For more than three decades, the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards have recognized and celebrated the strides of Canada’s most accomplished, influential, and impactful women. It is the leading women’s awards program in the nation, elevating this group’s important contributions – from economic growth to social change across sectors and industries.
I am overwhelmed with gratitude at this time.
As a solo female entrepreneur, the work I have been doing for over two decades has been isolating and challenging.
I have been dedicated to advancing opportunities for women as a strong, creative head of department for film and television; as a film producer taking on challenging, agitprop script material; and as a role model to my children (apparently, I take no shit from people, according to them). I love to advocate for others.
With this nomination, I feel seen in a poignant and important way. And it’s true, it is just an honour to be nominated. I would very much like other women to know that the road to autonomy and self authorship is paved by a lot of hard work and compromise and effort and surrender. And risk.
Invariably things in my social order tend to boil down to performance. Performance and paradox. Performance as a mother, otherwise known as the performance of martyrdom. Performance as a woman, otherwise known as the performance of acquiescence. My agency seems to reside in acts of rebellion only. For which I have no script.
I have done and will definitely continue to fail upwards. I am comfortable taking big swings and missing. I am comfortable with failure.
I have spent a very large portion of my life trying to manifest equal opportunities for women and probably will continue to do so with my last dying breath.
‘Women Talking’ Star Kate Hallett, Herman Tommeraas Join ‘Sweetness’ Teen Thriller (Exclusive) →
Emma Higgins' debut feature and coming-of-age horror tale is produced by Director X's Fela and When We Were Kids Entertainment.
BY ETAN VLESSING MARCH 21, 2024 6:00AM
Women Talking breakout star Kate Hallett and Ragnarok star Herman Tømmeraas have nabbed lead roles in the teen thriller Sweetness from director Emma Higgins.
Hallet will play Rylee Baker, a 16-year-old who has a chance encounter with her idol, pop star Payton Adler (Tømmeraas), whom she soon discovers is a dysfunctional drug addict. Rylee decides to help Payton, only to see her misguided plan turn dark as she becomes intent on turning teenage fantasies into reality.
The cameras will roll on Sweetness next month in North Bay, Ontario. Higgins, a veteran music video and commercial director, is making her debut feature with the indie genre pic, which she also wrote.
“Horror is my favorite genre, and when I first started writing this film 10 years ago, I knew that this coming-of-age story with its sinister twists and turns could do what those movies did for me growing up and leave audiences thoroughly entertained and a little bit disturbed,” Higgins said in a statement.
Also joining the ensemble cast is Aya Furukawa, Amanda Brugel and Steven Ogg (The Walking Dead). Sweetness is produced by Fela and When We Were Kids Entertainment, with Taj Critchlow and Daniel Quinn sharing producer credits.
Toronto and Los Angeles-based Fela was founded by Director X and Critchlow. Sweetness marks the production banner’s first move into feature films after its roster of directors helmed music videos for Drake, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Jay-Z, SZA, Coldplay, Future, Eminem and others.
Elevation Pictures will release Sweetness in Canada, with Altitude Film Sales handling the international sales.
Dakota Fanning Horror Film ‘Vicious’ Set at Paramount →
By Matt Donnelly Variety Feb 28, 2024 6:20pm PT
Paramount Pictures has boarded the new horror film “Vicious,” led by Dakota Fanning and directed by Bryan Bertino.
Fanning will star as a young woman who is left a strange present by a late-night visitor, and quickly realizes she is fighting for her life after slipping down a disturbing rabbit hole contained inside the gift.
The studio has dated the film for an Aug. 8, 2025, release. Bertino previously directed “The Dark and the Wicked” as well as the sleeper genre hit “The Strangers.” Atlas Entertainment and Richard Suckle (“American Hustle,” “Wonder Woman,” “Suicide Squad”) are producing. Melinda Whitaker will executive produce.
The project is one of several in the pipeline for Fanning, who will next be seen in Netflix’s “Ripley” alongside Andrew Scott from creator Steven Zallian She’ll also turn up in the supernatural thriller “The Watchers” from Ishana Night Shyamalan at New Line, and just wrapped production on Nicole Kidman’s “The Perfect Couple” at Netflix.
The youngest person to ever nab a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, Fanning and her sister Elle formed Lewellen Pictures in 2020 to develop feature film, television and digital projects. Lewellen is currently in production on the four-part documentary series “Mastermind” for Hulu, which chronicles the experience of the legendary Dr. Ann Burgess and her trajectory from nurse to criminal profiler for the FBI.
Lewellen is also teaming up with A24 to adapt Paris Hilton’s recently published book “Paris: The Memoir” as a TV series, and to produce “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” which will star Elle Fanning and Kidman for Apple Studios.
BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival unveils full line-up →
BY ELLIE CALNAN13 FEBRUARY 2024 SCREENDAILY.COM
The BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival has revealed the line-up for its 38th edition which takes place March 13-24.
The programme comprises 57 features across the Hearts, Bodies and Mind strands, four of which are world premieres.
Scroll down for full line-up
World premiering is Karen Knox’s sophomore feature We Forgot To Break Up about a trans musician caught in a love triangle with his bandmates. The Canadian actress and filmmaker’s debut Adult Adoption premiered at Glasgow Film Festival in 2022.
Other world premieres are Kat Rohrer’s Austrian romantic comedy What A Feeling about two women who meet in a bar and Jasmine Johnson’s debut What’s Safe, What’s Gross, What’s Selfish And What’s Stupid where several groups of London’s queer community discuss the meaning of creating a family.
Programme highlights include Rose Glass’ Love Lies Bleeding; Lola Arias’ trans musical documentary Reas; and Unicorns from Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd.
The BFI Flare Industry Day will run on March 16, with topics covering cast and crew wellbeing, safety on sets and queer representation on screen.
As previously announced, Flare will open with Amrou Al-Kadhi’s drag queen drama Layla while Luke Willis’ docu-fiction Lady Like will close the festival. Also previously announced was a special presentation of Dominic Savage’s Close To You starring Elliot Page, with the actor participating in an in conversation Screen Talk about his career.
Hearts
Aligned
Dir. Apollo Bakopoulos
Chasing Chasing Amy
Dir. Sav Rodgers
Lesvia
DIr. Tzeli Hadjidimitriou
Pine Cone
Dir. Onir
Solids By The Seashore
Dir. Patiparn Boontarig
Summer Solstice
Dir. Noah Schamus
Unicorns
Dirs. Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd
What A Feeling
Dir. Kat Rohrer
What’s Safe, What’s Gross, What’s Selfish And What’s Stupid
Dir. Jasmine Johnson
Who’ll Stop The Rain
Dir. I-Hsuan Su
Woman Of…
Dir. Malgorzata Szumowska
Isla’s Way
Dir. Marion Pilowsky
Our Son
Dir. Bill Oliver
Since The Last Time We Met
Dir. Matías De Leis Correa
Split (series)
Dir. Iris Brey
Bodies
Backspot
Dir. D.W. Waterson
Departing Seniors
Dir. Clare Cooney
I Don’t Know Who You Are
Dir. M.H. Murray
Join The Club
Dirs. Kip Andersen, Chris O’ Connell
The Summer With Carmen
Dir. Zacharias Mavroeidis
Riley
Dir. Benjamin Howard
We Are Perfect
Dir. Marek Kozakiewicz
Life Is Not A Competition, But I’m Winning
Dir. Julia Fuhr Mann
Silver Haze
Dir. Sacha Polak
Slow
Dir. Marija Kavtaradze
Minds
Baldiga - Unlocked Heart
Dir. Markus Stein
Code Of Fear
Dir. Appolain Siewe
Commitment To Life
Dir. Jeffrey Schwarz
Days Of Happiness
Dir. Chloé Robichaud
Desire Lines
Dir. Jules Rosskam
Don’t Ever Stop
Dir. Stuart Polit
Heavy Snow
Dir. YUN Su-ik
Hidden Master: The Legacy Of George Platt Lynes
Dir. Sam Sahid
Indias 1st Best Trans Model Agency
Dir. Ila Mehrotra
Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero
Dirs. Carlos López Estrada, Zac Manuel
Love Lies Bleeding
Dir. Rose Glass
Merchant Ivory
Dir. Stephen Soucy
Reas
Dir. Lola Arias
Studio One Forever
Dir. Marc Saltarelli
Toll
Dir. Carolina Markowicz
Unspoken
Dir. Jeremy Borison
We Forgot To Break Up
Dir. Karen Knox
We Were Dangerous
Dir. Josephine Stewart Te-Whiu
You Promised Me The Sea
Dir. Nadir Moknèche
Calls From Moscow
Dir. Luis Alejandro Yero
Orlando, My Political Biography
Dir. Paul B. Preciado
Protagonist Pictures unveils first look, cast for thriller ‘Spirit In The Blood’ (exclusive) →
BY MONA TABBARA15 FEBRUARY 2024 SCREENDAILY.COM
UK sales outfit Protagonist Pictures has unveiled a first look at C. May Borgstrom’s thriller Spirit In The Blood, previously known as Desire Of The Prey, which features a cast of Canadian newcomers Summer H. Howell (pictured) and Sarah-Maxine Racicot, alongside German actor Michael Wittenborn and Canadian Greg Bryk.
After a young girl is found dead in a secluded religious mountain community, a pack of teenage girls decide to fight against the evil spirits they believe killed her by embracing their own dark nature.
The Germany-Canada co-production is produced by Hamburg based Verena Gräfe-Höft for Junafilm, and Noah Segal for Elevation Pictures. It is the feature debut of Canada-born, Hamburg-based C. May Borgstrom.
Executive producers for Logical Pictures are Frédéric Fiore, Céline Dornier, Pascal Hostachy and Louis Ladreyt, and Christina Piovesan, Laurie May, Emily Kulasa and Adrian Love serve as executive producers for Elevation Pictures.
The film is produced in association with Logical Content Ventures, in co-production with NDR in collaboration with ARTE and produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada, MOIN – Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, the German Federal Goverment Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Ontario Creates, the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Creative Europe Programme - Media of the European Union and Crave.
Multiple Children's & Family Emmy nominations for Malory Towers & Circuit Breakers →
Children’s & Family Emmy Awards: Disney Dominates Nominations
Disney led with 93 noms overall, which includes programming on Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Junior.
BY TYLER COATES
NOVEMBER 2, 2023 12:20PM
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) announced on Thursday the nominees for the second annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards.
Disney led the nominees with an overwhelming 93 nods, which included programming across Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Netflix followed with 61 nods, while Nickelodeon earned 30 and Apple TV+ earned 27. With 50 categories, the Children’s and Family Emmys is the largest competition that NATAS oversees.
“We are very proud of the growth experienced in year two of the Children’s and Family Emmys, especially in the development and cultivation of the new categories dedicated to puppetry,” said Rachel Schwartz, director of Daytime and Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, in a statement.
Added Brent Stanton, head of Daytime and Children’s & Family Emmy Awards: “Programming created for children’s and family viewing has a long history of leading the way in innovation and storytelling. In this year specifically, a year so impacted by artists fighting for fair recognition of their true value, it is more important than ever to honor the excellence of their talents and achievements.”
Nominees in one category judged in person — Interactive Media — will be announced later this month, as will honorees in two Juried categories: Individual Achievement in Animation and the newly-created Public Service Initiative. Details about the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards ceremonies will be announced at a later date.
The full list of nominees are below.
PRESCHOOL SERIES
Blue’s Clues & You! (Nickelodeon)
Helpsters (Apple TV+)
Sesame Street (Max)
Slumberkins (Apple TV+)
Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant (Netflix)
CHILDREN’S OR FAMILY VIEWING SERIES
Are You Afraid of the Dark (Nickelodeon)
Best Foot Forward (Apple TV+)
Jane (Apple TV+)
Malory Towers (BYUtv)
The Muppets Mayhem (Disney+)
YOUNG TEEN SERIES
The Crossover (Disney+)
Ghostwriter (Apple TV+)
High School Musical: The Musical – The Series (Disney+)
The Mysterious Benedict Society (Disney+)
XO, Kitty (Netflix)
FICTION SPECIAL
Chang Can Dunk (Disney+)
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock – Night of the Lights (Apple TV+)
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (Disney+)
Ivy and Bean: Doomed to Dance (Netflix)
Prom Pact (Disney Channel)
NON-FICTION PROGRAM
1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed (Max)
All-Round Champion (BYUtv)
Mamas (Roku)
NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition (NBC)
Nick News (Nickelodeon)
PRESCHOOL ANIMATED SERIES
The Adventures of Paddington (NICK Jr.)
Spirit Rangers (Netflix)
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (Disney+)
StoryBots: Answer Time (Netflix)
The Tiny Chef Show (Nickelodeon)
CHILDREN’S OR YOUNG TEEN ANIMATED SERIES
Baymax! (Disney+)
Big City Greens (Disney Channel)
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney Channel)
ONI: Thunder God’s Tale (Netflix)
Zootopia+ (Disney+)
ANIMATED SPECIAL
Looney Tunes Cartoons – Bugs Bunny’s Howl-O-Skreem Spooktacular (Max)
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur – Moon Girl Landing (Disney Channel)
Reindeer in Here (CBS)
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Netflix)
Snoopy Presents: Lucy’s School (Apple TV+)
The Wonderful Summer of Mickey Mouse (Disney+)
SHORT FORM PROGRAM
The Big Gathering (PBS Kids)
I Am Groot (Disney+)
Sesame Street: Wes’ First Barbershop Haircut (YouTube)
Sesame Street’s #ComingTogether Word of the Day Series (YouTube)
Storyline Online (YouTube)
PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous – “Season 5 Campaign” (Netflix)
Nickelodeon Brand Campaign – “Quarter,” “Car,” “We Make Fun” (Nickelodeon)
PBS Kids – “Brand IDs” (PBS Kids)
LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PRESCHOOL, CHILDREN’S OR YOUNG TEEN PROGRAM
Tim Allen as Scott Calvin/Santa, The Santa Clauses (Disney+)
Ella Bright as Darrell Rivers, Malory Towers (BYUtv)
Veda Cienfuegos as Emily, Circuit Breakers (Apple TV+)
Tony Hale as Mr. Benedict, The Mysterious Benedict Society (Disney+)
Gina Rodriguez as Momma, Lost Ollie (Netflix)
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A PRESCHOOL, CHILDREN’S OR YOUNG TEEN PROGRAM
Adeel Akhtar as Dr. Aditya Singh, Sweet Tooth (Netflix)
Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd, Sweet Tooth (Netflix)
Kal Penn as Simon Choksi/Santa, The Santa Clauses (Disney+)
Neil Sandilands as General Abbot, Sweet Tooth (Netflix)
Catherine Zeta-Jones as Billie Pearce, National Treasure: Edge of History (Disney+)
YOUNGER PERFORMER IN A PRESCHOOL, CHILDREN’S OR YOUNG TEEN PROGRAM
Mykal-Michelle Harris as Alice Baxter, Raven’s Home (Disney Channel)
Marta Kessler as Constance Contraire, The Mysterious Benedict Society (Disney+)
Matilda Lawler as Betty, The Santa Clauses (Disney+)
Rupali Redd as Grace, The Santa Clauses (Disney+)
PUPPETRY PERFORMANCE
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby & Tango, Sesame Street (Max)
Frankie Cordero as Purple Panda, Penguin Referee & Gregory, Donkey Hodie (PBS Kids)
Ryan Dillon as Elmo, Sesame Street (Max)
Haley Jenkins as Donkey Hodie, Donkey Hodie (PBS Kids)
Eric Jacobson as Bert, Oscar & Grover, Sesame Street (Max)
Eric Jacobson as Animal/Baby Animal, The Muppets Mayhem (Disney+)
VOICE PERFORMANCE IN A PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
Eric Bauza as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird & Marvin the Martian, Bugs Bunny Builders (Cartoon Network)
Erin Fitzgerald as Bo, Eleanor Smartypants, Story StoryBerg, Ranger Dot, Oog the CaveBot & Fun Fact Hairdresser, StoryBots: Answer Time (Netflix)
James Monroe Iglehart as Mr. Puppypaws/Announcer, Superkitties (Disney Junior)
Cree Summer as Lizard & DeeDee, Spirit Rangers (Netflix)
Fred Tatasciore as Bang, BlimBlam the Barbarian & Chef Pierre, StoryBots: Answer Time (Netflix)
VOICE PERFORMANCE IN A CHILDREN’S OR YOUNG TEEN PROGRAM
Bob Bergen as Porky Pig, Looney Tunes Cartoons (Max)
Jack Black as Po, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (Netflix)
Laurence Fishburne as The Beyonder, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney Channel)
Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants, SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon)
Rob Paulsen as Pinky, Dr. Scratchansniff & Yakko, Animaniacs (Hulu)
YOUNGER VOICE PERFORMANCE IN A PRESCHOOL, CHILDREN’S OR YOUNG TEEN PROGRAM
Talon Proc Alford as Eddy Skycedar, Spirit Rangers (Netflix)
Juliet Donenfeld as Piper, Interrupting Chicken (Apple TV+)
Maria Nash as Pinecone, Pinecone & Pony (Apple TV+)
Melissa Povenmire as Gretel, Hamster & Gretel (Disney Channel)
Isis Celilo Rogers as Summer Skycedar, Spirit Rangers (Netflix)
Momona Tamada as Onari, ONI: Thunder God’s Tale (Netflix)
HOST
Valerie Bertinelli & Duff Goldman, Kids Baking Championship (Food Network)
Tabitha Brown, Tab Time (YouTube Originals)
Emmanuel Carter, Noggin Knows (Noggin)
Taylor Cassidy, Benjamin de Almedia, Kahlil Greene, Tejas Hullur, Jane McManus & Jillian Smith, Nick News (Nickelodeon)
Juanpa Zurita, Elmo’s Mindfulness Spectacular! (YouTube)
WRITING FOR A PRESCHOOL OR CHILDREN’S LIVE ACTION PROGRAM
Helpsters (Apple TV+)
Jane (Apple TV+)
Lost Ollie (Netflix)
Raven’s Home (Disney Channel)
Sesame Street (Max)
WRITING FOR A YOUNG TEEN PROGRAM
Chang Can Dunk (Disney+)
The Crossover (Disney+)
Growing Up (Disney+)
Life by Ella (Apple TV+)
The Mysterious Benedict Society (Disney+)
Casting Society Artios Awards: ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ ‘The Fabelmans’ and ‘Tár’ Among Nominees including THE SWEARING JAR →
Netflix led the nominations with six, including for original films 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' and 'Matilda the Musical.'
BY TYLER COATES
JANUARY 10, 2023 8:30AM
Casting Society (CSA) today announces the film nominees for the 38th Artios Awards, which honor the contribution of casting directors in film, television and theater. The CSA previously announced the nominees for its television, theater, short film and short-form series categories on Oct. 17.
Among the nominations this year are Oscar hopefuls Armageddon Time, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Tár and The Whale.
Netflix leads the total nominations with six. A24, Disney and Universal earned four nods each.
Three casting directors are honored with three nods: Ellen Chenoweth, Mary Vernieu and Bret Howe. Receiving two nominations each are Lucy Bevan, Kim Coleman, Sarah Halley Finn, Cristi Soper Hilt, Avy Kaufman, Bernard Kelsey and Natalie Yon.
First held in 1985, the Artios Awards honors casting professionals in more than 20 different categories encompassing film, television, theatre and commercials. In addition, special honorees are selected for their contributions to the craft. Nominees and winners are voted on by members of the Casting Society.
The winners will be revealed on March 9, 2023, when the Artios Awards returns for an in-person gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. The annual celebration will also mark CSA’s 40th year.
The full list of nominees follows.
ANIMATION
The Bad Guys (Universal)
Christi Soper Hilt
Lightyear (Disney/Pixar)
Natalie Lyon, Kevin Reher, Kate Hansen-Birnbaum (Associate Casting Director)
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (A24)
Jessica Kelly, Kate Geller (Associate Casting Director)
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Universal)
Christi Soper Hilt
Turning Red (Disney/Pixar)
Natalie Lyon, Kevin Reher, Kate Hansen-Birnbaum (Associate Casting Director)
BIG BUDGET – COMEDY
Bros (Universal)
Gayle Keller, Allison Kirschner (Associate Casting Director)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)
Mary Vernieu, Bret Howe
The Menu (Searchlight)
Mary Vernieu, Bret Howe, Lisa Mae Fincannon (Location Casting), Kimberly Wistedt (Location Casting), Becca Burgess (Associate Casting Director)
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (Netflix)
Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann
White Noise (Netflix)
Douglas Aibel, D. Lynn Meyers, (Location Casting), Matthew Glasner (Associate Casting Director)
BIG BUDGET – DRAMA
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney/Marvel)
Sarah Halley Finn, Carla Hool (Location Casting), Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting), Molly Doyle (Associate Casting Director)
Elvis (Warner Bros.)
Denise Chamian, Nikki Barrett, Beth Day (Associate Casting Director) Liz Ludwitzke (Associate Casting Director)
The Fabelmans (Universal)
Cindy Tolan, Nicholas Petrovich (Associate Casting Director)
Tár (Focus Features)
Avy Kaufman, Simone Bär (Location Casting), Jeremy Zimmerman (Location Casting)
Till (United Artists)
Kim Coleman, Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting), Stefni Colle (Associate Casting Director)
FILM, NON-THEATRICAL RELEASE
The Adam Project (Netflix)
Carmen Cuba, Tiffany Mak (Location Casting), Judith Sunga (Associate Casting Director)
Better Nate Than Never (Disney+)
Bernard Telsey, Bethany Knox, Pat Goodwin
Deep Water (Hulu)
Ellen Chenoweth, Tracy Kilpatrick (Location Casting), Susanne Scheel (Associate Casting Director)
The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
Victoria Thomas, Jo Edna Boldin (Location Casting)
The Survivor (HBO)
Ellen Chenoweth, Susanne Scheel (Associate Casting Director)
LOW-BUDGET, COMEDY OR DRAMA
Emily the Criminal (Roadside Attractions)
Chelsea Bloch, Marisol Roncali
Family Squares (Screen Media Films)
Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas
Montana Story (Bleecker Street)
Avy Kaufman, Harrison Nesbit (Associate Casting Director)
Please Baby Please (Music Box Films)
Eyde Belasco
The Swearing Jar (Gravitas Ventures)
Nicole Hilliard-Forde, Matthew Lessall
MICRO BUDGET, COMEDY OR DRAMA
The Cathedral (MUBI)
Ally Beans, Daryl Eisenberg
Down With the King (Stage 6 Films)
Scotty Anderson, Harrison Nesbit
Four Samosas (IFC Films)
Emily Schweber
They/Them/Us (Gravitas Ventures)
Joey Montenarello, Duncan Stewart, Benton Whitley, D. Lynn Meyers (Location Casting)
The Same Storm (Juno Films)
Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Adam Caldwell, Karyn Casl (Associate Casting Director)
STUDIO OR INDEPENDENT – COMEDY
The Bubble (Netflix)
Victor Jenkins, Gayle Keller, Allison Kirschner (Associate Casting Director)
Catherine Called Birdy (Prime Video)
Nina Gold, Catriona Dickie
Emergency (Prime Video)
Kim Coleman, Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting)
I Love My Dad (Magnolia Pictures)
Eyde Belasco
Spoiler Alert (Focus Features)
Avy Kaufman
STUDIO OR INDEPENDENT – DRAMA
Armageddon Time (Focus Features)
Douglas Aibel, Matthew Glasner (Associate Casting Director)
The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight)
Louise Kiely
Causeway (A24/Apple TV+)
Ellen Chenoweth, Tracy Kilpatrick (Location Casting), Susanne Scheel (Associate Casting Director), Blair Foster (Associate Casting Director)
Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+)
Angela Demo, Nancy Mosser Bailey (Location Casting)
The Whale (A24)
Mary Vernieu, Lindsay Graham Ahanonu, Bret Howe (Associate Casting Director)
THE ZEITGEIST AWARD
Avatar: The Way of Water (20th Century Studios)
Margery Simkin, Katrina Wandel George (Associate Casting Director), Jasmine Gutierrez (Associate Casting Director), Sydney Shircliff (Associate Casting Director)
The Batman (Warner Bros.)
Cindy Tolan, Lucy Bevan, Nicholas Petrovich (Associate Casting Director), Olivia Grant (Associate Casting Director)
Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24)
Sarah Halley Finn, Djinous Rowling (Associate Casting Director)
Scream (Paramount)
Rich Delia, Lisa Mae Fincannon (Location Casting), Craig Fincannon (Location Casting), Adam Richards (Associate Casting Director), Meredith Petty Hughes (Associate Casting Director)
Lane Webber, Daniel Gravelle, June Laporte, Jordan Dawson & Hallea Jones Join Cast Of Toronto Indie Music Scene Feature ‘We Forgot To Break Up’ →
Deadline.com By Melanie Goodfellow November 9, 2022 6:03am
EXCLUSIVE: Rising Canadian talents Lane Webber Daniel Gravelle, June Laporte, Jordan Dawson and Hallea Jones have joined the cast of queer, indie music feature We Forgot To Break Up.
The film expands on the award-winning TIFF 2017 short film of the same name in which a young man meets up with his now-famous, former bandmates after a long absence.
The new feature will follow the story of a band of misfits who leave their small town to chase their dreams as indie rock gods in the big city.
It is billed as a love letter to the early 2000s Toronto indie music scene explored through the beating heart of a queer love triangle.
There will be original music by Torquil Campbell from the Montreal band Stars, as well as a soundtrack of early 2000s indie music from bands such as The Pixies and Cub.
Director and actress Karen Knox will direct We Forgot To Break Up, taking her second feature film credit after Adult Adoption, which screened at the Calgary, Glasgow and Soho film festivals.
Nicole Hillard-Forde at Toronto-based Motel Pictures Inc is lead producing with financing from Telefilm Canada, Ontario Creates, NOHFC, and Urban Post.
Executive Producers on the project include Justin Kelly, Mark Gingras and John Laing, with Ben Farella attached as an Associate Producer.
Jordan Jordan Kennington (Suze, The Swearing Jar) is attached as cinematographer.
“We’re very excited to have director Karen Knox on board, as her perspective and keen observations of human beings, mixed with her aesthetic prowess, make her a perfect fit,” said Hillard-Forde.
We Forgot To Break Up will begin to start filming in North Bay, Ontario in early November 2022.
Webber’s credits include the IFC-acquired web series Slo Pitch, about a softball team for LGBTQ women and non-binary players; Gravelle will soon be seen in Billy Bryk and Finn Wolfhard’s horror-comedy Hell Of A Summer; Laporte has had a busy 2022 with The Dropout, You Can Live Forever and Mid-Life Crisis; Dawson has had roles in TV series The Expanse and Suits, while Jones is best known for her role as Eden Hawkins in Netflix series Locke & Key.
Knox is repped by Mary Jane MacCallum at ARC Agency; Laporte is repped by Kim Edwards at The Characters & Jared Schwartz at Industry Entertainment; Webber, by Mia Bezener at Riverlight Talent Management Inc; Gravelle and Dawson, by Nick Saites at Oscars Abrams Zimel & Associates, and Jones, by Larissa Giroux at Oscars Abrams Zimel & Associates, and Buchwald.
Amazon Freevee’s YA Drama ‘Beyond Black Beauty’ Begins Shooting In Canada And Europe →
DEADLINE.COM By Jesse Whittock September 21, 2022 6:55am
EXCLUSIVE: Amazon Freevee coming-of-age drama series Beyond Black Beauty has begun principal photography, with shooting of the Amazon Studios, Sinking Ship Entertainment and Leif Films show underway in Canada.
Inspired by the novel of the same name, Beyond Black Beauty follows Jolie Dumont, an Olympic-driven equestrian whose journey is halted when her mother moves them from their posh Belgium life to Baltimore. There Jolie struggles to find roots but as she bonds with an equally spirited horse named Black Beauty, and learns to embrace her family’s ranch, where Black cowboys have been entrenched in their DNA for over a century.
Kaya Coleman (The Sinners) stars as Jolie and Sagine Sémajuste (13: The Musical) as her mother Janelle. Gina James (Hogtown: Code\Switch) and Lisa Berry (Workin’ Moms) also star in the Canadian/Belgian co-production, which began filming recently in Canada, with production scheduled to wrap in Belgium in October.
“Having the opportunity to film in both Canada and Belgium provides a vast canvas that enriches the series’ authenticity, ” said Pilar Golden, who’s among the show’s executive producers. “As we near the end of our Canadian production shoot, the cast have developed a beautiful bond and as filming continues in Belgium in October their relations are sure to strengthen in ways that will only help buoy the theme of the value of family.”
Exec producers are Leif and Agnes Bristow, Blair Powers, Carla de Jong, Golden, and J.J. Johnson.
The international series is set to be released on Amazon’s Freevee as part of its 2023 slate, having been ordered back in May alongside shows such as America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation and Play-Doh Squished.
Kaya Coleman is represented by The Characters and Capstone Talent. Sagine Sémajuste is represented by Oscars Abrams Zimel & Associates. Gina James is represented by FilmComm Talent. Lisa Berry is represented by Oscars Abrams Zimel & Associates and Pilar Golden by APA and Meridian Artists.
‘Interrupting Chicken’ Among Four Kids’ Series Additions at Apple TV+ (Exclusive) including Circuit Breakers →
The Hollywood Reporter BY RICK PORTER AUGUST 29, 2022 7:00AM
The streamer will also have a new season of 'Ghostwriter' and additional Peanuts specials in the fall.
Apple TV+ is ramping up its slate of kids and family programming for the fall.
The tech giant’s streaming service will debut four new series in the fall and offer up new seasons of five returning shows, including Ghostwriter — with an entirely new cast for its third installment — and Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show. Apple TV+ will also add eight Peanuts specials to its library as part of its partnership with rights holder WildBrain.
The four new series are preschool animated show Sago Mini Friends, based on characters from the Sago Mini World app; Slumberkins, a mix of animation and puppetry from the Jim Henson Company; Interrupting Chicken, based on the award-winning children’s book by David Ezra Stein; and Circuit Breakers, a kid-friendly sci fi show.
The additions to Apple TV+’s slate for kids and families stand in contrast to some other streamers: HBO Max has pulled a number of kids’ shows off its service and cut back development in that area, and Netflix has also scrapped several animated series (for both kids and adults) and laid off some 70 people in its animation group.
In addition to Ghostwriter (Oct. 21) and Hello, Jack! (Oct. 7), Apple TV+ will also debut new seasons of Wolfboy and the Everything Factory and Get Rolling With Otis on Sept. 30. The Peanuts specials joining the platform (all on Sept. 9) are He’s a Bully, Charlie Brown; He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown; It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown; It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown; There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown; Why, Charlie Brown, Why?; You’re in Love, Charlie Brown; and You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown.
More details on the four new series:
Sago Mini Friends (Sept. 16) features Harvey the floppy-eared dog, Jinja the cat, Jack the rabbit and Robin the bird playing and exploring in the town of Sagoville. The preschool series comes from Spin Master Entertainment and Brown Bag Films — Toronto; Jennifer Dodge, Ronnen Harary, Tone Thyne, Dustin Ferrer, Laura Clunie and Toni Stevens executive produce, with Chad Hicks serving as series director.
Slumberkins (Nov. 4) is based on the emotional learning brand of the same name. The Jim Henson Company-produced series follows Bigfoot, Unicorn, Sloth, Yak, and Fox as they explore stories of friendship, confidence and connection to model healthy relationships. Alex Rockwell and Henson’s Halle Stanford executive produce. Callie Christensen and Kelly Oriard, creators of the Slumberkins brand, are co-EPs.
Circuit Breakers (Nov. 11) is a half-hour, futuristic anthology that takes on kid-relatable issues through a science fiction lens and where curiosity can lead to chaos. Melody Fox created the series. The executive producers are Matt Hastings, who also directed the pilot episode; Andrew Orenstein; Cottonwood Media’s Sarah Haasz, David Michel and Cécile Lauritano; Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen of Aircraft Pictures; and Todd Berger.
Interrupting Chicken (Nov. 18) is based on Stein’s Caldecott Honor-winning picture book series and features a young chicken named Piper with a habit of interrupting story time. This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown leads the voice cast of the series, produced by Mercury Filmworks. Sesame Street and Odd Squad alum Ron Holsey developed the show and executive produces with Stein, Loris Kramer Lunsford, Clint Eland and Chantal Ling.
Gravitas Ventures Takes Rights To Romantic Drama ‘The Swearing Jar’ Starring ‘Under The Banner Of Heaven’s Adelaide Clemens
DEADLINE By Matt Grobar July 13, 2022 9:45 am
EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures has acquired U.S. rights to Lindsay MacKay’s romantic drama The Swearing Jar, starring Adelaide Clemens (Under the Banner of Heaven), Douglas Smith (Don’t Worry Darling), Patrick J. Adams (Prime Video’s A League of Their Own) and Oscar nominee Kathleen Turner (The White House Plumbers). The Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company has slated the film for release on 20 screens in major markets across the country on September 23.
The Swearing Jar is based on Kate Hewlett’s award-winning play of the same name, which she adapted for the screen. Billed as an intimate story told through music, comedy, subtly shifting timeframes and a few tears, it tells two love stories at once: exploring the joys and challenges of dating, marriage, heartbreak… and moving on. The film was produced by Jane Loughman for Monkeys & Parrots in association with Kyle Bornais of Farpoint Films and Tony Wosk of Middle Child Films. Its original score is by composer Timothy Williams, who also arranged the original songs by Hewlett.
“I had the pleasure of bringing Kate Hewlett’s beautiful script to life,” said MacKay. “With the help of an incredible crew and a wonderful cast, I believe we managed to create something heartfelt, nuanced, and special. I’m excited for audiences to see this and am very pleased that they will have the opportunity to do so in theaters!”
“THE SWEARING JAR is a beautiful story about the trials of romance and grief, wrapped into an absolute crowd pleaser with amazing music,” added Gravitas Ventures’ Manager of Acquisitions, Brett Rogalsky. “Gravitas is excited to be able to share the film with audiences this fall.”
Gravitas Ventures is a distributor of indie features and documentaries founded in 2006, which sold to multi-platform media company Anthem Sports & Entertainment last November, and recently announced the launch of the new theatrical release label, Gravitas Premiere. Recent releases from the company include Michael Lembeck’s Queen Bees; Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s Our Friend, starring Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson and Jason Segel; Vanguard, directed by Stanley Tong and starring Jackie Chan; and Andy Tennant’s The Secret: Dare to Dream, starring Katie Holmes.
Rogalsky negotiated the deal for The Swearing Jar on behalf of Gravitas Ventures, with Will Machin from Metro International Entertainment.
Tom Lynch and WildBrain Team for Supernatural Series ‘Fanger’ on Netflix
Having developed some of Nickelodeon's most prolific shows, Tom Lynch teams with WildBrain for a new Netflix kids series.
by Kasey Moore @kasey__moore
Published on June 29th, 2022, 6:48 am EST
WildBrain and Tom Lynch are partnering up to release a new supernatural kids live-action series for Netflix which is going under the working title of Fanger, What’s on Netflix has learned.
Tom Lynch and his production company are on board to produce the series. Best known for his years at Nickelodeon, he’s produced the likes of Make It Pop, The Secret World of Alex Mack, and most recently for the network, The Other Kingdom. He was referred to as the David E. Kelley of Tween TV by the New York Times.
WildBrain is also producing the project with Angela Boudreault and Adam Benish listed as producers.
The Canadian entertainment company based out of Halifax is best known for its animation and live-action kids slate including the likes of Johnny Test and Carmen Sandiego for Netflix, the various live-action Degrassi series, and The Snoopy Show.
The animation team of WildBrain are currently hard at work prepping Sonic: Prime for release on Netflix in 2022 and just announced a new series for Peacock based on Caillou.
Nicole Hilliard-Forde is serving as casting director on the new series.
Warren P. Sonoda is set to direct on the new live-action series. The Canadian director also serves as head of the Canadian Directors Guild and is known for working on Netflix’s Trailer Park Boys, Utopia Falls, and Make It Pop.
We don’t have a huge amount of detail on story or cast just yet but we do have a short logline about the show which gives us some idea as to what to expect:
“After a preteen girl realizes she has supernatural powers, she embarks on a search for who her birth parents were, and who – or what – that makes her.”
The project got underway with filming on June 23rd, 2022. It will be filmed in Toronto, Canada and is scheduled to wrap filming in early October 2022 (current schedules suggest it’ll have wrapped by October 12th) which ultimately suggests that the show may be on our screens at some point in 2023.
Netflix did not respond to a request for comment on the project.
We’ll keep you updated as and when we learn more about Fanger in the coming weeks and months.
Artios Awards: ‘Belfast,’ ‘CODA,’ ‘King Richard,’ ‘House of Gucci’ Among 2022 Nominees →
by Jazz Tangqay Feb 1, 2022 9:00am PT Variety.com
“Belfast,” “CODA,” “King Richard,” “House of Gucci,” “West Side Story” and “The Power of the Dog” are among the films nominated for the 37th Annual Artios Awards, presented by the Casting Society of America.
The awards honor casting directors’ contribution to film, television and theatre. Winners will be revealed on March 17 via a virtual ceremony.
Among the animated features nominated are “Encanto,” “Luca,” “The Mitchells Vs. The Machines,” “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Vivo.”
Lucy Bevan, Avy Kaufman, Carmen Cuba, Nina Gold and Cindy Tolan are just some of the casting directors who landed nominations. While the Academy has had a casting branch for the past eight years, it has yet to establish an Oscar for casting.
View the nominations in full below:
Animation
“Encanto” – Jamie Sparer Roberts, Grace C. Kim (Associate)
“Luca” – Kevin Reher, Natalie Lyon, Kate Hansen-birnbaum (Associate)
“The Mitchells Vs The Machines” – Tamara Hunter
“Raya And The Last Dragon” – Jamie Sparer Roberts, Grace C. Kim (Associate)
“Vivo” – Tamara Hunter
Big Budget – Comedy
“Cruella” – Mary Vernieu, Lucy Bevan, Bret Howe (Associate), Emily Brockmann (Associate), Olivia Grant (Associate)
“Don’t Look Up” – Francine Maisler, Kathy Driscoll-Mohler (Additional Casting), Carolyn Pickman (Location Casting), Matt Bouldry (Location Casting), Kyle Crand (Location Casting), Molly Rose (Associate)
“The French Dispatch” – Douglas Aibel, Matthew Glasner (Associate)
“In The Heights” – Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Kristian Charbonier (Associate)
“Shang-chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings” – Sarah Halley Finn, Amanda Mitchell (Location Casting), Poping Auyeung (Location Casting), Molly Doyle (Associate)
Big Budget – Drama
“House Of Gucci” – Kate Rhodes-James
“King Richard” – Rich Delia, Avy Kaufman, Adam Richards (Associate), Scotty Anderson (Associate)
“The Power Of The Dog “- Nikki Barrett, Carmen Cuba, Nina Gold, Martin Ware (Associate)
“Tick, Tick…boom!” – Bernard Telsey, Kristian Charbonier
“West Side Story” – Cindy Tolan, Nicholas Petrovich (Associate)
Studio Or Independent – Comedy
“Best Sellers” – Pam Dixon, Andrea Kenyon, Randi Wells
“The Tender Bar” – Rachel Tenner, Bess Fifer (Location Casting), Carolyn Pickman (Location Casting), Rick Messina (Associate)
“This Game’s Called Murder” – Meg Morman, Sunday Boling
“Zola” – Kim Taylor-Coleman
Studio Or Independent – Drama
“Belfast” – Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann, Carla Stronge (Location Casting)
“Coda”- Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood, Lisa Zagoria, Angela Peri (Location Casting), Lisa Lobel (Location Casting), Melissa Morris (Associate)
“The Lost Daughter” – Kahleen Crawford
“Passing” – Laura Rosenthal, Kimberly Ostroy
“The Hand Of God “– Annamaria Sambucco
Low Budget – Comedy Or Drama
“Blue Bayou” – Marisol Roncali, Chelsea Ellis Bloch, Matthew Morgan (Location Casting)
“The Humans” – Ellen Chenoweth, Susanne Scheel (Associate)
“The Novice” – Matthew Lessall, Nicole Hilliard-Forde
“Together Together “- Richard Hicks, Leslie Wasserman
“Violet” – Orly Sitowitz, Stacey Pianko
“We Broke Up” – Amanda Lenker Doyle, Chrissy Fiorilli-Ellington
Micro Budget – Comedy Or Drama
“Dramarama” – Meg Morman, Sunday Boling
“The Outside Story” – Stephanie Holbrook
“Shiva Baby” – Kate Geller
“The Subject”– Destiny Lilly
“Swan Song”– Eve Battaglia, Lina Todd, Angela Boehm (Location Casting)
The Zeitgeist Award
“The Matrix Resurrections” – Carmen Cuba, Simone Bäer
(Location Casting), Charley Medigovich (Associate)
“The Tomorrow War” – Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood, Meagan Lewis (Location Casting), Rebecca Carfagna (Associate)
“Venom: Let There Be Carnage” – Lucy Bevan, Nina Henninger (Location Casting), Emily Brockmann (Associate), Sarah Kliban (Associate)
“Spider-man: No Way Home” – Sarah Halley Finn, Chase Paris (Location Casting), Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Molly Doyle (Associate)
Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations: ‘Zola’, ‘A Chiara’, ‘C’mon C’mon’, ‘The Lost Daughter’, ‘The Novice’ In Best Feature Race As A24 Sweeps Nods
By Anthony D'Alessandro, Jill Goldsmith
December 14, 2021 7:21amDistributor A24 and Zola led nominations as the Film Independent Spirit Awards revealed their 37th annual nods in a pre-taped presentation hosted by Beanie Feldstein, Regina Hall and Naomi Watts. The Spirit Awards are skedded for Sunday, March 6, 2022 — live and in-person this year back on the beach in Santa Monica, and broadcast on IFC.
A24’s Zola, by Janicza Bravo and based on a Twitter chain from a riotous road trip, was recognized for Best Feature Director, Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Female Lead and Supporting Male. Mike Mills’ C’mon C’mon with Joaquin Phoenix took four nods including feature, director and screenplay. The distributor’s dominating 13 nods were rounded out by two for Sean Baker’s Red Rocket — for Best Male Lead, Simon Rex, and Best Supporting Female, Suzanna Son. The Humans, directed by Stephen Karam based on his one-act play, was nominated in cinematography.
Netflix and Neon took nine nods each, with the giant streamer’s tally buoyed by much decorated The Lost Daughter from Maggie Gyllenhaal based on the Elena Ferranti novel, and a pair of nods for Rebecca Hall’s Passing. Neon spread the wealth led by a wave of nominations for A Chiara (Best Feature, Editing, Cinematography) and including Pig, Pleasure, Flee for Best Documentary and Petite Maman for International Film.
IFC Films had eight nods led by multiple Tribeca Festival-award winner The Novice from first-time director Lauren Hadaway which opens this weekend in theaters and on demand.
It’s become a busy but odd awards season leading up to Oscar nominations that don’t roll around until Feb. 8. Box office coin is flowing to big budget wide releases, with older audiences that are the key demo for most of these films still reluctant to return to theaters and little data available about how they’re being consumed on streaming or VOD.
The Film Independent Spirit awards cap film budgets at $22.5 million or below to be eligible, which is why some other high-profile indie names aren’t in contention. A selection committee of more than 50 people culled 650 candidates to settle on the nods below, said president of Film Independent, Josh Welsh. Unlike other awards, all members of the nonprofit — “filmmakers and film lovers” alike — in good standing as of Dec. 21 can vote for the winners.
Welsh said 44% of the writers and directors nominated identify as women and 38% as BIPOC. Of the nominating committee, 63% identified as women, 5% as non-binary and 56% as BIPOC.
In other multiple nominations, Magnolia Pictures nabbed five nods, two apiece for Swan Song and Queen of Glory, one for Cryptozoo. Sony Pictures Classics had four nods, two for Jockey and two contenders for best international film, Parallel Mothers and Compartment No. 6.
Wild Indian swept Vertical Entertainment to four nods (Best First Feature, First Screenplay, Male Lead, Supporting Male). Kino Lorber took three nominations for Test Pattern, one for Luzzu.
Bleecker Street garnered two nods each for Together, Together and Mass.
And The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain from Gravitas Ventures saw a nod to Frankie Faison for Best Male Lead (fresh off his win for Outstanding Lead Performance at the Gotham Independent Film Awards Nov, 29) and another for Best Editing.
Check out this morning’s announcement here and the full list of nominees below:
BEST FEATURE
A Chiara
C’mon C’mon
The Lost Daughter
The Novice
Zola
BEST FIRST FEATURE
7 Days
Holler
Queen Glory
Test Pattern
Wild Indian
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Isabelle Fuhrman, The Novice
Brittany S. Hall, Test Pattern
Patti Harrison, Together Together
Taylour Paige, Zola
Kali Reis, Catch the Fair One
BEST MALE LEAD
Clifton Collins Jr., Jockey
Frankie Faison, The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
Michael Greyeyes, Wild Indian
Udo Kier, Swan Song
Simon Rex, Red Rocket
BEST DIRECTOR
Janicza Bravo, Zola
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter
Lauren Hadaway, The Novice
Mike Mills, C’mon C’mon
Ninja Thyberg, Pleasure
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Ascension
Flee
In the Same Breath
Procession
Summer of Soul
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
Amy Forsyth, The Novice
Ruth Negga, Passing
Revika Anne Reustle, Pleasure
Suzanna Son, Red Rocket
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Colman Domingo, Zola
Meeko Gattuso, Queen of Glory
Troy Kotsur, CODA
Will Patton, Sweet Thing
Chaske Spencer, Wild Indian
BEST SCREENPLAY
C’mon C’mon, Mike Mills
The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Swan Song, Todd Stephens
Together Together, Nikole Beckwith
Zola, Janicza Bravo, Jeremy O. Harris
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Lyle Mitchell Corbine, Jr., Wild Indian
Matt Fifer; Story by Sheldon D. Brown, Cicada
Shatara Michelle Ford, Test Pattern
Fran Kranz, Mass
Michael Sarnoski; Story by Vanessa Block, Michael Sarnoski, Pig
BEST EDITING
Affonso Gonçalves, A Chiara
Ali Greer, The Nowhere Inn
Lauren Hadaway, Nathan Nugent, The Novice
Joi McMillon, Zola
Enrico Natale, The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ante Cheng, Matthew Chuang, Blue Bayou
Lol Crawley, The Humans
Tim Curtin, A Chiara
Edu Grau, Passing
Ari Wegner, Zola
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Compartment No. 6
Finland/Russia
Director: Juho Kuosmanen
Drive My Car
Japan
Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Parallel Mothers
Spain
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Pebbles
India
Director: P S Vinothraj
Petite Maman
France
Director: Céline Sciamma
Prayers for the Stolen
Mexico
Director: Tatiana Huezo
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
Mass
Director: Fran Kranz
Casting Directors: Henry Russell Bergstein, Allison Estrin
Ensemble Cast: Kagen Albright, Reed Birney, Michelle N. Carter, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Breeda Wool
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.)
Cryptozoo
Writer/Director: Dash Shaw
Producers: Tyler Davidson, Kyle Martin, Jane Samborski, Bill Way
Jockey
Writer/Director/Producer: Clint Bentley
Writer/Producer: Greg Kwedar
Producer: Nancy Schafer
Shiva Baby
Writer/Director/Producer: Emma Seligman
Producers: Kieran Altmann, Katie Schiller, Lizzie Shapiro
Sweet Thing
Writer/Director: Alexandre Rockwell
Producers: Louis Anania, Haley Anderson, Kenan Baysal
This is Not a War Story
Writer/Director/Producer: Talia Lugacy
Producers: Noah Lang, Julian West
PRODUCERS AWARD
(The Producers Award, now in its 24th year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films.)
Brad Becker-Parton , Pin-Chun Liu, Lizzie Shapiro
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
(The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 27th year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.)
Alex Camilleri, Luzzu
Michael Sarnoski, Pig
Gillian Wallace Horvat, I Blame Society
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
(The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 26th year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.)
Angelo Madsen Minax, North By Current
Jessica Beshir, Faya Dayi
Debbie Lum, Try Harder!
TV CATEGORIES
BEST NEW NON-SCRIPTED OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Award given to the Creator, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer)
Black and Missing
Series By/Executive Producers: Soledad O’Brien, Geeta Gandbhir
Executive Producers: Jo Honig, Patrick Conway, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez
The Choe Show
Creator/Exec Producer: David Choe
Executive Producers: Matt Revelli, Christopher C. Chen, Hiro Murai, Nate Matteson
The Lady and The Dale
Executive Producers: Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Mel Eslyn, Allen Bain, Andre Gaines, Nick Cammilleri, Alana Carithers, Zackary Drucker, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller
Nuclear Family
Series By: Ry Russo-Young
Executive Producers: Liz Garbus, Julie Gaither, Jon Bardin, Leah Holzer, Peter Saraf, Alex Turtletaub, Jenny Raskin, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Lauren Haber, Maria Zuckerman, Christine Connor, Ryan Heller, Barbara Dobkin, Eric Dobkin, Andrea Van Beuren, Joe Landauer
Philly D.A.
Creators: Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, Nicole Salazar
Executive Producers: Dawn Porter, Sally Jo Fifer, Lois Vossen, Ryan Chanatry, Gena Konstantinakos, Jeff Seelbach, Patty Quillin
Co-Executive Producers: Nion McEvoy, Leslie Berriman
BEST NEW SCRIPTED SERIES (Award given to the Creator, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer)
Blindspotting
Creators/Executive Producers: Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs
Executive Producers: Jess Wu Calder, Keith Calder, Ken Lee, Tim Palen, Emily Gerson Saines, Seith Mann
It’s a Sin
Executive Producers: Russell T Davies, Peter Hoar, Nicola Shindler
Reservation Dogs
Creators/Executive Producers: Sterlin Harjo, Taika Waititi
Executive Producer: Garrett Basch
The Underground Railroad
Creator/Executive Producer: Barry Jenkins
Executive Producers: Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Colson Whitehead, Richard Heus, Jacqueline Hoyt
We Are Lady Parts
Creator: Nida Manzoor
Executive Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Surian Fletcher-Jones, Mark Freeland
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Thuso Mbedu, The Underground Railroad
Anjana Vasan, We Are Lady Parts
Jana Schmieding, Rutherford Falls
Jasmine Cephas Jones, Blindspotting
Deborah Ayorinde, THEM: Covenant
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game
Olly Alexander, It’s a Sin
Michael Greyeyes, Rutherford Falls
Murray Bartlett, The White Lotus
Ashley Thomas, THEM: Covenant
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Reservation Dogs
Ensemble Cast: Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor, Paulina Alexis, Sarah Podemski, Zahn McClarnon, Lil Mike, FunnyBone
Malory Towers series two to debut on iPlayer before CBBC screening →
Malory Towers returns! The second series of the charming hit children’s drama launches on BBC iPlayer, with all episodes available next month.
The enormously popular drama, that went down a treat during lockdown, is perfect for the whole family as Darrell and her pals return to the Cornish boarding school for another helping of midnight feasts, lacrosse games and friendly larks. The 13 part series of 25-minute episdoes, adapted from the iconic novels by Enid Blyton, follows the adventures of Darrell Rivers played by Ella Bright, as she attends all-girls’ boarding school Malory Towers.
In this second series, Darrell and the gang return for their second form, and adventure, fun and boarding school antics are back in full swing, with new friendships and rivalries. Darrell finds herself caught between fun-loving Alicia (Zoey Siewert) and the more cautious Sally (Sienna Arif-Knights), while Gwen (Danya Griver) discovers new ways to manipulate the girls in the dorm. Meanwhile, Jean (Beth Bradfield) is kindly on hand to help new girl Ellen Wilson (Carys John) settle into Malory Towers, which she joins on a scholarship…but it takes time for her to warm to the school and the rest of her new classmates, even brave Mary-Lou (Imogen Lamb) and scatterbrain Irene (Natasha Raphael)?
Mr. Parker (Jason Callender) also arrives as the stern new second form teacher, with Matron (Ashley McGuire) and Mam’zelle Rougier (Geneviève Beaudet) returning to keep the girls in order. Series 2 also sees the introduction of new sixth former, Georgina Thomas (Edie Whitehead) and her father, wealthy businessman Francis Thomas (Dominic Coleman), who develops a keen interest in the school.
However, among the excitement, fun and capers – the girls are brought together by news that shocks them all…
Malory Towers series 2 comes to BBC iPlayer, with all episodes available on Monday 22nd November, and will air on CBBC channel in the new year.
WildBrain Television Celebrates Canadian Creativity with New Greenlights Across Animation and Live-Action, Offering Programming for the Entire Family to Enjoy
Yahoo Finance | Wed, September 1, 2021, 8:00 AM·9 min read
New specials for Caillou and Denis and Me headline animation slate, alongside new series Lucas the Spider and Summer Memories
Exciting new live-action series Ruby & the Well and Take Note, plus new season of fan-favourite Holly Hobbie, join previously announced greenlights for Malory Towers and The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy
TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - WildBrain Television, one of Canada's most-loved kids' and family broadcast networks, is pleased to announce a robust and diverse slate of partnerships with Canadian producers for seven new greenlights across animation and live-action, adding to three other Canadian series announced earlier this year. Exclusive to WildBrain Television in Canada, the new titles will premiere across our suite of channels beginning this October and continue rolling out through 2022. The new slate of programming features something for every member of the family to enjoy, including animated comedy, new kids & family dramas and ground-breaking preschool content. Leading the animation roster are five new WildBrain original CG specials for Caillou, marking the first new long-form content for the beloved preschool brand in almost a decade. Young kids will also be delighted by Lucas the Spider (Fresh TV), a new CG-animated series about a curious and cute four-year-old arachnid, based on the popular YouTube shorts. Likewise, YouTube hit Denis and Me (Headspinner Productions) sees four new specials greenlit, following WildBrain Television's order for season two of the series earlier this year. Also, the brand-new series Summer Memories (Aircraft Pictures, A&N Production and YETI Farm Creative), chronicles the sweet, funny friendship of Jason and Ronnie as Jason looks back on the most pivotal summer of his life.
Heading up WildBrain Television's live-action lineup are two new family series: Ruby & the Well (Shaftesbury), which explores the wonder that follows a girl's discovery of a mystical source of wishes, and Take Note (Lambur Productions), tracking the fictional roller-coaster life of a talented musical teenager competing in a Hollywood reality show. Also newly greenlit is season three of the award-winning tween-favourite, Holly Hobbie (Aircraft Pictures). These new series and seasons join previously announced greenlights for 26 new episodes of Malory Towers (WildBrain & BBC), and The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy (Lopii Productions), which teaches preschoolers about the importance of inclusivity and kindness.
Katie Wilson, VP, Channels and Content, WildBrain Television, said: "We're delighted to partner with such a talented, diverse group of producers and creators, reflecting our deep commitment to commissioning best-in-class Canadian content. These greenlights and renewals, feature an exciting mix of animated and live-action content, building on our network's promise to offer Canadian families a place to share compelling and entertaining stories together."
ANIMATED GREENLIGHTS
Caillou Specials – Five 45-minute WildBrain original specials in CG animation, set to begin airing on Family Jr. in summer 2022.
Adored by preschool kids 2-5, Caillou chronicles the daily life of an imaginative and curious four-year-old boy, who – like most preschoolers – is learning and growing a little more each day and doesn't usually get things right on the first try, despite his best efforts. Thankfully, he is supported and encouraged by his parents, friends and neighbours to never give up and keep pursuing his goals until he succeeds. Together, these supporting characters in Caillou's life serve as a calm and comforting presence, a gentle guiding hand leading him to new understandings and discoveries. The stories chosen for these stand-alone specials are to be enjoyed as family-friendly events throughout the year: Christmas, Halloween, Family Day, Summer Vacation and even tackling the important topic of bullying for National Anti-Bullying Day.
Lucas the Spider – Twenty-six 22-minute CG-animated episodes, produced in association with Fresh TV and WexWorks Media, premiering on Family Jr. in fall 2021.
Based on the smash-hit YouTube shorts loved by kids and families around the world, Lucas the Spider is a brand-new series that features a happy, inquisitive, impossibly cute jumping spider who lives in a big, bright house in a city across from a park. Lucas' passions are to spread love, live in the now and explore his world – and that's exactly what he does, with the help of his group of best friends.
Denis and Me – Four 11-minute 2D-animated specials produced in partnership with Headspinner Productions, with the support of the Shaw Rocket Fund, will be airing on Family Channel in fall 2021 alongside season two of the popular series commissioned earlier this year.
For kids 6-11, Denis and Me follows the imagined adventures of Denis and his chaos-magnet sidekick cat, Sir Meows A Lot. Denis is friendly and super positive, an upbeat kid who loves to laugh, mostly at himself and Sir Meows A Lot. He has a big heart and is both highly excitable and highly entertaining. Through his misadventures with Sir Meows A Lot, viewers will see that it's okay to be awkward, to make mistakes, to try again, to push yourself out of your comfort zone and to always stand up for your best friend.
Summer Memories – Twenty 22-minute 2D-animated episodes produced by A&N Productions, Aircraft Pictures and Yeti Farm Creative, with the financial support of the Canada Media Fund and Shaw Rocket Fund, will begin airing on Family Channel in summer 2022.
For kids 6-12, the brand-new series Summer Memories follows the adventures of best friends Jason and Ronnie as Jason looks back on the most pivotal summer of his life (which was just a few weeks ago). This is Jason's summer of change…and he fears change. Lucky for him, he has charismatic, life adventurer Ronnie at his side. Created by veteran animator/producer Adam Yaniv, Summer Memories transcends time, space and memory - the good and the bad - as it chronicles Jason and Ronnie's sweet, fun-filled relationship.
LIVE-ACTION GREENLIGHTS
Ruby & the Well – Ten 44-minute live-action episodes produced in partnership with Shaftesbury, with the support of the Shaw Rocket Fund, set to launch on Family Channel in winter 2022.
In the brand-new family drama, Ruby & the Well, Ruby O'Reilly and her father Daniel are ready for a fresh start when they arrive in their new hometown of Emerald. Emerald had a glorious history, but all that's left now is a hollow echo of its past. That's when the mystery and intrigue begin. After Ruby discovers a magical well, she starts to change the lives of the people of Emerald. Wish-by-wish, the power of the entire town grows behind her. As the town mends, so do Daniel's and Ruby's hearts. However, when an outside force threatens the town, it's unknown if the goodwill Ruby has planted will be enough to take on the biggest challenge they've ever faced.
Take Note – Ten 22-minute episodes produced in partnership with Lambur Productions, with the support of the Shaw Rocket Fund, will be premiering on Family Channel in winter 2022.
Exploring the roller coaster of a reality show in a fictional setting, the brand-new series Take Note follows Calvin Richards, a talented 14-year-old singing prodigy, whose wonderful, close-knit family can survive anything, as long as they're together. Which is a good thing because Calvin was picked to compete on a tween singing reality show and they're going to spend the summer navigating the crazy ups and downs of Los Angeles, California.
Holly Hobbie – Season 3 for the award-winning tween series rolls out on Family Channel beginning fall 2021, with ten 22-minute episodes produced by Aircraft Pictures in association with Cloudco Entertainment and WexWorks Media, and produced with the financial support of the Shaw Rocket Fund and Hulu.
A dreamer and a doer, Holly Hobbie has lived her whole life in the small town of Collinsville. Holly's a teenaged singer-songwriter who's got her best friends and close-knit family by her side, but she's dreaming of ways to save the world – even if it's starting in her own backyard. In Season 3, Holly launches a social media career to help pay for her Dad's medical bills when he is hurt in an accident. At first, Holly loves her newfound fame: she's gaining followers, making money and is her own boss. But she soon realizes the influence she has on her younger fans and discovers that with great fame comes great responsibility. Over the course of the season, Holly finds herself torn between friends, family, her boyfriend and her music career all at once. Can she be a supportive friend if she is truly dedicated to her music career? Can Holly break out as great musician if she's held back by her life in Collinsville?
Malory Towers – Twenty-six 22-minute episodes, produced by WildBrain and King Bert Productions in association with CBBC, airing on Family Channel beginning in fall 2021.
Set in the late-1940s on the sun-drenched cliffs of the Cornish coast, Malory Towers explores the nostalgic world of midnight feasts, lacrosse, ghost stories and lasting friendships. For a modern pre-teen audience, the show is both aspirational and inspirational because of the autonomy the girls have over their daily lives. Trusted to roam the school grounds on their own, our characters enjoy independence, freedom and responsibility for their own time. In the new instalments of the popular show, Darrell Rivers and the North Tower girls are excited to return to Malory Towers, their beloved school. The new term brings new drama, new faces and new adventures!
The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy – Twenty-six 11-minute episodes for kids 3-6, produced by Lopii Productions, with the support of the Shaw Rocket Fund, are set to begin airing on Family Jr. in early 2022.
With some big wigs and glamorous outfits, drag entertainers Fay and Fluffy's goal is to share the message of inclusivity with preschoolers, cheering on children to be proud of who they are and be kind to one another. Filmed before a live studio audience of preschoolers, each episode of The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy features a reading from a favorite picture book and lively discussions about themes such as celebrating uniqueness; sadness and loss; self-esteem and expression; making mistakes and moving forward; sharing; and much more.
For more information, please contact:
Siobhan Girvan
Communications Coordinator – WildBrain Television
416-977-7290
siobhan.girvan@wildbrain.com
About WildBrain Television
WildBrain Television is composed of Family Channel, Family CHRGD, Family Jr. and Télémagino. Dedicated to making screen time family time, WildBrain Television delivers best-in-class programming that appeals to Canadian families. WildBrain Television is home to world-renowned series and specials including The Next Step, Ultimate Tag, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, Just Add Magic and Trolls: The Beat Goes On.
Elle Driver to launch sales on TIFF vampire dark comedy ‘Kicking Blood’ (exclusive) →
BY JEREMY KAY 31 AUGUST 2021
Paris-based Elle Driver will launch worldwide sales excluding Canada next week on Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) selection and vampire dark comedy Kicking Blood.
Blaine Thurier directed the feature from New Real Films and Generativity Productions which receives its world premiere in Contemporary World Cinema on September 10.
Alanna Bale stars as a modern-day vampire who falls for a charming recovering alcoholic and resolves to quit drinking blood and become human again. Luke Bilyk, Vinessa Antoine, Ella Jonas Farlinger, Ben Sutherland and Rosemary Dunsmore round out the principal cast.
Thurier co-wrote the screenplay to Kicking Blood with Leonard Farlinger. Jennifer Jones of New Real Films produced the feature and the executive producers are David Aboussafy, John Bain, Dave Hudakoc, Danielle and David Henderson. LevelFILM will distribute in Canada.
“We wanted to make a meaningful film about the human side of vampires: What do they say about us, about our desires, our appetites, our fears and weaknesses?” said Thurier, a founding member of rock band The New Pornographers who attended TIFF with Low Self-Esteem Girl in 2000, Male Fantasy in 2004, A Gun To The Head in 2009, and Teen Lust in 2014.
“Vampires suffer through an eternal cycle of murder, getting high off their victims’ blood, and suffering blood hangovers. But for our protagonist, Anna, the emptiness, loneliness, and futility of immortality surfaces after centuries of bloodshed and she starts on a journey to recovery and back to humanity. Kicking Blood approaches this journey with respect while still reflecting the humour in all of it.”
The film shot in Sudbury, Ontario, in 2020 when the region was in total lockdown. “We observed all Covid-19 protocols with extreme vigilance but we also found that the quiet, empty streets lent our exteriors a lonesome atmosphere,” added Thurier. “The pandemic and lockdown fit our themes of disconnection and isolation in a beautiful, poetic way.”
‘The Novice’: IFC Films Acquires North American Rights To Tribeca Prize Winner, Sets Release Date
By Matt Grobar Associate Editor/Nights & Weekends August 6, 2021 6:00am
EXCLUSIVE: IFC Films has acquired North American rights to The Novice, the first feature from writer-director Lauren Hadaway, which will debut in select theaters, digital platforms and VOD on December 17.
The festival favorite follows queer college freshman Alex Dall (Orphan‘s Isabelle Fuhrman), who joins her university’s rowing team and undertakes an obsessive physical and psychological journey to make it to the top varsity boat.
Hadaway based the thriller on personal experience as a competitive collegiate rower. With it, she poses provocative questions about the expectations imposed on young women in America, and the psychologically damaging effects of a culture that encourages the pursuit of being “the best” no matter the cost.
Amy Forsyth, Dilone, Kate Drummond, Jonathan Cherry and Charlotte Ubben round out the cast of the film, which premiered to critical acclaim at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, winning the top prize of Best U.S. Narrative Feature, as well as awards for Best Actress (Fuhrman) and Best Cinematography (Todd Martin).
Ryan Hawkins, Kari Hollend, Steven Sims, Zack Zucker produced, with Alex Engemann, Michael Tennant, Chris Hines and Ryan Bartecki serving as exec producers. Picture Movers, H2L Media Group and ZNZ Productions were the production companies involved.
“We’re thrilled to introduce Lauren Hadaway to U.S. audiences with her stunning and personal debut feature The Novice,” said, Arianna Bocco, president of IFC Films. “Isabelle Fuhrman’s knockout performance will speak to audiences who are perfectly primed for this devastating yet all too familiar story of striving for greatness.”
“I have visceral memories of being a 16-year-old wannabe filmmaker in small town Texas and watching IFC — it was my only way to see independent films that I couldn’t find at the local video store or movie theater,” added Hadaway. “Fifteen years later, I’m proud to say that my first film is a part of the IFC family.”
The deal for the film was negotiated by Bocco and IFC director of acquisitions Aijah Keith with CAA Media Finance and XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers.
Hadaway is represented by CAA and Bellevue Productions.
Toronto: Sigourney Weaver’s ‘The Good House,’ Keira Knightley’s ‘Silent Night’ Get Galas including KICKING BLOOD →
The Hollywood Reporter by Etan Vlessing
The 2021 Toronto Film Festival has added world premieres of The Good House, starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver, and the U.K. comedy Silent Night, led by Keira Knightley and Lily-Rose Depp, to its gala lineup at Roy Thomson Hall.
TIFF organizers also promoted Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World to a gala screening, from the Special Presentations section, as a North American premiere, and added Jane Campion’s Power of the Dog, Netflix’s adaptation of a 1967 cult novel that stars Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Benedict Cumberbatch, to its Special Presentations section after a Venice world bow.
Kline and Weaver, who appeared together in the Oscar-nominated comedy Dave and The Ice Storm, top line the adaptation of the New York Times best-seller The Good House by directors Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky. And Camille Griffin’s directorial debut with Silent Night portrays a family’s eventful Christmas dinner in the country.
Elsewhere, the contemporary world cinema section, which spotlights international cinema, has programmed Wen Shipei’s Are You Lonesome Tonight; Lorenzo Vigas’ The Box, Blaine Thurier’s Kicking Blood; Manny Perez’ suspense thriller La Soga 2; and Steve Pink’s The Wheel, about a couple on the verge of divorce, among other titles.
Another eight movies were added to the Special Presentations program, including Stephen Karam’s The Humans; Chung Mong-Hong’s The Falls; Michel Franco’s Sundown; and Eva Husson’s Mothering Sunday.
Toronto also unveiled the retro TIFF Rewind section, to showcase past festival premieres and virtual panels featuring actors and directors.
The inaugural program will include Antoine Fuqua and Training Day; Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara with Best in Show; Viggo Mortensen and Eastern Promises; and Patricia Cardoso and America Ferrera with HBO’s Real Women Have Curves.
TIFF, set to run Sept. 9 to 18, earlier announced that Stephen Chbosky’s Dear Evan Hansen is set to open the 46th edition as the opening night film at Roy Thomson Hall, with Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s One Second to close the Canadian festival.
Gala screening berths were also earlier reserved for Walt Becker’s Clifford the Big Red Dog from Paramount and Will Sharpe’s The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, which stars Claire Foy, and Barry Levinson’s The Survivor, a drama starring Ben Foster.
The 2021 Toronto Film Festival will effectively resemble last year’s hybrid event, with limited in-person film screenings. Last year TIFF first introduced its digital screening platform to comply with safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tribeca Festival Juried Winners Include ‘The Novice,’ ‘Brighton 4th,’ ‘Ascension’ →
Variety.com by Antonio Ferme
The Tribeca Festival 2021 has announced the full list of winners for each of its competition categories. Lauren Hadaway’s “The Novice” won for narrative feature, Levan Koguashvili’s “Brighton 4th” won for international feature and Jessica Kingdon’s “Ascension” won for documentary feature.
Awards were given out for the following competition categories: U.S. narrative, international narrative, documentary, short films, immersive, the Nora Ephron award and the first-ever podcast and games categories.
“It’s been a challenging time for filmmakers, storytellers, and actors, and we’re so proud to honor the perseverance and dedication many of them displayed while working through the many obstacles that arose as a result of COVID-19,” Cara Cusumano, festival director and vice president of programming, said in a statement. “Each of these recipients truly embody the spirit of our creative community.”
The winners of the audience awards, which are determined by audience votes throughout the festival, will be announced next week.
The full list of winners for the 20th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival are as follows:
US Narrative Competition
The jurors for the 2021 US narrative competition were Ana Lily Amirpour, Derek Cianfrance, Bryan Cranston, OK and Erica Huggins.
The Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature Film — The Novice
Directed and written by Lauren Hadaway. Produced by Ryan Hawkins, Kari Hollend, Steven Sims and Zack Zucker.
Art Award — Meghan Boody’s Opening Night, 2019 C Print Face-Mounted to Mat Plexiglass and Back Mounted to White Plexiglass ⅖
Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film — Isabelle Furman, The Novice
Directed and written by Lauren Hadaway. Produced by Ryan Hawkins, Kari Hollend, Steven Sims and Zack Zucker.
Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film — Matthew Leone, God’s Waiting Room
Directed and written by Tyler Riggs. Produced by Tyler Riggs and Suvi Riggs.
Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film — Todd Martin, The Novice
Directed and written by Lauren Hadaway. Produced by Ryan Hawkins, Kari Hollend, Steven Sims and Zack Zucker.
Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film — Hannah Marks; Mark, Mary, and Some Other People
Directed and written by Hannah Marks. Produced by Hannah Marks, Pete Williams, Jon Lullo, Brendan Walter, Jonathan Duffy, Kelly Williams and Stephen Braun.
International Narrative Competition
The Jurors for the 2021 international narrative competition were Lesli Klainberg, Melissa Leo, Delroy Lindo, Alexander Payne and Peter Scarlet.
Best International Narrative Feature Film — Brighton 4th
Directed by Levan Koguashvili, written by Boris Frumin and Levan Koguashvili. Produced by Irakli Rodonaya, Olena Yershova, Michel Merkt and Kateryna Merkt.
Art Award — Gus Van Sant’s Devil in Hell, 2021 Encaustic on Paper
Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film — Bassant Ahmed & Basmala Elghaiesh, Souad
Directed by Ayten Amin, written by Mahmoud Ezzat and Ayten Amin. Produced by Sameh Awad.
Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film — Levan Tediashvili, Brighton 4th
Directed by Levan Koguashvili, written by Boris Frumin and Levan Koguashvili. Produced by Irakli Rodonaya, Olena Yershova, Michel Merkt and Kateryna Merkt.
Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film — Elisabeth Vogler, Roaring 20’s
Directed by Elisabeth Vogler; written by François Mark, Elisabeth Vogler, Noémie Schmidt and Joris Avodo. Produced by Laurent Rochette.
Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film — Boris Frumin, Brighton 4th
Directed by Levan Koguashvili, written by Boris Frumin and Levan Koguashvili. Produced by Irakli Rodonaya, Olena Yershova, Michel Merkt and Kateryna Merkt.
The Jurors for the best new narrative director competition were Aya Cash, Sanaa Lathan and Chris Weitz.
Best New Narrative Director — Nana Mensah, Queen of Glory
Directed and written by Nana Mensah. Produced by Jamund Washington, Kelley Robins Hicks, Baff Akoto, Nana Mensah and Anya Migdal.
Art Award — Will Ryman’s Flag, 2021 Wood, Foam, Paint