71st Berlin International Film Festival Award Winners - In Progress

As was very clear stated the festival this year will have two dates, first for industry during March and second for audiences in summer time. What was unexpected was that industry event included film press watching films and publishing reviews; but, most of all, awards were given to films! At least, some awards and that's when my confusion started to become chaotic.

With time some clarity came and now believe I understand better what's going on. For starters this post will be In Progress until after the summer event when awards not listed below will be given, like for example Panorama section awards, Teddy Awards, etc.

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35th Teddy Awards Lineup

As orginazers say "Even as the world seems to be paused until further notice, the Teddy Award keeps on thriving! No stubborn pandemic can stop the 35th edition of the Teddy Award from spreading the same joyful energy with our LGBTQ+ community and beyond".

The Teddy Award section will follow the festival structure, which will be split into two parts this year: In the first phase of the 71st Berlinale from March 01 to 05 daily live studio talks, discussions, panels and interviews on current films as well as hot topics and developments in the queer media industry are being streamed via the Teddy Award online platforms. The Teddy Award film market events Queer Academy Summit, Programmers Meeting and Queer Connection will be taking place online as well, connecting queer filmmakers everywhere as well as we can.  These formats will also be available to the public.

The second phase will take place from June 9 to 20, live on location in Berlin, in cinemas and open air, together with the audience. The Teddy Award will be present with live news coverage and interviews on the queer films of the Berlinale. As a highlight, section will celebrate queer cinema with the virtual audience during the 35th Teddy Award ceremony.

The summer activities will be streamed live as well and designed in such a way that would also be feasible as online events. No matter what the world may look like:  the 35th Teddy Award, want to share a ray of queer joy, visibility and community with you in these chaotic times. Great!

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71st Berlin Film Festival Lineup

Still missing past fest director Dieter Kosslick's black humor.  Maybe all the lockdowns doesn't facilitate new directors couple to shine as they should but 2021 could be their moment. Sigh.

Festival will run in two stages; first, the Industry Event from March 1 to 5, 2021 and second, the Summer Special from June 9 to 20, 2021. It's in the Summer Special when Berllinale audiences will be able to see the majority of the films selected by all the sections.

Worth mentioning that Berlinale Talents offers a host of familiar events featuring top-class guests, which can be attended virtually between March 1 to 5, live and cost free.

The Berlinale being one of the first festivals in the year, this line-up is mainly made up of films that either during the shooting or editing and post-production have endured the pandemic.

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#Oscars2021 International Feature Film Shortlist

Yesterday, February 9, 2021 as promised AMPAS released on time the infamous shortlists for several Oscars categories. Must admit had fun with all silly memmes from those waiting all day for the announcement and the Academy taking its time, they even released a "sarcastic" meme with Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs. Playing time for the academics, isn't nice. Well, the result is that for me and so many others from around the world it was February 10 and yes, I was still awake waiting to see if certain movie and certain short film made it to the list. Good news: they did!!! So, went to sleep and woke up late. Sigh, too-much info!

Know is not the post category name BUT will share the good news, Pedro Almodovar's The Human Voice made it to the Live Action Short Film shortlist! Bravo!

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2020 Film Critics Awards

Been wondering if this post makes sense when everything about film awards is so upside down when what critics are reviewing will not be seen by audiences in theaters and what film critics do not like to review, mainly anything streaming, is what for the first time EVER audiences are watching not in the thousands but in the millions.  So, I'm afraid critics will honor with their awards films that we have no -or very little- idea of its existence.

But trying to make something positive out of all the sea of negativity, here is the post that will be a work in progress until the last critics group announces their winners which usually happens by early February but now probably will be early April as some groups seems decided to follow the Oscars schedule instead of the regular calendar year.

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77th Venice Film Festival Award Winners

Most talk about what many agree,  festival deserves big kudos for daring to gather people in cinemas and events like press conferences and hopefully Not spreading the virus ... sigh. But when considering cinema only, undoubtedly was a "strange" festival as yes, in a regular year many of those participating in official and collateral sections would not have had the chance at all. As a consequence there where actors on Venice that are well-known for their B-movies rather that for great cinema participation. Sigh.

But well, these are special times and most of all, uncertain times so let's be positive and congratulate organizers for this festival and let's hope that next year festival will go back more to be what it deserves to be.

Post will be in progress until after tonight's Awards Ceremony at 7:00pm local time.

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93rd Academy Awards International Feature Film Submissions

Update: January 29th, 2021. Finally AMPAS released the much-awaited official list and to my surprise was not the list of accepted films but is the list of submitted films. As a matter of fact now AMPAS calls it "films that are eligible for consideration"; so, we can assume that indeed is the list of accepted films. Sigh.

There are ninety-three (93) eligible films being considered for the International Feature Film category and yes, those 93 countries/films are the same as the list that leaked a few weeks later. It's a milestone as establishes a new submissions record as previous one was 92 entries in 2018. Not bad for a year where everyone was expecting very low film related activity; but, as I suspected, 2020 entries were going to be high and will be next year when probably submissions could go to an unexpected low.

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34th Teddy Awards Award Winners

This edition top award winner goes to Futur Drei by Faraz Shariat, Jury Award to Rizi by Tsai Ming-Lang, documentary award to Si c’était de l’amour by Patric China and Best Short Film to Playback. Ensayo de una Despedida by Agustina Comedi.  Futur Drei also won the Readers' Award and Welcome to Chechnya by David France the Activist Award.

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70th Berlin Film Festival Award Winners

Yes, this year's festival was different, as a summary let me share enthusiasm does not compensate for lack of substance and even do there were some really great films, most were not.  After checking what was going on for a couple of days, gave up and stopped trying to get exciting about a film festival that used to be one of the three greatest in the world. Sigh.

In any case, there were exceptions but none as remarkable as the press conference for the documentary Hillary which strongly suggest you watch if you haven't seen it yet.  It's amazing how an educated person can clearly state thoughts and go to the point, especially when you compare him/her to actors, directors and filmmakers (lol).  Seriously, Hillary Clinton clearly and straight forwardly said very interesting things and doc became must be seen for me, immediately.

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92nd Academy Awards Winners

Now I live across land and a pond to where the Oscars take place so IF wanted to watch show LIVE had to wake up at 1:00am and do not sleep from then on.  My purpose was to do exactly that even when had to miss the red carpet.  That's exactly what I did and gee, I'm so glad was able to do it as Cinema History was written and was able to watch it live!

Much is already written about the irrelevance of the show as did little to honor films and much to honor music -in films-; believe show was more like a music magazine for adults, which is not bad as there are too many shows and awards shows with music to celebrate youth (who are the one that purchase music the most!).  Nevertheless music/songs clips montage was quite emotional for me as recognized almost all films with only hearing the first notes ... and then came the first true surprise: Eminem!  It was kind of weird but yes, it worked as it's always nice to be moved by music to afterwards get shocked by music! (lol)

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70th Berlin Film Festival Lineup

Yes, I am (or was?) a huge fan of this festival and highly enjoyed Dieter Kosslick's black humor and many of his official selections during the many years he was the festival's director.  This is the first festival without Dieter Kosslick and under the Executive Direction of Mariette Rissenbeek and the Artistic Direction of Carlo Chatrian.  My first spontaneous reaction is that festival looks and feels different as Competition lineup (which always is the main festival event) seems different perhaps less festival particular and more like other festivals.

Time will say if my first impression is real or just my reaction to change.  Change does not come only at top levels as almost all sections have new heads.  So, no doubt the festival has gone a major overhaul.  Hope finds its own and different to the other 2 major film festivals niche as if not, will risk to go outside the major 3 and film festivals will have only 2 major participants until another grows to become the third one.

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25th Prix Lumières Winners

Updating post with winners. Les Misérables leads with three (3) awards followed closely by Portrait of a Lady on Fire with two (2).

The ceremony was broadcasted for the first time on Canal + and Isabelle Huppert was the ceremony president and Isabelle Giordano was the mistress of the ceremony.

Costa-Gavras had an special award for his contribution to worldwide cinema and Roberto Benigni was also honored.  There was a special celebration of the 25-years anniversary milestone with Vanessa Benelli Mosell playing a compilation of different films soundtracks.

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26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Winners

Yesterday the largest group of Academy voters announced their winners at a gala in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and cinema history was made! 

Parasite won the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a motion picture award and became the first non-English film to win the category! Yes, this win furthers the possibility of film making a very serious run to become the first non-English-language film to ever win the best picture Oscar.

As has been told, there is no biggest honor than peers recognizing the work of other peers and when actors recognize Parasite actors, when most film critics and industry groups didn't even consider them, is outstanding.  Besides actors performances were truly exceptional and undoubtedly helped the audience to submerge with them into story spiral; so, it's absolutely great that actors recognize other actors acting in a language that is NOT English.

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#Oscars2020 LIVE nominations

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25th Annual Critics' Choice Awards Winners

Last night was the awards show which was aired on The CW Network and was hosted by Taye Diggs.

Big winner of the night is Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood with four awards, 1917 followed closely behind with 3 awards.

Keegan-Michael Key delivered a special tribute to Eddie Murphy, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Kristen Bell received the #SeeHer Award for portraying strong female characters while promoting women on screen and off.

Winners are in *BLUE. To check all winners -films and television- at official site go here.

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