2014 Film Critics' Awards - Final

Yesterday night the last film critics group in the list had their awards announced consequently this post has become final.

The 2014-2015 awards season once more show us the disparity between those that make movies and those that review movies as when we review what happened among the critics we realize that in general their honors are again far from what the industry rewards.

Nevertheless let's start with what they agree.  Industry and critics honor equally actors in two categories, supporting actress and actor.  Place your bets at your office pool that Patricia Arquette will win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and J.K. Simmons will win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.  ... and that's about all they agree. (lol)

Cinema pundits and perhaps the Academy too, try to say that there still is a race for next Sunday (yes, next Sunday is the Oscars show) as they need to keep building interest in their own reviews and the Oscars show ratings.  But we know better, the race is over and no matter what movie wins top award, the winner will be a "B" movie.  Okay, will say it, when I say B movie I am being sarcastic and yes, using both meanings of what B movie means.  My dark-dark humor.  Still, no matter if Birdman or Boyhood win top award the so-called race has become very boring for me as both movies are less than what great cinema should be or it is.

In one of Patricia Arquette industry awards speeches she was glad the industry recognized an "ordinary" movie and gee, I definitively agree with her; Boyhood is an ordinary movie with an ordinary story and ordinary tech specs.  There are three exceptions to the ordinary, good acting by seasoned actors, editing and filming for 12 years instead of using special visual effects. No doubt that film critics appreciate the ordinariness of Boyhood as by far place it as their 2014 Best Film.

On the other side, there are not many film critics' groups that honor Birdman with the Best Film award, only 7 groups; but the industry has been honoring the film so much that you have cinema pundits wondering what happened why they couldn't tell or guess right the guilds/societies/groups best of the best.  The logic behind all this is that the industry LOVE films about the industry! (remember The Artist)  Yes, Birdman is about the industry, about a dilemma that many actors, as well as almost everyone in the cinema industry, have to face when they're fading away. On top, Hollywood LOVES gimmicks and gee, Birdman has a BIG, very visible gimmick, in the simulated one take cinematography.  Let's give some credit to the critics' as seems they do not really appreciate the gimmicks and yes, good cinema lovers (we, the audience) don't do neither.

Word is that the industry will give the Oscar to Alejandro González Iñárritu (or his new Hollywood name: Alejandro G. Iñárritu - why? - so, now let's call him AGI) but critics' clearly gave their honor to Richard Linklater.  Some are saying that IF Birdman wins Oscar Best Film, then Richard Linklater will win Best Director; but if Boyhood wins Best Film then AGI will win Best Director. That's how can work with festival juries but it is most unlikely when you have 6,000 plus voters.  In my opinion and from those nominated the director that deserves American cinema top honor is Richard Linklater for his amazing work building and controlling his movie. Yes, I agree with critics' as the industry seems to be leaning towards AGI. So, here seems there is another B movie race.

Another category I agree with film critics is Best Actress as they are not really sure who is best; the honors split between Julianne Moore, Rosamund Pike and Marion Cotillard.  What I agree with them is that Julianne Moore is not the Best Actress this year, as her performance absolutely is NOT one of her best (here I go again, every time Kristen Steward was on screen Moore completely disappeared) plus movie was so mediocre that many gave the (sarcastic) label of Lifetime channel movie. Obviously the Industry disagrees with critics and with me.  Unless the Academy members become "normal" (which they are not and will not be), Julianne Moore will win her first Oscar after many nominations.

Critics' clearly prefer Michael Keaton in Birdman, but Industry gives hints that they like Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything. Me, I like Steve Carell in Foxcatcher as he was so good that character became very repulsive and gee, that's material for greatness in acting.  So no one agrees.  Maybe this is another open race, but most cinema pundits are guessing that still Keaton will win Oscar.

Last for this post purposes, most critics' honored Citizenfour as their Best Documentary with not far away Life Itself, about the life of a renown film critic.  Congrats to film critics' for not falling into a self-congratulatory trap as the Industry just loves to do.  I was expecting more from Citizenfour but agree that from those nominated it is the best and seems ALL agree as it is most likely that will win the Oscar, unless some of the voters became/are uncomfortable with the documentary subject theme.

So the guessing game soon will be over and next Sunday we will learn if Academy voters will reflect what the individual Industry groups have been honoring or will lean toward what film critics say.  There is a third element in this game, WE THE AUDIENCE... but for Industry or Critics' Awards WE DO NOT COUNT at all... sigh.  That's why the Internet has opened so many doors to viewers and now they, we have a voice we can use if we want to use it. Great!

Major Critics' Groups

FIPRESCI
2014 Grand Prix: Boyhood

Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site  Post
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Patricia Arquette in Boyhood
Best Actor: Tom Hardy in Locke
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Critics' Choice Movie Awards (BFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site A&E Post
Awards ceremony: Official Site  Post
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Joanne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary:  Life Itself

Golden Globes (HFPA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site   Post
Awards ceremony: Official Site   Post
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress (drama): Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actress (comedy): Amy Adams in Big Eyes
Best Actor (drama):  Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything
Best Actor (comedy): Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: N/A

International Press Academy (Satellite Awards) (IPA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Awards Winners:  Official Site
Best Film: Birdman
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

National Board of Review (NBR)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site Post
Best Film: A Most Violent Year
Best Director: Clint Eastwood for American Sniper
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: (tie) Oscar Isaac in A Most Violent Year and Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Life Itself

New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site Post
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in The Imigrant and Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Timothy Spall in Mr. Turner
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

The List

African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site News
Best Film: Selma
Best Director: Ava Duvernay for Selma
Best Actress: Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Belle
Best Actor: David Oyelowo in Selma
Best Documentary: Life Itself

Alliance of Women Film Journalists (EDA Awards) (AWFJ)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film:  Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Selma
Best Director: Ava DuVernay for Selma
Best Actress: Gugu Mbatha-Raw for Belle
Best Actor: David Oyelowo for Selma
Best Documentary: Keep On, Keepin' On

Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC)
Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Snowpiercer
Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu for Birdman
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Brendan Gleeson in Calvary
Best Documentary: Life Itself

Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: News News
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Selma
Best Director: Ava Duvernay for Selma
Best Actress: Essie Davis in The Babadook
Best Actor: David Oyelowo in Selma
Best Documentary: Fiding Vivian Maier

Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor:  Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary:  Life Itself

Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Birdman
Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu for Birdman
Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon in Wild
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS1)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site   News
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: American Sniper
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress:  Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: (tie) Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Hotel Budapest and Bradley Cooper in American Sniper
Best Documentary:  The Overnighters

Detroit Film Critics Society (DFCS2)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Dublin Film Critics Circle (DFCC)
Official Site not working.
Winners: News
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: Finding Vivian Maier

Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Birdman
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Life Itself

Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (Dorian Awards) (GALECA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site facebook   News
Winners: Official Site News
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Ava DuVernay for Selma
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything
Best Documentary: The Case Against 8

Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: Life Itself

The Guardian UK Top 10 films (TG)
Official Site
List in newspaper site: Official Site
Number 1 film:  Under the Skin

The Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS)
Official Site
Nominations: News
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Indiana Film Journalist Association (IFJA)
Award Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon in Wild
Best Actor: Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Documentary: Life Itself

Indiewire Annual Critics Survey (IW)
Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film:  Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Iowa Film Critics Association (IFCA)
No Official Site.
Winners:  News
Best Film:  Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon in Wild
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Birdman
Best Director:  Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Rosamund Pinke in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Birdman
Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu for Birdman
Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon in Wild
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

London Film Critics Circle (LFCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Ricard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Boyhood
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

National Society of Film Critics (NSFC)
Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film:  Goodbye to Language
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Timothy Spall in Mr. Turner
Best Documentary:  Citizenfour

Nevada Film Critics Society (NFCS)
Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film: Gone Girl
Best Director: Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO)
Official Site
Awards: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything
Best Documentary: Life Itself

North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Essie Davis in The Babadook
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Life Itself

North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhall in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: Life Itself

Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC)
Official Site not working.  Facebook
Winners:  Facebook
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Life Itself

Online Film Critics Society (OFCS)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site  News
Best Film: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Director:  Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary:  Life Itself

Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Birdman
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me

St. Louis Film Critics (SLFC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site   News
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film:  Nightcrawler
Best Director: Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler
Best Actress:  Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary:  Citizenfour

San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCC)
Official Site
Nominations:  Official Site facebook page
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Sight&Sound Film Magazine (100 International Critics) (S&S)
Article in magazine: Official Site
Number 1 Film: Boyhood

Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA)
Official Site not working.
Winners: News
Best Film: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Life Itself

Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in The Immigrant
Best Actor: Tom Hardy in Locke
Best Documentary: The Overnighters

Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA)
No Official Site.
Winners: News
Best Film: Birdman
Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu for Birdman
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Vancouver Film Critics Circle (VFCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site News
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu for Birdman
Best Actress: Tilda Swinton in Only Lovers Left Alive
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: The Overnighters

The Village Voice Critics Poll (TVVC)
Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard for Two Days, One Night and The Immigrant
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

The Washington DC Area Film Critics (WAFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actress: Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Michael Keaton in Birdman
Best Documentary: Life Itself

Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film about Women: Still Alice
Best Film by a Woman:  Ava Duvernay for Selma
Best Actress:  Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything
Best Documentary: Citizenfour

Tally

The following is a summary with winners in the five main categories. Tally will be update when each group makes their announcement.

Best Film
28 - Boyhood (S&S, FIPRESCI, NYFCC, BSFC, NYFCO, LAFCA, WAFCA, SFFCC, IW, IFJA, SLFC, DFCS2, CFCA, AFCA, DFCC, TFCA, TVVC, NTFCA, VFCC , IFCA,  OFCC, GFCA, HFCS, HFPA, AWFJ, BFCA, LFCC, GALECA)
7 - Birdman (KCFCC, DFWFCA, FFCC, LVFCS, PFCS, UFCA, IPA)
3 - The Grand Budapest Hotel (OFCS, SEFCA, NCFCA)
3 - Selma (AAFCA, BFCC, COFCA)
1 - A Most Violent Year (NBR)
1 - Snowpiercer (BOFCA)
1 - Under the Skin (TG)
1 - Still Alice (WFCC)
1 - Nightcrawler (SDFCS)
1 - Gone Girl (NFCS)
1 - Goodbye to Language (NSFC)
1 - American Sniper (DFCS)

Best Director
32 - Richard Linklater (NYFCC, BSFC, NYFCO, LAFCA, WAFCA, KCFCC, SFFCC, IW, IFJA, OFCS, DFCS2, CFCA, AFCA, DFCC, FFCC, PFCS, SEFCA, TFCA, TVVC, NSFC, NTFCA, NCFCA, IFCA, OFCC, GFCA, HFCS, HFPA, AWFJ, DFCS, BFCA, LFCC, IPA)
6 - Alejandro González Iñárritu (BOFCA, DFWFCA, SLFC, LVFCS, UFCA, VFCC)
5 - Ava Duvernay (AAFCA, WFCC, BFCC, COFCA, GALECA)
2 - Dan Gilroy (SDFCS, NFCS)
1 - Clint Eastwood (NBR)

Best Actress
13 - Julianne Moore (NBR, WAFCA, WFCC, SFFCC, CFCA, SEFCA, HFCS, HFPA, AWFJ. BFCA, LFCC, GALECA, IPA)
12 - Rosamund Pike (KCFCC, OFCS, SLFC, DFCS2, AFCA, FFCC, NFCS, PFCS, UFCA, NTFCA, OFCC, DFCS)
11 - Marion Cotillard (NYFCC, BOFCA, BSFC, NYFCO, IW, SDFCS, DFCC, TFCA, TVVC, NSFC, GFCA)
4 - Reese Witherspoon (DFWFCA, IFJA, LVFCS, IFCA)
2 - Gugu Mbatha-Raw (AAFCA, BFCC)
2 - Essie Davis (NCFCA, COFCA)
1 - Patricia Arquette (LAFCA)
1 - Tilda Swinton (VFCC)
1 - Amy Adams (HFPA)

Best Actor
22 - Michael Keaton (NBR, BSFC, WAFCA, KCFCC, SFFCC, DFWFCA, OFCS, DFCS2, CFCA, FFCC, LVFCS, PFCS, SEFCA, UFCA, NCFCA, IFCA, OFCC, HFPA, AWFJ, BFCA, LFCC, IPA)
10 - Jake Gyllenhaal (SLFC, SDFCS, AFCA, DFCC, NFCS, TVVC, NTFCA, VFCC, GFCA, HFCS)
4 - Eddie Redmayne (NYFCO, WFCC, HFPA, GALECA)
3 - David Oyelowo (AAFCA, BFCC, COFCA)
3 - Ralph Fiennes (IW, IFJA, DFCS)
2 - Tom Hardy (LAFCA, TFCA)
2 - Timothy Spall (NYFCC, NSFC)
1 - Oscar Isaac (NBR)
1 - Brendan Gleeson (BOFCA)
1 - Bradley Cooper (DFCS)

Best Documentary
22 - Citizenfour (NYFCC, BSFC, LAFCA, WFCC, KCFCC, SFFCC, DFWFCA, IW, SLFC, DFCS2, SDFCS, AFCA, LVFCS, NFCS, UFCA, TVVC, NSFC, IFCA, HFCS, AWFJ, LFCC, IPA)
15 - Life Itself (NBR, BOFCA, NYFCO, WAFCA, AAFCA, IFJA, OFCS, CFCA, FFCC, SEFCA, NTFCA, NCFCA, OFCC, GFCA, BFCA)
3 - The Overnighters (TFCA, VFCC, DFCS)
2 - Finding Vivian Maier (DFCC, COFCA)
1 - Keep On, Keepin' On (BFCC)
1 - Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me (PFCS)
1 - The Case Against 8 (GALECA)

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11/20/14
As really enjoy when I guess right almost all Oscar winners and knowing that guessing is done best by following awards buzz and not considering how good movies are, then this year have to do again the critics' post and today is a good day to start post that will be a work in progress until the last group announces their winner which will happen in early February 2015.

Most critics' groups are American but you will also find groups from Canada, Ireland and UK. This year will include for the first time the FIPRESCI Grand Prix, an award that is voted by 553 film critics from all over the world.

As in previous years' posts will publish link to read all winners and will list winners in the following categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Documentary. Before the list, and to have ALL critics in one post, is the summary for the major film critics' groups (each has an individual post in blog).

Dates are estimates (from not official sources) UNLESS is announced by group at the official site. As you can see there are some groups that already have some info and most will start to announce nominations or winners from next Monday, December 1st.