This weekend sees the wide release of one of the films nominated for the Best Animated Feature Academy Award, one quite different from the others in that category. It’s not a candy-colored CGI fantasy like Disney’s ZOOTOPIA or MOANA (certainly devoid of musical numbers). And it doesn’t utilize the technique of stop-motion animation (often using tiny figurines or puppets) like KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS or MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI (from France). This work harkens back to the “golden age” of animation in that it is mostly hand-drawn “cel” animation (though computers aid in certain effects and in coloring). Fitting since it is co-produced by the renown Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli, the “house” that Hayao Miyazaki (SPIRITED AWAY), among other talented artists, built. What makes this film even more unique is that it is Ghibli’s first feature not made in Japan. The director and co-writer Michael Dudok de Wit is Dutch-British, so most of the production was based in Europe (mainly France). And while the other nominees have their share of big comedy sequences and manic slapstick action, this is a rather somber adult-oriented film about survival and loneliness. Oh, and there’s no real dialogue, aside from some growls, grunts, and giggles. But like several of those other nominees, there is an animal involved, the magical title character known as THE RED TURTLE.
The story (maybe more of a fable) starts by placing us alongside a desperate man struggling to stay above the waves while being tossed about during a violent storm. What happened? How did he get adrift? We’re never told. Luckily “The Man”(since his name is never revealed) spots his overturned rowboat (lifeboat?) and clings to it as the ocean buffets him. He awakens on the shore of a vast island, near the shattered remains of his boat. Eventually he explores his surroundings. Past the rocky cliffs, along the beach he finds a plush green forest, with trees full of fruit, puddles of fresh water, and lots of towering bamboo. Almost immediately The Man gathers the fallen bamboo shafts and assembles a raft. But once he’s back out on the water, something underneath the raft rams into it, causing the makeshift craft to fall apart. The frustrated seafarer returns to shore and begins to build once more. He launches again with the same disastrous results. The Man howls in anger, and resigns himself to his fate. But the loneliness takes its toll as he hallucinates a string quartet performing on the beach. Will despair lead to madness? No, he must try again. This time at sea, the vandal is revealed. It is no whale, seal, or shark, but rather an enormous red turtle, who swims around the raft before submerging in order to destroy it. After returning to the beach, The Man is surprised to find that turtle basking in the sun, His rage engulfs him. Grabbing a stalk of bamboo he pummels the beast before flipping it on its back. The next day, he returns to the “scene of the crime”, perhaps hoping the turtle has returned to the sea. Instead he sees something miraculous. Inside the empty red shell rests a sleeping human woman! What kind of magic is this? Did someone answer his prayers? What will the fates have in store for him and his potential new “mate”?
Yes indeed, fable is the right word. This is an engrossing fairy tale which will captivate audiences of all ages. It has a somber, haunting mood which draws the viewer in, eventually engulfing us in its leisurely pacing. Of course this heightens the dramatic impact of the action sequences, particularly the impact of a massive tidal wave on the island and its occupants that’s every bit as harrowing as THE IMPOSSIBLE. It almost matches the suspense of an earlier scene when The Man falls into a crevasse and must swim through an increasingly tight passageway between the rocks (this will make claustrophobics gasp for air). There are similarities to the recent SWISS ARMY MAN and, of course, CAST AWAY, but the title creature gives the story a otherworldy bent. Director Dudok de Wit has designed the characters with a simplistic style, referencing the look of classic children’s books. The humans have black dots for eyes (much like the early look of a certain mouse), and unlike the now typical “over-rendered” CGI films, not every wrinkle or facial hair is delineated. In this case, less is truly more, as the characters don’t pull our focus away from the lush backgrounds, many of which are dazzling charcoal sketches (with a bit of software enhancement). Though this is a somber, more quiet film than most animated features, there are still moments of whimsy thanks to a group of crabs that act almost as a “Greek chorus” (they’re always hungry), popping up to badger The Man. As this gem reaches its “just right” 80 minute running time (close to the 72 minute length of the classic Disney features), the theme of the fable is clear. This island is not the hero’s version of Hell, but rather his paradise, an idyllic Heaven. And for audiences looking for a motion picture that grabs the heart and delights the eyes, THE RED TURTLE is an unexpected treasure on that faraway island. 4.5 Out of 5
THE RED TURTLE opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas
On Thursday, The Academy opened the doors to the Ray Dolby Ballroom for a preview of the Governors Ball that will follow the 89th Oscars. This year’s theme is “transformation” which guests will see as they pass through a sea of red in the patio entrance into a huge white space full of gold and red decoration. Above, they’ll see lighted, gold clouds and across from the entrance, an elaborate, floating stage where singer-songwriter Cynthia Erivo will perform.
Academy governor Jeffrey Kurland, event producer Cheryl Cecchetto and master chef Wolfgang Puck will return to create this year’s Governors Ball, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ official post-Oscar celebration, which will immediately follow the 89th Oscars ceremony on Sunday, February 26. The Ball’s 1,500 invited guests include Oscar winners and nominees, show presenters and other telecast participants.
Piper-Heidsieck Champagne will be served from limited-edition magnums with an exclusive red carpet-inspired design made specially for the ball. Benoit Collard, Piper’s global executive director revealed they have signed on for another 3 years and when asked about what happens to any leftover bottles, he said that last year, Eva Longoria obtained one for a charity auction.
Wine drinkers will be treated to 2 limited edition wines from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery featuring commemorative labels. Cocktails will be provided by The Hillhaven Lodge.
Wolfgang Puck Catering continues to be a fixture at the ball and he was there to promote the extensive menu he created with his team. He even brought a machine that extracts and distills carrot juice for the pasta sauce!
For the 23rd consecutive year, legendary chef Wolfgang Puck will set the stage with a Governors Ball menu pairing Hollywood glamour with culinary whimsy. Eric Klein, the new Wolfgang Puck Catering executive chef, worked alongside Puck to create more than 50 imaginative dishes, from one-bite hors d’oeuvres to small-plate entrees that will be passed throughout the evening. New menu items will include Moroccan spiced Wagyu short rib topped with a parmesan funnel cake; taro root tacos with shrimp, mango, avocado and chipotle aioli; gnocchetti with braised mushrooms and cashew cream; lobster corn dogs; made-to-order sushi, custom poke bowls and an array of shellfish; plus a selection of Puck’s signature dishes such as smoked salmon Oscars, chicken pot pie with shaved black truffles, and baked macaroni and cheese. The pastry team of Kamel Guechida, Monica Ng and Jason Lemmonier will offer a dessert menu brimming with innovative and playful desserts served at multiple dessert stations, plus the ultimate dessert buffet featuring Puck’s sought-after 24-karat-gold chocolate Oscars. Wolfgang Puck Catering CEO Carl Schuster will direct more than 900 event staff through the evening’s intricately detailed logistics to deliver guests a true restaurant-style hospitality experience.
One interesting change this year will involve the envelopes opened during the awards. The publicity department gave We Are Movie Geeks a scoop: there will be new envelopes this year designed by their in-house marketing department. Be sure to look for them on Oscar Sunday!
Celebrate the Oscars at home with the same party treats served at the Governors Ball with the recipes here.
In the week leading up to the 89th Oscars, beginning on Tuesday February 21st, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present a series of public programs celebrating this year’s nominees in the Animated Feature Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Animated and Live Action Short Film categories. All events will be held at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that they have expanded their agreement for eight more years, in which the Network will remain home to the Oscars, Hollywood’s biggest entertainment ceremony of the year, through 2028. The new agreement for the domestic network of the Academy Awards® adds eight years to the existing contract, which was scheduled to expire in 2020.
“We’re honored to continue our storied and successful partnership with ABC in broadcasting the most watched live entertainment event of the year,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “In 2028, we’ll mark the Oscars 100th anniversary, and ABC is the perfect partner to help us celebrate the magic of movies with our fans. On behalf of the Academy, I thank Jim Gianopulos, our Academy Treasurer and chair of the Board’s Finance Committee, and Disney/ABC’s Ben Sherwood, for leading these efforts.”
“After hosting the Academy Awards more than 50 times, ABC has become the home for Hollywood’s most prestigious and glamorous night of television. With this new landmark agreement, ABC is proud to showcase the Oscars all the way to their Centennial celebration in 2028,” said Ben Sherwood, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group. “Broadcast television brings together the biggest audiences with high-quality live events, and ABC has the brightest, boldest lineup in the business,” Sherwood said. “We look forward to teaming with the Academy to bring Oscar Sunday to even greater creative heights as we spotlight motion picture magic and honor the achievements of the most talented members of the film industry.”
“The Academy’s partnership with ABC has been one of the most enduring in Hollywood,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “Both the Academy and ABC set high bars for excellence, and ABC has a proven passion to help us deliver a great show to our global audience. We couldn’t think of a more trusted collaborator to further our mission of inspiring and connecting the world through film.”
“We are elated the Oscars will continue to call ABC home,” said Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment. “The ceremony is an important part of network programming, and we’re looking forward to continuing our partnership with the Academy and delivering a multi-faceted, and multi-platform, ceremony celebrating the world’s biggest stars and honoring excellence in filmmaking.”
The Academy’s negotiating team was led by Boone Isaacs, Hudson, Gianopulos, attorneys Chris Tayback and Ken Ziffren, economic advisor John Sandbrook and Academy in-house counsel Scott Miller.
The Disney/ABC Television Group’s negotiating team consisted of Sherwood; Dungey; Jana Wingrade, head of Business Operations; Jennifer Mayo, senior vice president, Business Affairs; Grant Michaelson, vice president, Business Affairs; Mark Mazie, chief counsel, Media Networks; and Stewart Harrison, deputy chief counsel.
The 89th Academy Awards will be held Oscar Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Oscar Week concluded on Saturday with the final event – the Makeup and Hairstyling symposium.
The Academy celebrated the artists nominated for the Makeup and Hairstyling award in the 10th annual event spotlighting this category, which celebrated its 35th anniversary this year.
The makeup artists and hairstylists nominated for MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, THE 100-YEAR-OLD-MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED and THE REVENANT joined makeup artist and former Academy governor Leonard Engelman to discuss their work on the three films, and presented photographs and displays to demonstrate their craft.
Watch the entire event below.
THE REVENANT
While on a danger-laden journey through the American wilderness in the early 1800s, frontiersman Hugh Glass is badly mauled by a grizzly and abandoned by his fellow trappers. Barely surviving his wounds, Glass is driven by thoughts of his family and a desire for revenge as he endures the frigid winter and pursues the men who left him for dead.
These are the first Academy Award nominations for Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini.
The artists told the audience inside the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre that working on Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s epic film proved to be a challenge – especially in the cold temperatures and natural light. The much-talked about Bear Attack took intricate and large appliances to Leonardo DiCaprio’s face and body to give the appearance of deadly injuries.
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Years after an apocalypse has devastated the world, Australia has become a wasteland ruled by outlaws hoarding fuel, water and other resources. Desperate to escape a tyrant called Immortan Joe, loner Max Rockatansky joins forces with Imperator Furiosa, who is fleeing from Joe and his fanatical followers with a precious cargo that she has smuggled from Joe’s stronghold.
Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin, all first time nominees, said it took 45 artists to apply the daily makeup and prosthetics. Charlize Theron’s black forehead makeup was inspired by African tribal photos. Director George Miller asked for the breathing apparatus for Immortan Joe’s character. “He initially wanted cobalt blue.”
Two of these artists are presently working on PROMETHEUS 2.
Academy Governor Leonard Engelman with Makeup and Hairstylists Oscar® nominees Damian Martin, Lesley Vanderwalt, and Elka Wardega, “Mad Max: Fury Road”
THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED
After spending an eventful life amid such history-making settings as the Spanish Civil War, the development of the Manhattan Project, a Soviet gulag and the Berlin Wall, Swedish centenarian and munitions enthusiast Allan Karlsson escapes from his nursing home and goes on an adventure involving a suitcase filled with loot, gangsters and an elephant named Sonya.
These are the first Academy Award nominations for Love Larson and Eva von Bahr.
Larson and von Bahr explained how each day’s makeup application took 4 1/2 hours. Their striking work began with a long process of sculpting and molding for just the right look. 10 pieces were used in the final stage on actor Robert Gustafsson. To regress the actor, facelift cream, contact lenses and a wig were used – all effective to make him look younger.
Academy Governor Leonard Engelman with Makeup and Hairstylists Oscar® nominees Love Larson and Eva von Bahr. “The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared”
The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
On Tuesday evening, The Academy kicked off Oscar Week. In the final days leading up to Oscar Sunday, movie fans will be offered throughout the week a up-close look with a series of public programs celebrating this year’s nominees in the Animated Feature Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Animated and Live Action Short Film categories.
Hosted by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Oscar Nominated for Kung Fu Panda 2, and director of Kung Fu Panda 3, the evening spotlighted the Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories.
The “Oscar Week: Shorts” event, held at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, featured a screening of all 10 nominated shorts in their entirety, as well as discussions with all of the nominated filmmakers.
On the heels of breaking box office records for this year’s OSCAR nominated short films in theaters across the country, ShortsHD, the Only Short Film Channel (www.shorts.tv) will unveil the 2016 OSCAR Nominated Short Film Live Action | Select Animation collection via the major digital platforms and cable providers. The films will also be available on cable via the industry’s Movies on Demand platforms well as satellite VOD platforms starting today.
“2016 OSCAR Nominated Short Film Live Action | Select Animation” will showcase the Live Action and select Animation short film nominees. This is the last chance to view nominated shorts before the 88th Academy Awards on Sunday February 28 hosted by Chris Rock.
From left: Host Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Bear Story“, Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Prologue“, Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Sanjay’s Super Team“ and Konstantin Bronzit, director of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “We Can’t Live Without Cosmos“
All the directors praised their fellow nominees up on stage and expressed to the audience how these films couldn’t be made without the many artists and below the line teams.
This year’s selection of animated films demonstrates an extraordinary range of filmmaking techniques, from hand-drawn animation to CG.
Best animated short film
“Bear Story” A Punkrobot Animation Studio Production
Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala
Every day, a melancholy old bear takes a mechanical diorama that he has created out to his street corner. For a coin, passersby can look into the peephole of his invention, which tells the story of a circus bear who longs to escape and return to the family from which he was taken.
“Prologue” An Animation Masterclass Production
Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton
2,400 years ago, four warriors — two Spartan and two Athenian — battle to the death in an intense struggle witnessed by a little girl, who then runs to her grandmother for comfort.
“Sanjay’s Super Team” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production
Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle
“We Can’t Live without Cosmos” A Melnitsa Animation Studio Production
Konstantin Bronzit
“World of Tomorrow” A Bitter Films Production
Don Hertzfeldt
A little girl named Emily is taken on a fantastical tour of her distant future by a surprising visitor who reveals unnerving secrets about humanity’s fate.
Best live action short film
The live action films come from all over the world and feature a range of diverse characters, each with their own impactful story to tell.
“Ave Maria” An Incognito Films Production
Basil Khalil and Eric Dupont
Five nuns living in the West Bank find their routine disrupted when the car of a family of Israeli settlers breaks down outside the convent. Unable to use the telephone due to Sabbath restrictions, the family needs help from the nuns, but the sisters’ vow of silence requires them to work with their visitors to find an unorthodox solution.
“Day One” An American Film Institute Production
Henry Hughes
On the heels of a painful divorce, an Afghan-American woman joins the U.S. military as an interpreter and is sent to Afghanistan. On her first mission, she accompanies troops pursuing a bomb-maker, and must bridge the gender and culture gap to help the man’s pregnant wife when she goes into labor.
“Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)” A Filmakademie Wien Production
Patrick Vollrath
Michael, a divorced father devoted to his eight-year-old daughter, Lea, picks her up for their usual weekend together. At first it feels like a normal visit, but Lea soon realizes that something is different, and so begins a fateful journey.
“Shok” An Eagle Eye Films Production
Jamie Donoughue
In Kosovo in 1998, two young boys are best friends living normal lives, but as war engulfs their country, their daily existence becomes filled with violence and fear. Soon, the choices they make threaten not only their friendship, but their families and their lives.
“Stutterer” A Bare Golly Films Production
Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage
For a lonely typographer, an online relationship has provided a much-needed connection without revealing the speech impediment that has kept him isolated. Now, however, he is faced with the proposition of meeting his online paramour in the flesh, and thereby revealing the truth about himself.
On hand for the evening were Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala, co-directors of the Oscar nominated animated short film “Bear Story“, Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton, co-directors of the Oscar nominated animated short film “Prologue“, Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle, co-directors of the Oscar nominated animated short film “Sanjay’s Super Team“ and Konstantin Bronzit, director of the Oscar nominated animated short film “We Can’t Live Without Cosmos.“
The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 2016 Oscar nominations are in. “We All Dream In Gold” was the phrase of the morning when Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Guillermo del Toro, John Krasinski and Ang Lee announced the 88th Academy Awards nominations.
WAMG was at the live news conference inside the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater along with 400 international media representatives.
THE REVENANT received the most nominations Thursday morning with twelve, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD saw eleven, followed by THE MARTIAN with seven.
Seeing six nominations apiece were BRIDGE OF SPIES, CAROL and SPOTLIGHT. Rounding out the multiple nods were THE BIG SHORT and STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS with five bids.
The buzz heard throughout the theater went to the much deserved nod for Sylvester Stallone (CREED) who is nominated for playing Rocky Balboa 40 years after his first nomination in 1976 for playing the same character, Charlotte Rampling with her Best Actress Nomination (45 YEARS) and every time MAD MAX: FURY ROAD was mentioned.
Vying for the big prize for Best Picture are:
“The Big Short” Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
“Bridge of Spies” Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
“Brooklyn” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Doug Mitchell and George Miller, Producers
“The Martian” Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam, Producers
“The Revenant” Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent and Keith Redmon, Producers
“Room” Ed Guiney, Producer
“Spotlight” Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers
Del Toro and Lee announced the nominees in 11 categories at 5:30 a.m. PT, followed by Boone Isaacs and Krasinski for the remaining 13 categories at 5:38 a.m. PT.
Academy members from each of the 17 branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and Foreign Language Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees.
All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.
THE MARTIAN
Official screenings of all motion pictures with one or more nominations will begin for members on Saturday, January 23, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Screenings also will be held at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood and in London, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all 24 categories.
Nominations for the 88th Academy Awards:
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Bryan Cranston in “Trumbo”
Matt Damon in “The Martian”
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant”
Michael Fassbender in “Steve Jobs”
Eddie Redmayne in “The Danish Girl”
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Christian Bale in “The Big Short”
Tom Hardy in “The Revenant”
Mark Ruffalo in “Spotlight”
Mark Rylance in “Bridge of Spies”
Sylvester Stallone in “Creed”
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in “Carol”
Brie Larson in “Room”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Joy”
Charlotte Rampling in “45 Years”
Saoirse Ronan in “Brooklyn”
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Jennifer Jason Leigh in “The Hateful Eight”
Rooney Mara in “Carol”
Rachel McAdams in “Spotlight”
Alicia Vikander in “The Danish Girl”
Kate Winslet in “Steve Jobs”
Best animated feature film of the year
“Anomalisa” Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and Rosa Tran
“Boy and the World” Alê Abreu
“Inside Out” Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera
“Shaun the Sheep Movie” Mark Burton and Richard Starzak
“When Marnie Was There” Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura
Achievement in cinematography
“Carol” Ed Lachman
“The Hateful Eight” Robert Richardson
“Mad Max: Fury Road” John Seale
“The Revenant” Emmanuel Lubezki
“Sicario” Roger Deakins
THE REVENANT
Achievement in costume design
“Carol” Sandy Powell
“Cinderella” Sandy Powell
“The Danish Girl” Paco Delgado
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Jenny Beavan
“The Revenant” Jacqueline West
Achievement in directing
“The Big Short” Adam McKay
“Mad Max: Fury Road” George Miller
“The Revenant” Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Won last year for BIRDMAN. The last back-to-back Oscar win for director was in 1950.)
“Room” Lenny Abrahamson
“Spotlight” Tom McCarthy
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Best documentary feature
“Amy” Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
“Cartel Land” Matthew Heineman and Tom Yellin
“The Look of Silence” Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen
“What Happened, Miss Simone?” Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby and Justin Wilkes
“Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” Evgeny Afineevsky and Den Tolmor
Best documentary short subject
“Body Team 12” David Darg and Bryn Mooser
“Chau, beyond the Lines” Courtney Marsh and Jerry Franck
“Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah” Adam Benzine
“A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness” Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
“Last Day of Freedom” Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman
Achievement in film editing
“The Big Short” Hank Corwin
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Margaret Sixel
“The Revenant” Stephen Mirrione
“Spotlight” Tom McArdle
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey
Best foreign language film of the year
“Embrace of the Serpent” Colombia
“Mustang” France
“Son of Saul” Hungary
“Theeb” Jordan
“A War” Denmark
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin
“The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared” Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
“The Revenant” Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Bridge of Spies” Thomas Newman
“Carol” Carter Burwell
“The Hateful Eight” Ennio Morricone
“Sicario” Jóhann Jóhannsson
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” John Williams
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Earned It” from “Fifty Shades of Grey”
Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio
“Manta Ray” from “Racing Extinction”
Music by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony Hegarty
“Simple Song #3” from “Youth”
Music and Lyric by David Lang
“Til It Happens To You” from “The Hunting Ground”
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga
“Writing’s On The Wall” from “Spectre”
Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
BRIDGE OF SPIES
Achievement in production design
“Bridge of Spies” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard Henrich
“The Danish Girl” Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Michael Standish
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson
“The Martian” Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Celia Bobak
“The Revenant” Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Hamish Purdy
Best animated short film
“Bear Story” Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala
“Prologue” Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton
“Sanjay’s Super Team” Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle
“We Can’t Live without Cosmos” Konstantin Bronzit
“World of Tomorrow” Don Hertzfeldt
Best live action short film
“Ave Maria” Basil Khalil and Eric Dupont
“Day One” Henry Hughes
“Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)” Patrick Vollrath
“Shok” Jamie Donoughue
“Stutterer” Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage
Achievement in sound editing
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Mark Mangini and David White
“The Martian” Oliver Tarney
“The Revenant” Martin Hernandez and Lon Bender
“Sicario” Alan Robert Murray
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Matthew Wood and David Acord
Achievement in sound mixing
“Bridge of Spies” Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew Kunin
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo
“The Martian” Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac Ruth
“The Revenant” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom and Chris Duesterdiek
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson
Achievement in visual effects
“Ex Machina” Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Andrew Jackson, Tom Wood, Dan Oliver and Andy Williams
“The Martian” Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence and Steven Warner
“The Revenant” Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith and Cameron Waldbauer
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould
Adapted screenplay
“The Big Short” Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
“Brooklyn” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
“Carol” Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy
“The Martian” Screenplay by Drew Goddard
“Room” Screenplay by Emma Donoghue
Original screenplay
“Bridge of Spies” Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
“Ex Machina” Written by Alex Garland
“Inside Out” Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
“Spotlight” Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy
“Straight Outta Compton” Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff
STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
Facts provided by AMPAS:
In 2011, the balloting rules first allowed for the possibility of between five and ten nominees for Best Picture. For the first three years, there were nine nominees. For the past two years, there have been eight.
Steven Spielberg has set the record for the most Best Picture nominations for an individual producer with nine.
In the Acting categories, eight individuals are first-time nominees (Bryan Cranston, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Brie Larson, Charlotte Rampling, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rachel McAdams and Alicia Vikander). Five of the nominees are previous Acting winners (Eddie Redmayne, Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Winslet). At age 25, Jennifer Lawrence is the youngest four-time Acting nominee.
Sylvester Stallone, who received his first Acting nomination in 1976 for Rocky, is the sixth person nominated for playing the same role in two different films. He follows Bing Crosby as Father O’Malley in Going My Way (1944) and The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945); Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson in The Hustler (1961) and The Color of Money (1986); Peter O’Toole as Henry II in Becket (1964) and The Lion in Winter (1968); Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974); and Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I in Elizabeth (1998) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007). Of these, only Bing Crosby and Paul Newman won Oscars (in 1944 and 1986, respectively).
Roger Deakins has the most nominations for Cinematography of any living person with 13. Charles B. Lang, Jr. and Leon Shamroy share the all-time record with 18 nominations each.
Sandy Powell now has the most nominations for Costume Design of any living person with 12. The overall record in the category belongs to Edith Head with 35 nominations.
John Williams extends his record number of music scoring nominations with 45. His overall total of 50 nominations (including five for Original Song) increases his record for the most Academy Award nominations of any living person (the only person with more is Walt Disney at 59). Thomas Newman’s nomination for Original Score for Bridge of Spies is his 13th and brings the total for members of the Newman family (Alfred, Lionel, Emil, Thomas, David and Randy) to 89, more than any other family.
The Original Song nomination for “Manta Ray” from Racing Extinction is the fifth for a song from a documentary. Previous nominations were for “More” from Mondo Cane (1963); “I Need To Wake Up” from An Inconvenient Truth, which won an Oscar in 2006; “Before My Time” from Chasing Ice (2012), also written by this year’s nominee J. Ralph; and “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me (2014).
With his two nominations for Sound Mixing (for Bridge of Spies and Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Andy Nelson has tied Kevin O’Connell’s record for the most individual nominations in the category with 20.
Inside Out is the ninth animated feature to receive a Writing nomination. To date, none has won. With his fourth Writing nomination this year, Pete Docter has tied Andrew Stanton for the most writing nominations for animated films.
Watch the 88th Academy Awards LIVE on Sunday, Feb. 28 on ABC with host Chris Rock.
One hundred twenty-four features have been submitted for consideration in the Documentary Feature category for the 88th Academy Awards.
Last year’s winner was CITIZENFOUR (Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky)
The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:
“Above and Beyond”
“All Things Must Pass”
“Amy”
“The Armor of Light”
“Ballet 422”
“Batkid Begins”
“Becoming Bulletproof”
“Being Evel”
“Beltracchi – The Art of Forgery”
“Best of Enemies”
“The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution”
“Bolshoi Babylon”
“Brand: A Second Coming”
“A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story”
“Call Me Lucky”
“Cartel Land”
“Censored Voices”
“Champs”
“CodeGirl”
“Coming Home”
“Dark Horse”
“Deli Man”
“Dior and I”
“The Diplomat”
“(Dis)Honesty – The Truth about Lies”
“Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll”
“Dreamcatcher”
“dream/killer”
“Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon”
“Eating Happiness”
“Every Last Child”
“Evidence of Harm”
“Farewell to Hollywood”
“Finders Keepers”
“The Forecaster”
“Frame by Frame”
“Gardeners of Eden”
“A Gay Girl in Damascus: The Amina Profile”
“Godspeed: The Story of Page Jones”
“Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief”
“He Named Me Malala”
“Heart of a Dog”
“Hitchcock/Truffaut”
“How to Change the World”
“Human”
“The Hunting Ground”
“I Am Chris Farley”
“In Jackson Heights”
“In My Father’s House”
“India’s Daughter”
“Ingrid Bergman – In Her Own Words”
“Iraqi Odyssey”
“Iris”
“Janis: Little Girl Blue”
“Karski & the Lords of Humanity”
“Killing Them Safely”
“Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck”
“Lambert & Stamp”
“A Lego Brickumentary”
“Listen to Me Marlon”
“Live from New York!”
“The Look of Silence”
“Meet the Patels”
“Meru”
“The Mind of Mark DeFriest”
“Misery Loves Comedy”
“Monkey Kingdom”
“A Murder in the Park”
“My Italian Secret”
“My Voice, My Life”
“1971”
“Of Men and War”
“One Cut, One Life”
“Only the Dead See the End of War”
“The Outrageous Sophie Tucker”
“Peace Officer”
“The Pearl Button”
“Pink & Blue: Colors of Hereditary Cancer”
“Poached”
“Polyfaces”
“The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers”
“Prophet’s Prey”
“Racing Extinction”
“The Resurrection of Jake the Snake”
“Ride the Thunder – A Vietnam War Story of Victory & Betrayal”
“Rosenwald”
“The Russian Woodpecker”
“Searching for Home: Coming Back from War”
“Seeds of Time”
“Sembene!”
“The Seven Five”
“Seymour: An Introduction”
“Sherpa”
“A Sinner in Mecca”
“Something Better to Come”
“Song from the Forest”
“Song of Lahore”
“Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine”
“Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans”
“Stray Dog”
“Sunshine Superman”
“Sweet Micky for President”
“Tab Hunter Confidential”
“The Tainted Veil”
“Tap World”
“(T)error”
“Thao’s Library”
“Those Who Feel the Fire Burning”
“3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets”
“The Touch of an Angel”
“TransFatty Lives”
“The True Cost”
“Twinsters”
“Very Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists”
“The Wanted 18”
“We Are Many”
“We Come as Friends”
“We Were Not Just…Bicycle Thieves. Neorealism”
“Welcome to Leith”
“What Happened, Miss Simone?”
“What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy”
“Where to Invade Next”
“Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom”
“The Wolfpack”
Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules in order to advance in the voting process. A shortlist of 15 films will be announced in December.
Films submitted in the Documentary Feature category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.
The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live onThursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
Hosted by Chris Rock, the 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood
On Thursday evening (Sept 17) at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored 15 student winners from colleges and universities around the world at the 42nd Student Academy Awards ceremony.
The Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal awards were announced and presented by actors Michelle Rodriguez and Jason Mitchell, Oscar-winning director John Lasseter, and the Oscar-winning team behind the animated feature “Big Hero 6,” Roy Conli, Don Hall and Chris Williams.
The 2015 Student Academy Award winners are:
Alternative
Gold: “Chiaroscuro,” Daniel Drummond, Chapman University, California
Silver: “Zoe,” ChiHyun Lee, The School of Visual Arts, New York
Animation
Gold: “Soar,” Alyce Tzue, Academy of Art University, San Francisco
Silver: “An Object at Rest,” Seth Boyden, California Institute of the Arts
Bronze: “Taking the Plunge,” Nicholas Manfredi and Elizabeth Ku-Herrero, The School of
Visual Arts
Documentary
Gold: “Looking at the Stars,” Alexandre Peralta, University of Southern California
Silver: “I Married My Family’s Killer,” Emily Kassie, Brown University
Bronze: “Boxeadora,” Meg Smaker, Stanford University
Narrative
Gold: “Day One,” Henry Hughes, American Film Institute, California
Silver: “This Way Up,” Jeremy Cloe, American Film Institute
Bronze: “Stealth,” Bennett Lasseter, American Film Institute
Foreign Film
Gold: “Fidelity,” Ilker Çatak, Hamburg Media School, Germany
Silver: “The Last Will,” Dustin Loose, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
Bronze: “Everything Will Be Okay” Patrick Vollrath, Filmakademie Wien, Austria
The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to provide a platform for emerging global talent by creating opportunities within the industry to showcase their work.
Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 47 Oscar nominations and have won or shared eight awards. They include Pete Docter, John Lasseter, Spike Lee, Trey Parker and Robert Zemeckis.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented its 42nd Annual Student Academy Awards® on Thursday, September 17, in Beverly Hills. Gold Medal winners (left to right): Alternative film winner Daniel Drummond, Documentary film winner Alexandre Peralta, Animated film winner Alyce Tzue, Narrative film winner Henry Hughes and Foreign film winner Ilker Catak.
Emmy-winning live television producer David Hill and Oscar-nominated producer-director Reginald Hudlin will produce the 88th Oscars telecast, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced today. It will be their first involvement with the Academy Awards, which will air live on the ABC Television Network on Oscar Sunday, February 28, 2016.
“We’re delighted to have this talented team on board,” said Boone Isaacs. “David is a true innovator with a dynamic personality. His vast experience as a live events producer, coupled with Reggie’s energy, creativity and talent as a filmmaker, is sure to make this year’s Oscar telecast a memorable one.”
“What a great and exciting honor! The quest is to honor the year in film, honor the art, and above all, make it fun,” said Hill.
“I’m looking forward to working with the Academy again,” said Hudlin. “I love every kind of film and this year’s awards will be a celebration of the total range of cinema.”
“We’re excited to work with David and Reggie,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “With their enthusiasm and breadth of experience, they will bring a fresh perspective to the Oscar show.”
An executive with the Fox group of companies for more than 25 years, Hill most recently served as the senior executive vice president of 21st Century Fox, overseeing programming, digital initiatives, and other opportunities on five continents. He was previously the chairman and CEO of Fox Sports Media Group, during which time he spearheaded the integration of new technologies and multiplatform programming services across the U.S.
A writer, director, producer and executive, Hudlin received a 2012 Best Picture Oscar nomination as a producer of “Django Unchained.” Hudlin’s film credits include “Boomerang,” “The Great White Hype” and the award-winning comedy “House Party,” which he also wrote. He executive produced the hit television series “The Boondocks” and “The Black Panther”; and has directed for “Modern Family,” “Murder in The First,” “New Girl” and “The Office.” Last year, Hudlin produced the Academy’s 6th Annual Governors Awards ceremony and has been the executive producer of the NAACP Image Awards since 2012.
The Oscars ranks as television’s #1 entertainment telecast and consistently has drawn an average audience of more than 40 million viewers for the past 10 years. The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.
The Academy and the ABC Television Network today announced the dates for the 88th, 89th and 90th Oscar presentations. The Academy Awards will air live on ABC on Oscar Sunday, February 28, 2016, February 26, 2017, andMarch 4, 2018, respectively.
Academy key dates for the 2015 Awards season are:
Saturday, November 14, 2015 Wednesday, December 30, 2015 Friday, January 8, 2016 Thursday, January 14, 2016 Monday, February 8, 2016 Friday, February 12, 2016 Saturday, February 13, 2016 Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Oscar Sunday, Feb 28, 2016
The Governors Awards Nominations voting opens 8 a.m. PT Nominations voting closes 5 p.m. PT Oscar Nominations Announcement Oscar Nominees Luncheon Final voting opens 8 a.m. PT Scientific and Technical Awards Final voting closes 5 p.m. PT 88th Academy Awards begins 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT
The 88th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
