EST. See the nominee list on the official Web site and download a ballot (.pdf) at the IMDB's Road to the Oscars. You can make your choices and mark the results.
For more click the link on the right sidebar for Mimi's Film Awards Page.
For more click the link on the right sidebar for Mimi's Film Awards Page.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
307 Feature Films Compete for Oscar®
Three-hundred-seven feature films are eligible for the Academy Award® for Best Picture of 2006. See link on right sidebar for list of films, with credits, eligible for 79th Academy Awards®.
To be eligible, feature films have until midnight, December 31, to open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days. Films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.
Also, Academy rules stipulate that a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes. It must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
To be eligible, feature films have until midnight, December 31, to open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days. Films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.
Also, Academy rules stipulate that a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes. It must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Oscar® Nomination Ballots in the Mail
Nomination ballots for the 79th Academy Awards® were mailed yesterday (Tuesday, December 26) to the 5,830 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS®). The Reminder List of Eligible Releases – the list of 2006 motion pictures eligible for Oscar consideration – was mailed along with the nomination ballots.
Completed ballots must be returned to PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) by 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 13, 2007, which means Academy members must make their choices before the Golden Globe winners are known. The Golden Globes will be give out January 15.
As always, ballots received at PWC after the deadline will not be counted. Nomination and final award ballots are tabulated by PWC to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are conducted with fairness and accuracy. Prior to mailing, the PWC staff administers a thorough verification process to ensure there are no duplicate ballots and that none are missing. In addition to being counted and sorted, each ballot is numbered to guarantee that it is addressed to the appropriate Academy voter.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars®.”
Completed ballots must be returned to PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) by 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 13, 2007, which means Academy members must make their choices before the Golden Globe winners are known. The Golden Globes will be give out January 15.
As always, ballots received at PWC after the deadline will not be counted. Nomination and final award ballots are tabulated by PWC to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are conducted with fairness and accuracy. Prior to mailing, the PWC staff administers a thorough verification process to ensure there are no duplicate ballots and that none are missing. In addition to being counted and sorted, each ballot is numbered to guarantee that it is addressed to the appropriate Academy voter.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars®.”
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
56 SONGS VIE FOR OSCAR® NOMS
UPDATED ** Nominated for a Golden Globe
Fifty-six songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures are being considered in the Original Song category for the 79th Academy Awards®. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences® (AMPAS®) will screen clips featuring each song, in random order, for voting members of the Music Branch in both Beverly Hills and New York City, Tuesday, January 16. Following the screenings, members will vote to determine which three, four, or five songs become nominees in the category.
To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film. A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film, or as the first music cue in the end credits.
Here is a list in alphabetical order of 26 motion pictures, among those submitting songs, that I think have a chance of being nominated:
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, "I Need to Wake Up"
BARNYARD, “Hillbilly Holla”
BLOOD DIAMOND, “Shine on ‘Em”
BOBBY, ** “Never Gonna Break My Faith” - Music and Lyric by Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy, Andrea Remanda.
BORAT . . ., “O Kazakhstan”
CHARLOTTE'S WEB, “Ordinary Miracle”
CARS, "Our Town" and "Real Gone"
CASINO ROYALE, “You Know My Name”
CURIOUS GEORGE, “Upside Down”
DEJA VU, “Coming Back to You”
DREAMGIRLS, “Patience," ** "Listen" - Music and Lyric by Scott Cutler, Beyoncé Knowles, Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, and “Love You I Do”
FLICKA, “My Little Girl”
GLORY ROAD, “Sweet Music”
HAPPY FEET, ** “The Song of the Heart” - Music and Lyric by Prince.
HOLLYWOOD FAMILIA (Family), "Hollywood Familia" and “Sueños” (Dreams)
HOME OF THE BRAVE, ** “Try Not to Remember” - Music and Lyric by Sheryl Crow.
IDLEWILD, “PJ & Rooster”
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, “Til the End of Time”
ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING, “Kingdom of Love”
OVER THE HEDGE, “Family of Me," Heist," and "Still”
POSEIDON, “Won’t Let You Fall”
PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, ** "A Father's Way" - Music by Chris Bruce, Seal. Lyric by Seal.
ROCKY BALBOA, “It’s a Fight”
SAVING SHILOH, “Open Your Heart”
STRANGER THAN FICTION, “The Book I Write”
THE NATIVITY STORY, “In Rosa Vernat Lilium”
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, the awards presented Sunday, February 25, 2007.
See link on the right sidebar for AMPAS®, if you wish to view all the songs submitted. Also see link for my Film Awards Page and Film Festivals Page, if you wish to see some movie songs that have won awards so far this season.
Fifty-six songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures are being considered in the Original Song category for the 79th Academy Awards®. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences® (AMPAS®) will screen clips featuring each song, in random order, for voting members of the Music Branch in both Beverly Hills and New York City, Tuesday, January 16. Following the screenings, members will vote to determine which three, four, or five songs become nominees in the category.
To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film. A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film, or as the first music cue in the end credits.
Here is a list in alphabetical order of 26 motion pictures, among those submitting songs, that I think have a chance of being nominated:
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, "I Need to Wake Up"
BARNYARD, “Hillbilly Holla”
BLOOD DIAMOND, “Shine on ‘Em”
BOBBY, ** “Never Gonna Break My Faith” - Music and Lyric by Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy, Andrea Remanda.
BORAT . . ., “O Kazakhstan”
CHARLOTTE'S WEB, “Ordinary Miracle”
CARS, "Our Town" and "Real Gone"
CASINO ROYALE, “You Know My Name”
CURIOUS GEORGE, “Upside Down”
DEJA VU, “Coming Back to You”
DREAMGIRLS, “Patience," ** "Listen" - Music and Lyric by Scott Cutler, Beyoncé Knowles, Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, and “Love You I Do”
FLICKA, “My Little Girl”
GLORY ROAD, “Sweet Music”
HAPPY FEET, ** “The Song of the Heart” - Music and Lyric by Prince.
HOLLYWOOD FAMILIA (Family), "Hollywood Familia" and “Sueños” (Dreams)
HOME OF THE BRAVE, ** “Try Not to Remember” - Music and Lyric by Sheryl Crow.
IDLEWILD, “PJ & Rooster”
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, “Til the End of Time”
ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING, “Kingdom of Love”
OVER THE HEDGE, “Family of Me," Heist," and "Still”
POSEIDON, “Won’t Let You Fall”
PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, ** "A Father's Way" - Music by Chris Bruce, Seal. Lyric by Seal.
ROCKY BALBOA, “It’s a Fight”
SAVING SHILOH, “Open Your Heart”
STRANGER THAN FICTION, “The Book I Write”
THE NATIVITY STORY, “In Rosa Vernat Lilium”
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, the awards presented Sunday, February 25, 2007.
See link on the right sidebar for AMPAS®, if you wish to view all the songs submitted. Also see link for my Film Awards Page and Film Festivals Page, if you wish to see some movie songs that have won awards so far this season.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
GOLDEN GLOBES AND MORE
The nominations are in for the 64th Annual Golden Globes to be awarded 15 January. Many consider them predictors of the Academy Awards®. Here's the direct link to an organized, quick notation on my Film Awards Page, which has a link to the Globes official site: http://mimifink.virtualave.net/AwardsSched07.htm#GLOBES
The movie awards are in full season. In addition to the Golden Globes, you can quickly track almost all the major U.S. and international awards for 2006-07 on my 2006-2007 Awards Schedule, a.k.a., Mimi's Film Awards Page. The main link is on the right sidebar.
I don't think, personally, that awards from any one organization determine voting by the Academy membership, but a pattern of many organizations recognizing a particular film, actor, etc., may. My motive for maintaining my Film Awards Page is selfish. That's how I make my predictions come Oscar® time. I did predict best picture CRASH, best song, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," and most of the others last year. So, take a look at my page, and track your favorites. You may be pleased you did!
The movie awards are in full season. In addition to the Golden Globes, you can quickly track almost all the major U.S. and international awards for 2006-07 on my 2006-2007 Awards Schedule, a.k.a., Mimi's Film Awards Page. The main link is on the right sidebar.
I don't think, personally, that awards from any one organization determine voting by the Academy membership, but a pattern of many organizations recognizing a particular film, actor, etc., may. My motive for maintaining my Film Awards Page is selfish. That's how I make my predictions come Oscar® time. I did predict best picture CRASH, best song, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," and most of the others last year. So, take a look at my page, and track your favorites. You may be pleased you did!
Monday, December 04, 2006
European Awards & Havana IFF
The European Film Academy honored Roman Polanski with a lifetime achievement award in the country of his childhood at the 19th annual European Film Awards in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, 2 December. Also this weekend, the International Animated Film Society, announced the nominees for this year's Annie Awards to be awarded 11 February. For links to the official sites, and much more about the European Film Academy Film Awards and Annie Awards, click the link on the right sidebar for my Film Awards Page.
The 28th International Film Festival of New Latin American Cinema (also known as the Havana Film Festival) opens in Havana, Cuba, tomorrow. It will run through December 15th. Guillermo del Toro's PAN'S LABYRINTH (El laberinto del Fauno, Mexico), and Pedro Almodóvar's VOLVER ("To Return," Spain), are among the most anticipated movies.
Sorry, but ordinary American's can't go without special permission from the U. S. Federal Government. That permission is not going to be given. The official Web site is in Spanish, and a link is on my Film Festivals Page, as well as the festival's highlights in English, and much more. See links on the right sidebar.
The 28th International Film Festival of New Latin American Cinema (also known as the Havana Film Festival) opens in Havana, Cuba, tomorrow. It will run through December 15th. Guillermo del Toro's PAN'S LABYRINTH (El laberinto del Fauno, Mexico), and Pedro Almodóvar's VOLVER ("To Return," Spain), are among the most anticipated movies.
Sorry, but ordinary American's can't go without special permission from the U. S. Federal Government. That permission is not going to be given. The official Web site is in Spanish, and a link is on my Film Festivals Page, as well as the festival's highlights in English, and much more. See links on the right sidebar.
Friday, November 17, 2006
15 Feature Docs Advance in 2006 Oscar® Race
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences® has announced that 15 films in the Documentary Feature category will advance in the voting process for the 79th Academy Awards. Eighty-one pictures originally qualified in the category.
The Documentary Branch screening committee viewed the eligible documentaries in a preliminary round of screenings. That branch's members will now select the five 2006 nominees from among the 15 titles on the shortlist. The full Academy membership with vote for their choices from the nominees.
Long gone are the days of someone holding a camera is an exotic locale as they observe the native inhabitants work and play. This year's crop of feature documentaries delves into living under the threats of war and somehow regaining one's sanity afterward, good and harmful politicians, sexual abuse of children, spousal abuse, environmental destruction, wrongful conviction because of racism, religious indoctrination of children, overly zealous patriots trying to destroy those who speak out for personal freedom, and overcoming blindness. Heady stuff all around.
The 15 films are listed below in alphabetical order:
BLINDSIGHT (UK). Directed by Lucy Walker, it has been described as a gripping adventure of six blind Tibetan teenagers who set out to climb the 23,000 foot mountain right next to Mount Everest.
CAN MR. SMITH GET TO WASHINGTON ANYMORE? (USA). This "Mr. Smith" follows the campaign of an unabashedly progressive 29-year-old political science prof, Jeff Smith, running for Dick Gephardt's Missouri congressional seat in 2004. Directed by Frank Popper.
DELIVER US FROM EVIL (USA). The Roman Catholic Church's hierarchy was aware that Father Oliver O'Grady was a dangerous active pedophile. They moved him from parish to parish for 30 years, allowing him to abuse countless children. Filmmaker Amy Berg exposes the deep corruption and the troubled mind of the man they sheltered. She juxtaposes an extended, deeply unsettling interview with O'Grady with the tragic stories of his victims.
THE GROUND TRUTH (USA), also known as The Ground Truth: When the Fighting Stops." Robert Acosta, Paul Rieckhoff, Sean Huze, and Herold Noel returned veterans of the war in Iraq are featured in the film. Viewers at Sundance reported being profoundly affected. Written and directed by Patricia Foulkrod.
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (USA). Directed by Davis Guggenheim, this
environmental documentary features former Vice President Al Gore. It was released in May.
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS (USA/Iraq). This candid observations of Iraqis' lives under U.S. occupation, won three documentary prizes at Sundance in January: directing, cinematography, and editing. Careful! According to one review, the children in this film, directed by James Longly, will steal your heart.
JESUS CAMP (USA) premiered in April at the Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, it's the story of children at the "Kid's On Fire" summer camp, Devils Lake, North Dakota. Fundamentalists Evangelical Christians use the camp experience to indoctrinate children in their stance on hot-button issues, i.e., homosexuality, evolution, abortion, and George Bush.
JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLE'S TEMPLE (USA), directed by Stanley Nelson. Featuring never-before-seen footage, it delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch.
MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY (USA). Filmmaker Laura Poitras follows a Sunni doctor in Baghdad as he runs for an office on the City Council, the United Nations team that will organize and monitor the elections in January 2005. Poitras lived with Dr. Riyadh and his family. She shows it all, the good, bad, and ugly of an amazing man's daily life in Baghdad. It aired on PBS's P.O.V., so this one I have seen, and it is extraordinary filmmaking under life-threatening circumstances.
SHUT UP & SING (USA). Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck’s documentary, also known as DIXIE CHICKS: SHUT UP AND SING, premiered at The Toronto Film Festival in September where it received a runner-up People's Choice award.
SISTERS IN LAW (Cameroon/UK). Directed by Florence Ayisi and Kim Longinotto, this documentary shows difficulties and landmark achievements of the Women Lawyers Association (WLS) in Cameroon. Their mission is to impose secular legal rights for women and children in cases of domestic violence within a Muslim culture where men have always been sovereign over women, according to Islamic Sharia law.
STORM OF EMOTIONS, no information found.
THE TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT (USA) directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg. Hunt is a black man in the south who is wrongly accused of raping and murdering a white woman. He ended up spending nineteen years in jail, a victim of racism.
AN UNREASONABLE MAN ( USA ). Among the audience's top ten picks at the Canadian Hot Docs Festival in May, it is a look at the career of Ralph Nader, who evolved from consumer advocate to political spoiler because of his misguided ambition to be President. Directed by Henriette Mantel and Steve Skrovan.
THE WAR TAPES (USA). Filmed entirely by the members of the New Hampshire National Guard, it won Best Documentary at Tribeca. Directed by Deborah Scranton.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. For more, see links on this blogs' right sidebar.
The Documentary Branch screening committee viewed the eligible documentaries in a preliminary round of screenings. That branch's members will now select the five 2006 nominees from among the 15 titles on the shortlist. The full Academy membership with vote for their choices from the nominees.
Long gone are the days of someone holding a camera is an exotic locale as they observe the native inhabitants work and play. This year's crop of feature documentaries delves into living under the threats of war and somehow regaining one's sanity afterward, good and harmful politicians, sexual abuse of children, spousal abuse, environmental destruction, wrongful conviction because of racism, religious indoctrination of children, overly zealous patriots trying to destroy those who speak out for personal freedom, and overcoming blindness. Heady stuff all around.
The 15 films are listed below in alphabetical order:
BLINDSIGHT (UK). Directed by Lucy Walker, it has been described as a gripping adventure of six blind Tibetan teenagers who set out to climb the 23,000 foot mountain right next to Mount Everest.
CAN MR. SMITH GET TO WASHINGTON ANYMORE? (USA). This "Mr. Smith" follows the campaign of an unabashedly progressive 29-year-old political science prof, Jeff Smith, running for Dick Gephardt's Missouri congressional seat in 2004. Directed by Frank Popper.
DELIVER US FROM EVIL (USA). The Roman Catholic Church's hierarchy was aware that Father Oliver O'Grady was a dangerous active pedophile. They moved him from parish to parish for 30 years, allowing him to abuse countless children. Filmmaker Amy Berg exposes the deep corruption and the troubled mind of the man they sheltered. She juxtaposes an extended, deeply unsettling interview with O'Grady with the tragic stories of his victims.
THE GROUND TRUTH (USA), also known as The Ground Truth: When the Fighting Stops." Robert Acosta, Paul Rieckhoff, Sean Huze, and Herold Noel returned veterans of the war in Iraq are featured in the film. Viewers at Sundance reported being profoundly affected. Written and directed by Patricia Foulkrod.
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (USA). Directed by Davis Guggenheim, this
environmental documentary features former Vice President Al Gore. It was released in May.
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS (USA/Iraq). This candid observations of Iraqis' lives under U.S. occupation, won three documentary prizes at Sundance in January: directing, cinematography, and editing. Careful! According to one review, the children in this film, directed by James Longly, will steal your heart.
JESUS CAMP (USA) premiered in April at the Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, it's the story of children at the "Kid's On Fire" summer camp, Devils Lake, North Dakota. Fundamentalists Evangelical Christians use the camp experience to indoctrinate children in their stance on hot-button issues, i.e., homosexuality, evolution, abortion, and George Bush.
JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLE'S TEMPLE (USA), directed by Stanley Nelson. Featuring never-before-seen footage, it delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch.
MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY (USA). Filmmaker Laura Poitras follows a Sunni doctor in Baghdad as he runs for an office on the City Council, the United Nations team that will organize and monitor the elections in January 2005. Poitras lived with Dr. Riyadh and his family. She shows it all, the good, bad, and ugly of an amazing man's daily life in Baghdad. It aired on PBS's P.O.V., so this one I have seen, and it is extraordinary filmmaking under life-threatening circumstances.
SHUT UP & SING (USA). Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck’s documentary, also known as DIXIE CHICKS: SHUT UP AND SING, premiered at The Toronto Film Festival in September where it received a runner-up People's Choice award.
SISTERS IN LAW (Cameroon/UK). Directed by Florence Ayisi and Kim Longinotto, this documentary shows difficulties and landmark achievements of the Women Lawyers Association (WLS) in Cameroon. Their mission is to impose secular legal rights for women and children in cases of domestic violence within a Muslim culture where men have always been sovereign over women, according to Islamic Sharia law.
STORM OF EMOTIONS, no information found.
THE TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT (USA) directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg. Hunt is a black man in the south who is wrongly accused of raping and murdering a white woman. He ended up spending nineteen years in jail, a victim of racism.
AN UNREASONABLE MAN ( USA ). Among the audience's top ten picks at the Canadian Hot Docs Festival in May, it is a look at the career of Ralph Nader, who evolved from consumer advocate to political spoiler because of his misguided ambition to be President. Directed by Henriette Mantel and Steve Skrovan.
THE WAR TAPES (USA). Filmed entirely by the members of the New Hampshire National Guard, it won Best Documentary at Tribeca. Directed by Deborah Scranton.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. For more, see links on this blogs' right sidebar.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
16 Films Submitted for Animated Feature Oscar®
With 16 animated features submitted for consideration in 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences anticipates that its Animated Feature Film Oscar® category, for the first time since 2002, may include a full slate of five nominees. The films submitted are: THE AUNT BULLY, ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLE, BARNYARD, CARS, CURIOUS GEORGE, EVERYONE'S HERO, FLUSHED AWAY, HAPPY FEET, ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN, MONSTER HOUSE, OPEN SEASON, OVER THE HEDGE, PAPRIKA, RENAISSANCE, A SCANNER DARKLY, and THE WILD.
However, ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES, HAPPY FEET, and PAPRIKA have not yet had their required Los Angeles releases. If any one of the group were not to meet that requirement the field in the category would fall below 16, the number required to trigger the five-nominee slate. With 15 or fewer contenders, Academy rules allow a maximum of three nominated features. Films submitted in the Animated Feature category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Academy Awards® for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrival segment.
However, ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES, HAPPY FEET, and PAPRIKA have not yet had their required Los Angeles releases. If any one of the group were not to meet that requirement the field in the category would fall below 16, the number required to trigger the five-nominee slate. With 15 or fewer contenders, Academy rules allow a maximum of three nominated features. Films submitted in the Animated Feature category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.
Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Academy Awards® for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrival segment.
Monday, October 30, 2006
61 COUNTRIES VIE FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE OSCAR®
The submission list is out for the 61 countries who have submitted films for consideration as the Best Foreign Language Film of 2006 for the 79th Academy Awards® in January. The list below does not include a 62nd country, Finland, which submitted Aki Kaurismakiâ's LIGHTS IN THE DUSK, but the filmmaker subsequently withdrew it. A link "Foreign Films Submitted 2007" is on the right sidebar of this blog and will remain for about five months.
The nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced Tuesday, January 23, 2007, and the awards will be presented at the Oscar gala Sunday, February 25, 2007.
The Foreign Language Film submissions for Best Foreign Language Film of 2006, and their directors are:
Algeria, DAYS OF GLORY, Rachid Bouchareb.
Argentina, FAMILY LAW, Daniel Burman.
Australia, TEN CANOES, Rolf de Heer.
Austria, YOU BET YOUR LIFE, Antonin Svoboda.
Bangladesh, FOREVER FLOWS, Abu Sayeed.
Belgium, SOMEONE ELSE'S HAPPINESS, Fien Troch.
Bolivia, AMERICAN VISA, Juan Carlos Valdivia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, GRBAVICA, Jasmila Zbanic.
Brazil, CINEMA, ASPIRINS and VULTURES, Marcelo Gomes.
Bulgaria, MONKEYS IN WINTER, Milena Andonova.
Canada, WATER, Deepa Mehta.
Chile, EN LA CAMA, Matiaz Bize.
China, CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, Zhang Yimou.
Colombia, A TON OF LUCK, Rodrigo Triana.
Croatia, LIBERTAS, Veljko Bulajic.
Cuba, EL BENNY, Jorge Luis Sanchez.
Czech Republic, LUNACY, Jan Svankmajer.
Denmark, AFTER THE WEDDING, Susanne Bier.
Egypt, THE YACOUBIAN BUILDING, Marwan Hamed.
France, AVENUE MONTAIGNE, Daniele Thompson.
Germany, THE LIVES OF OTHERS, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.
Greece, CHARITON'S CHOIR, Grigoris Karantinakis.
Hong Kong, THE BANQUET, Feng Xiaogang.
Hungary, WHITE PALMS, Szabolcs Hajdu.
Iceland, CHILDREN, Ragnar Bragason.
India, RANG DE BASANTI, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
Indonesia, LOVE FOR SHARE, Nia Dinata.
Iran, TRANSIT CAFE, Kambozia Partovi.
Iraq, DREAMS Mohamed Al-Daradji.
Israel, SWEET MUD, Dror Shaul.
Italy, GOLDEN DOOR, Emanuele Crialese.
Japan, HULA GIRLS, Sang-il Lee.
Kazakhstan, NOMAD, Sergei Bodrov, Talgat Temenov, Ivan Passer.
Korea, KING AND THE CLOWN, Lee Jun-ik.
Kyrgyzstan, THE WEDDING CHEST, Nurbek Egen.
Lebanon, BOSTA, Philippe Aractingi.
Lithuania, BEFORE FLYING BACK TO EARTH, Arunas Matelis.
Macedonia, KONTAKT, Sergei Stanojkovski.
Mexico, PAN'S LABYRINTH, Guillermo del Toro.
Morocco, THE MOROCCAN SYMPHONY, Kamal Kamal.
Nepal, BASAIN, Subash Prasad Gajurel.
The Netherlands, BLACK BOOK, Paul Verhoeven.
Norway, REPRISE, Joachim Trier.
Peru, MADEINUSA, Claudia Llosa.
Philippines, THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS, Auraeus Solito.
Poland, RETRIEVAL, Slawomir Fabicki.
Portugal, ALICE, Marco Martins.
Puerto Rico, THIEVES AND LIARS, Ricardo Mendez Matta.
Romania, THE WAY I SPEND THE END OF THE WORLD, Catalin Mitulescu.
Russia, 9TH COMPANY, Fyodor Bondarchuk.
Serbia, TOMORROW MORNING, Oleg Novkovic.
Slovenia, GRAVEHOPPING, Jan Cvitkovic.
Spain, VOLVER, Pedro Almodovar.
Sweden, FALKENBERG FAREWELL, Jesper Ganslandt.
Switzerland, VITUS, Fredi M. Murer.
Taiwan, BLUE CHA CHA, Cheng Wen-tang.
Thailand, AHIMSA STOP TO RUN, Leo Kittikorn.
Turkey, ICE CREAM, I SCREAM, Yuksel Aksu.
Ukraine, AURORA, Oxana Bayrak.
Venezuela, MAROA, Solveig Hoogesteijn.
Vietnam, STORY OF PAO, Ngo Quang Hai.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Mexico, Russia, and Hungary submit for Oscars
Pan's Labyrinth
I did not see LABYRINTH listed for San Sebastián, but Toronto listed it as a film from Spain. Hence, my confusion. It is a co-production, and Mexico has submitted it while Spain submitted VOLVER. So, I guess Mexico claims it.
Should Labyrinth be nominated, it will join recent nominees from Mexico, Carlos Carrera's EL CRIMEN DEL PADRES AMARO (The Crime of Father Amaro, 2003), and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's AMORES PERROS (Love's a Bitch, 2001).
Russia named 9TH COMPANY (9-ya rota), and Hungary selected WHITE PALMS, directed by Szabolcs Hajdu, as their respective candidates for BFLF. COMPANY, the first feature from director Fedor (sometimes as Fyodor) Bondarchuk, is based on the story of a group of Soviet soldiers abandoned to their fate by negligent officers at the end of the Russian-Afghan war of the 1980s.
A bettle between Mexico and Spain for an Oscar®
Friday, October 06, 2006
SEVEN COUNTRIES SUBMIT OSCAR ENTRIES
Ten Canoes
Australia picks Aboriginal film
TEN CANOES, shot in the Australian indigenous Aboriginal language of Ganalbingu, is Australia's choice. CANOES is not only the first Aboriginal film, it is a film that could not have been submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the Best Foreign Language (BFLF) category before now.
The Academy completely overhauled the rules for the BFLF category earlier this year. One of the changes stipulates that films no longer must be in the official language of the submitting country. As I reported in my post on this blog, 22 July 2006, "AMPAS update: . . .": "So long as the dominant language is not English, a picture from any country may be in any language or combination of languages. Last year, the Italians wanted to submit a picture that was clearly made by Italian artists, and which qualified for the category in every other way except one: there was no Italian language in it. All the dialogue was in Middle Eastern languages."
There were big changes in the selection process, too. See that 22 July post for more info.
Rolf De Heer, wrote the script in collaboration with the people of Ramingining, a community of Yolngu people in Central Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. He co-directed with Peter Djigirr.
China picks film directed by Zhang Yimou
China has chosen Zhang Yimou's CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, center around ancient Chinese imperial politics, was selected by a committee set up by China's Film Bureau. It stars Chow Yun-fat, Gong Li and Taiwanese pop sensation Jay Chou.
Zhang directed the critically acclaimed HOUSE OF THE FLYING DAGGERS and HERO. Both starred the beautiful Ziyi Zhang, who stars in the Hong Kong entry this year.
Denmark decides for AFTER THE WEDDING
AFTER THE WEDDING (Efter brylluppet), directed by Susanne Bier, tells the story of a manager of an orphanage in Denmark (Mads Mikkelsen) who is sent to Copenhagen, where he discovers a life-altering family secret.
Hong Kong goes with director Feng
The Federation of Motion Film Producers of Hong Kong have picked Chinese director Xiaogang Feng's THE BANQUET (Ye yan), inspired by "Hamlet" and starring Ziyi Zhang and Caniel Wu. It is a Hong Kong-China co-production.
Italy enters GOLDEN DOOR
GOLDEN DOOR (Nuovomondo), depicting the voyage of a Sicilian family from their homeland to America at the beginning of the last century was selected by the Anica association of film producers to represent Italy. Directed by Emanuele Crialese, DOOR stars Charlotte Gainesbourg, and is largely scripted in the Sicilian dialect.
GOLDEN DOOR was shown in competition at last month's Venice Film festival, where it won praise from Italian critics. There, the movie won the Silver Lion for revelation, an award that the jury does not have to hand out, but it was given as a sign of appreciation for the movie.
Italy's choice for last year's Academy Awards, DON’T TELL, won a nomination for BFLF. Italy last won the BFLF Oscar in 1999 with Roberto Benigni's "Life is Beautiful."
Norway sends REPRISE
The lighthearted film REPRISE, about life's realities intruding on youthful assumptions, is Norway's entry. It is director Joachim Trier's debut feature film.
Sweden waves FALKENBERG FAREWELL
Jesper Ganslandt's FALKENBERG FAREWELL (Farväl Falkenberg) will represent Sweden. No other info available at the moment.
This post mainly based on information from Yahoo Movies, and the Academy Web site. See links on the right sidebar.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Spain Submits Almodóvar’s VOLVER
Pedro Almodóvar’s movie VOLVER, a comic drama of murder, adultery, family happiness, and women making do without men, will represent Spain for nomination as the Best Foreign Language Film of 2006 for the 79th Academy Awards® this coming February. The announcement was made in Madrid by the Minister of Culture, Carmen Calvo.
Almodóvar received word of VOLVER'S selection while in Los Angeles promoting the film. Sony Pictures Classics is the U. S. distributor.
VOLVER (To Return) competed with ALATRISTE, dir. Agustín Díaz Yanes, and SALVADOR, dir. Manuel Huerga. Almodóvar has two of the coveted statuettes, one for the best foreign language movie ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER and another for the script TALK TO HER.
October 2nd is the deadline for films in the best foreign language film category to be submitted to the Academy. Five films will be nominated, and VOLVER must first make that cut. Nominations will be announced Tuesday, 23 January, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills.
The 79th Annual Academy Awards® honoring film achievements for 2006 will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2007, and broadcast live from the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland by the ABC Television Network, beginning at 5:00 p.m. (PST) with an arrivals segment.
See links to the Academy's Web site, and the official Oscar® site on the right sidebar.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Oliver Stone Criticizes Bush in San Sebastian
U. S. film director Oliver Stone criticized G. W. Bush in San Sebastián, Spain, saying Bush has "set America back 10 years."
Stone was speaking to journalists at the San Sebastián International Film Festival prior to a screening of his latest movie, WORLD TRADE CENTER. He maintained that the U.S. policies in response to the plane hijackings, the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, and the Pentagon September 11, 2001, were misdirected.
Also, the director of blockbusters such as PLATOON and JFK said, "From Sept. 12 on, the incident was politicized and it has polarized the entire world. . . . It is a shame because it is a waste of energy to see that the entire world five years later is still convulsed in the grip of 9/11."
"This war on Iraq is a disaster. I'm disgraced. I'm ashamed for my country," he said. "I'm also ashamed that America has attacked itself with constitutional breakdowns. I'm deeply ashamed. . . . We have destroyed the world in the name of security."
Stone's movie is a dramatization of the true story of survival and rescue of two policemen who were trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center when they went to help people escape.
Mimi notes. From the time I was little, I was taught that there is no such thing as security, and that anyone who thinks they can guarantee security is a fool. H-u-u-um, should someone pass that on to G. W. Bush? Naw. He wouldn't listen.
Stone was speaking to journalists at the San Sebastián International Film Festival prior to a screening of his latest movie, WORLD TRADE CENTER. He maintained that the U.S. policies in response to the plane hijackings, the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, and the Pentagon September 11, 2001, were misdirected.
Also, the director of blockbusters such as PLATOON and JFK said, "From Sept. 12 on, the incident was politicized and it has polarized the entire world. . . . It is a shame because it is a waste of energy to see that the entire world five years later is still convulsed in the grip of 9/11."
"This war on Iraq is a disaster. I'm disgraced. I'm ashamed for my country," he said. "I'm also ashamed that America has attacked itself with constitutional breakdowns. I'm deeply ashamed. . . . We have destroyed the world in the name of security."
Stone's movie is a dramatization of the true story of survival and rescue of two policemen who were trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center when they went to help people escape.
Mimi notes. From the time I was little, I was taught that there is no such thing as security, and that anyone who thinks they can guarantee security is a fool. H-u-u-um, should someone pass that on to G. W. Bush? Naw. He wouldn't listen.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Ellen DeGeneres will host Academy Awards
Ellen DeGeneres will host the 79th Academy Awards® telecast, producer Laura Ziskin announced recently. It will be DeGeneres’ first time as Oscar® host, as well as her first appearance on an Academy Awards telecast.
DeGeneres is the host of the syndicated talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which this year won its third Emmy® for Outstanding Talk Show and earned DeGeneres her second Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host. She has twice hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast and co-hosted the show in 1994. For her first solo Emmy stint, which took place shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she received high praise.
The 79th Annual Academy Awards honoring film achievements for 2006 will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2007, and broadcast live from the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland by the ABC Television Network, beginning at 5:00 p.m. (PST) with an arrivals segment.
DeGeneres is the host of the syndicated talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which this year won its third Emmy® for Outstanding Talk Show and earned DeGeneres her second Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host. She has twice hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast and co-hosted the show in 1994. For her first solo Emmy stint, which took place shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she received high praise.
The 79th Annual Academy Awards honoring film achievements for 2006 will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2007, and broadcast live from the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland by the ABC Television Network, beginning at 5:00 p.m. (PST) with an arrivals segment.
See links to the Academy's Web site, and the official Oscar site on the right sidebar.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Lopez, Anthony Sell Movie at Toronto
I say that July will be a great release date to attract the younger crowd, the salsa music should be top notch, and J-Marc will be delicious eye candy for the viewers. The track record for musical biopics in the race for Oscar® has been excellent the past three years, but will the over-all quality of the film be good enough to propel it to Oscar's door in 2008?
Saturday, September 16, 2006
VIVA PEDRO!
Pedro Almodóvar, seen above with Penelope Cruz, is currently promoting his latest movie VOLVER in the U. S., where it will be released 3 November. Prior to its release, Sony Pictures Classics presents eight of Almodóvar’s greatest movies in various cities throughout the nation. The movies are being re-released as part of the retrospective entitled Viva Pedro!
VIVA PEDRO! opened in New York and Los Angeles in August. The first of September the festival expanded to other cities in the United States, and will continue throughout the Fall. The theatrical re-release will introduce new audiences to Almodóvar and at the same time present the movies to his many fans in the manner which they are meant to be seen and appreciated.
The eight films are:
WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
(1988); ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER (1999); TALK TO HER (2002); FLOWER OF MY SECRET (1995); LIVE FLESH (1996); LAW OF DESIRE (1987); MATADOR
(1986); and BAD EDUCATION (2004).
New prints have been made of all eight films. Several of these titles have not been shown in theaters since their original release. (MATADOR and LAW OF DESIRE have never been released on DVD). All of the other films have been withdrawn from the DVD marketplace to accommodate their theatrical re-release. Check the [FULL SCHEDULE], and then your local theater for details.
For more on Almodóvar's films see Mimi's page ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Almodóvar's VOLVER to receive FIPRESCI
This Grand Prix, awarded annually by The International Federation of Film Critics, means recognition by film critics in over 60 countries. More than 350 critics from all over the world have voted for a film from among those released between August 2005 and July 2006.
VOLVER premiered in Spain 17 March 2006, and has been a smash hit with audiences and critics alike. It was one of the most applauded films at the last Cannes Festival Official Selection, where it earned the Best Actress prize for all of the six actresses in the cast: Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo and Chus Lampreave.
Pedro Almodóvar is currently promoting VOLVER in the U. S., where it will be released 3 November. Prior to its release, eight of his films will be re-released as part of a retrospective entitled ¡Viva Pedro! Will Spain submit it for the Academy Awards? Stay tuned.
For more see Mimi's Film Festival Page link on the right sidebar.
Friday, September 01, 2006
FIRST OSCAR DEADLINE TODAY
Today is the first deadline for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences® for the 79th Academy Awards® (Oscars®) is today for documentary filmmakers. The must submit their short subject and feature-length documentaries to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration.
Nominations will be announced Tuesday, January 23, 2007, 5:30 a.m., PST, from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills (Wilshire Blvd.). The 79th Academy Awards presentation will be Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood & Highland®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network.
For more dates and info, click the "79th Academy Awards Schedule" and "Official Oscars Web Site" links on the sidebar at right.
The next deadline is Monday, October 2, 2006, when entry forms for acceptance in the process for nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film (BFLF) category must be received at the Academy. The deadline to receive the film prints is Friday, October 13, 2006. The selection process in the BFLF category has been completely revised. For more details see my previous post of 22 July, "AMPAS Update. . . " post below.
Nominations will be announced Tuesday, January 23, 2007, 5:30 a.m., PST, from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills (Wilshire Blvd.). The 79th Academy Awards presentation will be Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood & Highland®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network.
For more dates and info, click the "79th Academy Awards Schedule" and "Official Oscars Web Site" links on the sidebar at right.
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