40th Annual Artios Awards

As we all know Casting will soon become a category to be honored by AMPAS with Oscar recognition therefore now is good time to start monitoring the category.

First a brief background history of the once known as Casting Society of America (CSA) and since 1982 is known as Casting Society -dropped "of America" but kept the initials CSA- that nowadays is a global organization of casting professionals.

As I find some milestones interesting, will share them, like this one that talks about the first time a movie credited casting and movie is none other than the original Thomas Crown Affair. Pioneers like Marion Dougherty in New York and Lynn Stalmaster in Los Angeles open the first independent casting offices, breaking away from the studio system and changing the landscape of casting forever. In 1968, Lynn Stalmaster receives the first single card credit in the main title for The Thomas Crown Affair,recognizing the importance of casting directors in the industry.

The Casting Society of America introduces the Artios Awards in 1985, celebrating outstanding achievements in casting. In 1989, the first Emmy Award for casting is given, and in 1993, CSA members are invited to vote for the Tony Awards, further recognizing the importance of casting directors in the industry.

In 2005, casting directors unionize, joining Hollywood Teamsters Local 399 in Los Angeles and Local 817 in New York. In 2008, welcomes Casting Associates as members, reflecting the organization's commitment to supporting the broader community of casting professionals.

Casting Society of America rebrands to Casting Society in 2022, embracing a global community of casting professionals with nearly 1,200 members, of which nearly 300 are internationally based. In 2024, the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences announces an Achievement in Casting Award to be presented for the first time at the 98th Oscars, cementing the importance of casting in the film industry.

Interesting story on how a category has been marginalized for 98 years by The Academy and nevertheless casting professionals have been able to organize themselves to slowly but surely gain a recognition denied since the beginnings of the American industry by the god-like powerful then studios. That's it.

The Hoyt Bowers Award for excellence in casting will be presented to John Papsidera, the award recognizes the body of work and outstanding contribution to the casting profession. The Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award will be presented to Daniel Swee, who has been the casting director for Lincoln Center Theater since 1992 and worked over 125 productions. The Capelier-Shaw Award for Excellence in Casting will be presented to Juliette Ménager, founder of the Joule Studio Casting in Paris.

My first impression is that there are too many nominees; seems they want to give credit to all involved in the process of cast selection, which is almost impossible in other categories like production, production design, sound, and others where end result is the task of several professionals. I wonder how AMPAS is going to deal with this issue but my best guess is that Oscar will go to top boss, the one responsable of all casting.

Awards ceremony will be on February 12, 2025 with three award shows from New York, Los Angeles and London. Janelle James will host the ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, Jessica Gunning will take emcee duties at the White City House in London, and Jordan Carlos will host the New York ceremony at the Edison Ballroom.

The Film Nominees

Big Budget - Comedy
Sophie Holland, Angela Peri, Lisa Lobel and Melissa Morris for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Tim Burton, USA and France
Francine Maisler and  Molly Rose for Challengers, Luca Guadagnino,  Italy and USA
Sarah Halley Finn, Jacqueline Gallagher, Jordyn Gregory, Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann and Katie Brydo for Deadpool & Wolverine, Shawn Levy, USA, UK, New Zealand and Canada
Douglas Aibel and Matthew Glasner for Nightbitch, Marielle Heller, USA
John Papsidera for Saturday Night, Jason Reitman, USA
Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, and Tamsyn Manson for Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 

Big Budget - Drama
Yesi Ramirez, Rori Bergman, Karlee Fomalont, and Kate Sprance for A Complete Unknown, James Mangold, USA
Nina Gold and  Lucy Amos for Blitz, Steve McQueen, UK and USA
Francine Maisler, Amber Wakefield, Meagan Lewis and Rebecca Carfagna for Civil War, Alex Garland, USA, UK and Findland
Francine Maisler, Kathy Driscoll-Mohler, Molly Rose. and Dixie Chassay for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia
Kate Rhodes James for Gladiator II, Ridley Scott, USA, UK, Morocco, Canada and Malta
Jessica Ronane for Queer, Luca Guadagnino, Italy and USA

International Film
Carla Hool and Susan Putnam for Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France
Sien Josephine Teijssen for Julie zwijgt (Julie Keeps Quiet), Leonardo Van Dijl, Belgium and Sweden
Carla Stronge for Kneecap, Rich Peppiatt, Ireland and UK
Cassandra Han for Samia, Yasemin Samdereli and Deka Mohamed,  Italy, Germany and Belgium
Shakyra Dowling for The Buckingham Murders, Hansal Mehta, India
Jessie Frost for Los Colonos (The Settlers) Felipe Galvez Haberle, Chile, Argentina, UK, Taiwan, Germany, France, Denmark and USA
Yoko Narahashi and Xanthe Spencer-Davidson for Snerting (Touch),  Baltasar Kormakur, Iceland and UK

Studio or Independent Comedy
Maribeth Fox and  Kimberly Ostroy for A Different Man, Aaron Schimberg, USA
Jessica Kelly for A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg, Poland and USA
Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee, Roya Semnanian and Rachel Goldman for Ezra, Tony Goldwyn, USA
Vicky Boone and  Liz Kelley for Hit Man, Richard Linklater, USA
Douglas Aibel and  Matthew Glasner for My Old Ass, Megan Park, UK, Canada and USA
Jamie Ember for Thelma, Josh Margolin, USA and Switzerland

Studio or Independent Drama
Nina Gold, Martin Ware, Francesco Vedovati and Barbara Giordani for Conclave, Edward Berger, UK and USA
Carmen Cuba,  Charley Medigovich and Tiffany Mak for Heretic, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, USA and Canada
Lucy Bevan and Olivia Grant for Lee, Ellen Kuras, UK, USA, Australia, Singapore and Hungary
Victoria Thomas, Jennifer Yoo and Meagan Lewis for Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross, USA
Nancy Foy, Lucinda Syson, Simone Bär, Natasha Vincent and Juliette Ménager for September 5, Tim Fehlbaum, Germany 
Carmen Cuba, Stephanie Gorin. and Brendan Wilcocks for The Apprentice, Ali Abassi, Canada, Denmark, Ireland and USA

Low Budget: Comedy or Drama
Rori Bergman and Karlee Fomalont for Empire Waist, Claire Ayoub,  USA
Stacey Rice and Chris Freihofer for Fancy Dance, Erica Thremblay,  USA
Jessica Kelly for Janet Planet, Annie Baker, USA and UK
Kate Geller, Taylor Williams and Ross Shenker for Omni Loop, Bernardo Britto, USA
Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee, Roya Semnanian, Rachel Goldman and Jeff Johnson for The Graduates, Hannah Peterson, USA
Emily Schweber for Tokyo Cowboy, Marc Marriott, USA
Scotty Anderson for Your Monster, Caroline Lindy, USA and UK

Animation
Natalie Lyon, Kevin Reher, Kate Hansen-Birnbaum and Lexi Diamond for Inside Out 2, Kelsey Mann, USA
Grace C. Kim for Moana 2, David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, USA and Canada
Francine Maisler and Molly Rose for Mufasa: The Lion King, Barry Jenkins, USA
Jason Henkel for Spellbound, Vicky Johnson, USA and Spain
Christi Soper Hilt for The Wild Robot, Chris Sanders, USA and Japan

To check nominations for all categories go Official site here.