John Bailey, the cinematographer on Ordinary People, Groundhog Day, As Good as It Gets and dozens of other notable films who endured two “stressful” terms as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, died Friday. He was 81.
Bailey died in Los Angeles, his wife, Oscar-nominated film editor Carol Littleton (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), announced.
”It is with deep sadness I share with you that my best friend and husband, John Bailey, passed away peacefully in his sleep early this morning,” she said in a statement. “During John’s illness, we reminisced how we met 60 years ago and were married for 51 of those years. We shared a wonderful life of adventure in film and made many long-lasting friendships along the way. John will forever live in my heart.”
They worked on more than a dozen features together.
The Southern California-raised Bailey served as the director of photography for...
Bailey died in Los Angeles, his wife, Oscar-nominated film editor Carol Littleton (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), announced.
”It is with deep sadness I share with you that my best friend and husband, John Bailey, passed away peacefully in his sleep early this morning,” she said in a statement. “During John’s illness, we reminisced how we met 60 years ago and were married for 51 of those years. We shared a wonderful life of adventure in film and made many long-lasting friendships along the way. John will forever live in my heart.”
They worked on more than a dozen features together.
The Southern California-raised Bailey served as the director of photography for...
- 11/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The movie industry gave the late Erik Lomis — the bold and shrewd studio distribution chief who released hundreds of movies during his career — a fitting sendoff Wednesday night.
Lomis, who died suddenly in March at age 64, posthumously received the 2023 Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Award during an emotional and touching ceremony at The Beverly Hilton on Oct. 4. And, in a surprise for those attending, Philadelphia Eagles’ radio announcer Merrill Reese narrated a tribute reel shown before team Eagles mascot Swoop presented the Pioneer Award to Lomis’ widow, Patricia Laucella (the Philly born and raised Lomis was a diehard Eagles fan).
Patricia Laucella
“Your instinct and inspiration never led you astray. I’m honored to have worked so closely with you,” said Creed series star and Creed III director Michael B. Jordan via video (the MGM threequel was the last film Lomis released in theaters before his death).
The long list of filmmakers,...
Lomis, who died suddenly in March at age 64, posthumously received the 2023 Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Award during an emotional and touching ceremony at The Beverly Hilton on Oct. 4. And, in a surprise for those attending, Philadelphia Eagles’ radio announcer Merrill Reese narrated a tribute reel shown before team Eagles mascot Swoop presented the Pioneer Award to Lomis’ widow, Patricia Laucella (the Philly born and raised Lomis was a diehard Eagles fan).
Patricia Laucella
“Your instinct and inspiration never led you astray. I’m honored to have worked so closely with you,” said Creed series star and Creed III director Michael B. Jordan via video (the MGM threequel was the last film Lomis released in theaters before his death).
The long list of filmmakers,...
- 10/5/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation (Wrmppf) is honoring one of their biggest champs this year with a posthumous recognition: late MGM and United Artists Distribution Boss Erik Lomis. The honor will be recognized at the October 4 dinner at The Beverly Hilton.
Lomis, who was a force in getting movie theaters back open as Covid quelled, and a proponent of the theatrical window with the release of the 007 title No Time to Die, passed away suddenly at 64 on March 22. Lomis was also known for his relentless and passionate fundraising for Will Rogers.
Lomis hosted last year’s Pioneer dinner which honored James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
A tradition for more than 75 years, the Pioneer of the Year Award is bestowed upon esteemed and respected members in the motion picture industry whose corporate leadership, service to the community and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional. All proceeds...
Lomis, who was a force in getting movie theaters back open as Covid quelled, and a proponent of the theatrical window with the release of the 007 title No Time to Die, passed away suddenly at 64 on March 22. Lomis was also known for his relentless and passionate fundraising for Will Rogers.
Lomis hosted last year’s Pioneer dinner which honored James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
A tradition for more than 75 years, the Pioneer of the Year Award is bestowed upon esteemed and respected members in the motion picture industry whose corporate leadership, service to the community and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional. All proceeds...
- 8/4/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday that its Board of Governors has re-elected producer Janet Yang as president of the organization. Members elected new people to fill the majority of officer positions as well, with only Lynette Howell Taylor and Kim Taylor-Coleman returning to their posts.
CEO Bill Kramer, who started his role around the same time as Yang last year, said in a statement, “I am thrilled to welcome this year’s board officers. Under Janet’s esteemed leadership, these dedicated governors will guide the Academy’s ongoing efforts to elevate the work of our global membership and film community, highlight our industry’s rich history, foster meaningful dialogue, and continue to build equity and inclusion in every aspect of our organization.”
Yang will now be in her second term as president, and her fifth year as a Governor-at-Large, having made history as the first Asian-American,...
CEO Bill Kramer, who started his role around the same time as Yang last year, said in a statement, “I am thrilled to welcome this year’s board officers. Under Janet’s esteemed leadership, these dedicated governors will guide the Academy’s ongoing efforts to elevate the work of our global membership and film community, highlight our industry’s rich history, foster meaningful dialogue, and continue to build equity and inclusion in every aspect of our organization.”
Yang will now be in her second term as president, and her fifth year as a Governor-at-Large, having made history as the first Asian-American,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Janet Yang, the film producer who a year ago was elected the 36th president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was re-elected to that post on Tuesday during the first meeting of the Academy’s recently reconstituted board of governors, the Academy has announced.
Yang, 67, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, broke into showbiz by connecting key players in the Chinese and Hollywood film industries to make possible films like Empire of the Sun before becoming a producer of films including The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt. She is just the fourth female (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin and Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and second person of color (after Boone Isaacs) ever tapped for the board’s top job.
A member of the producers branch since 2002, she has served on the board since 2019 as a governor-at-large. Three seats for governors-at-large were added to the...
Yang, 67, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, broke into showbiz by connecting key players in the Chinese and Hollywood film industries to make possible films like Empire of the Sun before becoming a producer of films including The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt. She is just the fourth female (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin and Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and second person of color (after Boone Isaacs) ever tapped for the board’s top job.
A member of the producers branch since 2002, she has served on the board since 2019 as a governor-at-large. Three seats for governors-at-large were added to the...
- 8/1/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Another year, another eight months of dogged campaigning, and another Oscars season is over. Last night’s 95th annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood unfolded in a mostly predictable fashion, with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” dominating the affair and walking off with seven prizes. And that included Jamie Lee Curtis’s last-minute win over Angela Bassett in a moment now viral for just how palpably disappointed Bassett’s reaction was: she hardly smiled and did not clap or stand for her fellow nominee.
Yet there was plenty to celebrate, what with historic, record-shattering wins for Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan and a huge comeback moment for Brendan Fraser, triumphing for “The Whale” over Austin Butler who underwent an “ego death” to play The King. There was also much to celebrate with the fact that the ceremony avoided any kind of Slap-happy moment, eschewing controversy altogether.
Yet there was plenty to celebrate, what with historic, record-shattering wins for Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan and a huge comeback moment for Brendan Fraser, triumphing for “The Whale” over Austin Butler who underwent an “ego death” to play The King. There was also much to celebrate with the fact that the ceremony avoided any kind of Slap-happy moment, eschewing controversy altogether.
- 3/13/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
If you've ever watched the red carpet at the Academy Awards there's a phrase you've probably heard over and over again, and for quite a few decades: "It's an honor just to be nominated."
And to be fair, it most certainly is. Although the Oscars were invented to bust unions, not reward artistic quality, at their best it's a gesture of support for a filmmaker from their peers. To be singled out by the other hard-working artisans in your branch as worthy of awards consideration as an actor, director, writer, cinematographer, sound designer et al is a great big feather in one's cap.
But it's a feather that can, and has been, plucked out. It's uncommon but the Academy Awards have vetoed quite a few nominations in the past — three times in the 2010s alone — in situations that stirred up controversy or, in some of the more technical or niche categories,...
And to be fair, it most certainly is. Although the Oscars were invented to bust unions, not reward artistic quality, at their best it's a gesture of support for a filmmaker from their peers. To be singled out by the other hard-working artisans in your branch as worthy of awards consideration as an actor, director, writer, cinematographer, sound designer et al is a great big feather in one's cap.
But it's a feather that can, and has been, plucked out. It's uncommon but the Academy Awards have vetoed quite a few nominations in the past — three times in the 2010s alone — in situations that stirred up controversy or, in some of the more technical or niche categories,...
- 2/1/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Allison Williams and Riz Ahmed did an admirable job of pronouncing names and film titles at Tuesday morning’s Academy Award nominations telecast, but there’s usually one moment in the annual list reading that gets people talking.
This year, that would be “My Year of Dicks,” the Sara Gunnarsdottir short that nabbed a best animated short nod from the film academy. Immediately after announcing the title, Ahmed giggled. It was a moment of levity reminiscent of the infamous 2014 gaffe when former Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs read best cinematography nominee Dick Pope’s name as “Dick Poop.”
But “My Year of Dicks” is supposed to make one cringe, as director Gunnarsdottir weaves a beautiful and dreamlike tale of a young girl on a mission to lose her virginity in the early ‘90s. Told in five chapters, the film is adapted from the memoir “Notes to Boys: And Other Things...
This year, that would be “My Year of Dicks,” the Sara Gunnarsdottir short that nabbed a best animated short nod from the film academy. Immediately after announcing the title, Ahmed giggled. It was a moment of levity reminiscent of the infamous 2014 gaffe when former Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs read best cinematography nominee Dick Pope’s name as “Dick Poop.”
But “My Year of Dicks” is supposed to make one cringe, as director Gunnarsdottir weaves a beautiful and dreamlike tale of a young girl on a mission to lose her virginity in the early ‘90s. Told in five chapters, the film is adapted from the memoir “Notes to Boys: And Other Things...
- 1/24/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The Hong Kong actor gave an in-conversastion talk at Red Sea International Film Festival.
Update: Mike Tyson will appear in Rush Hour 4, Jackie Chan confirmed at the closing ceremony of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.
Original story:
Jackie Chan revealed he is meeting with the director of Rush Hour 4 in Saudi Arabia this evening, to discuss the script for the latest instalment of the action comedy franchise.
Speaking at an in-conversation event at Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Saudi Arabia, Chan said, “We’re talking about part four right now! But the script isn’t right.
Update: Mike Tyson will appear in Rush Hour 4, Jackie Chan confirmed at the closing ceremony of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.
Original story:
Jackie Chan revealed he is meeting with the director of Rush Hour 4 in Saudi Arabia this evening, to discuss the script for the latest instalment of the action comedy franchise.
Speaking at an in-conversation event at Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Saudi Arabia, Chan said, “We’re talking about part four right now! But the script isn’t right.
- 12/8/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The Hong Kong actor gave an in-conversastion talk at Red Sea International Film Festival.
Jackie Chan revealed he is meeting with the director of Rush Hour 4 in Saudi Arabia this evening, to discuss the script for the latest instalment of the action comedy franchise.
Speaking at an in-conversation event at Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Saudi Arabia, Chan said, “We’re talking about part four right now! But the script isn’t right.”
“I will see the director tonight and we will be talking about it.”
Chan did not confirm who the director will be.
A fourth Rush Hour...
Jackie Chan revealed he is meeting with the director of Rush Hour 4 in Saudi Arabia this evening, to discuss the script for the latest instalment of the action comedy franchise.
Speaking at an in-conversation event at Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Saudi Arabia, Chan said, “We’re talking about part four right now! But the script isn’t right.”
“I will see the director tonight and we will be talking about it.”
Chan did not confirm who the director will be.
A fourth Rush Hour...
- 12/8/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Hollywood veterans Cheryl Boone Isaacs and Peter Murrieta are optimistic that “so much is possible” in the future as Hollywood and the entertainment industry at large expands to make room for more diverse stories and perspectives across the board.
Murrieta and Boone Isaacs spoke Thursday at an event to herald the recent launch of Arizona State University’s Sidney Poitier New American Film School, a program that launched earlier this year in downtown Los Angeles in the famed former Los Angeles Herald Examiner building at Broadway and 11th. Boone Isaacs is founding director of the Poitier school while Murrieta serves as deputy director and professor of practice. The two joined several other faculty members to discuss how Hollywood can grow its business and audience base by making strides toward inclusion and representation.
Boone Isaacs and Murrieta emphasized the importance of film education being hands-on enough to set students up to...
Murrieta and Boone Isaacs spoke Thursday at an event to herald the recent launch of Arizona State University’s Sidney Poitier New American Film School, a program that launched earlier this year in downtown Los Angeles in the famed former Los Angeles Herald Examiner building at Broadway and 11th. Boone Isaacs is founding director of the Poitier school while Murrieta serves as deputy director and professor of practice. The two joined several other faculty members to discuss how Hollywood can grow its business and audience base by making strides toward inclusion and representation.
Boone Isaacs and Murrieta emphasized the importance of film education being hands-on enough to set students up to...
- 10/8/2022
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
There was plenty of bonding Wednesday night as producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli received the 2022 Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. It is the first time since the pandemic began that the gala celebration was able to resume.
For nearly three decades, Broccoli and Wilson, her half brother, have controlled the blockbuster James Bond franchise. The most recent installment, No Time to Die, was one of the most successful films of the pandemic, earning north of 774 million globally. The pic marked Craig’s fifth and final turn as the iconic spy. In 2012, his film Skyfall became the first title in the series to cross 1 billion at the global box office.
Craig made a surprise appearance at the dinner, where he and Michelle Yeoh — who starred in Tomorrow Never Dies, starring Pierce Brosnan as 007 — were...
There was plenty of bonding Wednesday night as producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli received the 2022 Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. It is the first time since the pandemic began that the gala celebration was able to resume.
For nearly three decades, Broccoli and Wilson, her half brother, have controlled the blockbuster James Bond franchise. The most recent installment, No Time to Die, was one of the most successful films of the pandemic, earning north of 774 million globally. The pic marked Craig’s fifth and final turn as the iconic spy. In 2012, his film Skyfall became the first title in the series to cross 1 billion at the global box office.
Craig made a surprise appearance at the dinner, where he and Michelle Yeoh — who starred in Tomorrow Never Dies, starring Pierce Brosnan as 007 — were...
- 9/22/2022
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
On Aug. 2, hours after Janet Yang was elected as the new president of the Film Academy — becoming the first Asian person to hold the position — Universal hosted the premiere for Jo Koy’s Filipino American family comedy, Easter Sunday, where insiders cheered the historic news.
“I’m so proud of her,” producer Dan Lin told THR of his friend, who was honored at the Academy Museum with a pillar dedication in June. “It is historic on so many levels, but I think she’s a fantastic choice given all of the turmoil that the Academy’s gone through. She’s the leader we need.”
Yang, whose producing credits include The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, is known as a godmother to Asian Americans working in Hollywood. Easter Sunday writer and EP Ken Cheng reported that he experienced it firsthand.
On Aug. 2, hours after Janet Yang was elected as the new president of the Film Academy — becoming the first Asian person to hold the position — Universal hosted the premiere for Jo Koy’s Filipino American family comedy, Easter Sunday, where insiders cheered the historic news.
“I’m so proud of her,” producer Dan Lin told THR of his friend, who was honored at the Academy Museum with a pillar dedication in June. “It is historic on so many levels, but I think she’s a fantastic choice given all of the turmoil that the Academy’s gone through. She’s the leader we need.”
Yang, whose producing credits include The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, is known as a godmother to Asian Americans working in Hollywood. Easter Sunday writer and EP Ken Cheng reported that he experienced it firsthand.
- 8/11/2022
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After a tumultuous reign under David Rubin, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has voted for a new president. The winner of that election is producer Janet Yang. The 66-year-old New York native becomes only the second person of color to hold the position at the Academy (after Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and the fourth woman.
Continue reading Janet Yang Elected New Academy President at The Playlist.
Continue reading Janet Yang Elected New Academy President at The Playlist.
- 8/2/2022
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
At their Tuesday board meeting, as expected the Academy Board of Governors elected producer Janet Yang president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Yang begins her first term as president and her second term as a Governor-at-Large, a position for which she was nominated by the sitting Academy President David Rubin and elected by the Board of Governors.
Donna Gigliotti, Larry Karaszewski, David Linde, Isis Mussenden, and Wynn Thomas were re-elected as Board of Governor officers. It will be the first officer stint for Teri E. Dorman, 2020 Oscar show co-producer Lynette Howell Taylor, and Kim Taylor-Coleman.
Yang’s producing credits include “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Zero Effect,” “High Crimes,” “Dark Matter,” “Shanghai Calling” and the Oscar-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” She won an Emmy for the HBO film “Indictment: The McMartin Trial.” A member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since...
Donna Gigliotti, Larry Karaszewski, David Linde, Isis Mussenden, and Wynn Thomas were re-elected as Board of Governor officers. It will be the first officer stint for Teri E. Dorman, 2020 Oscar show co-producer Lynette Howell Taylor, and Kim Taylor-Coleman.
Yang’s producing credits include “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Zero Effect,” “High Crimes,” “Dark Matter,” “Shanghai Calling” and the Oscar-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” She won an Emmy for the HBO film “Indictment: The McMartin Trial.” A member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since...
- 8/2/2022
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Hollywood producer Janet Yang has been named the new president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization’s Board of Governors. Yang, who is of Chinese descent, is the first Asian person ever to hold the position and the fourth woman behind Fay Kanin (1979-1983), Cheryl Boone Isaacs (2013-2017) and Bette Davis (Davis resigned after two months in 1941).
Yang is beginning her first term as president and her second term as a Governor-at-Large. The Board also voted on the officers, electing:
Teri E. Dorman, Vice President Donna Gigliotti, Vice President/Secretary Lynette Howell Taylor, Vice President Larry Karaszewski, Vice President David Linde, Vice President/Treasurer Isis Mussenden, Vice President Kim Taylor-Coleman, Vice President Wynn P. Thomas, Vice President
“Janet is a tremendously dedicated and strategic leader who has an incredible record of service at the Academy,” said Bill Kramer, Academy CEO. “I am thrilled that...
Yang is beginning her first term as president and her second term as a Governor-at-Large. The Board also voted on the officers, electing:
Teri E. Dorman, Vice President Donna Gigliotti, Vice President/Secretary Lynette Howell Taylor, Vice President Larry Karaszewski, Vice President David Linde, Vice President/Treasurer Isis Mussenden, Vice President Kim Taylor-Coleman, Vice President Wynn P. Thomas, Vice President
“Janet is a tremendously dedicated and strategic leader who has an incredible record of service at the Academy,” said Bill Kramer, Academy CEO. “I am thrilled that...
- 8/2/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Producer Janet Yang has been elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy’s Board of Governors announced on Tuesday.
She was elected at a virtual meeting of the 54-member board, which was selecting a successor to casting director David Rubin. While presidents can serve four consecutive one-year terms, Rubin had to leave the board because of term limits after serving three terms.
Yang is a member of the Academy’s Producers Branch and for the past year had served as a vice president of the board and chair of the Membership Committee.
Yang is a producer of “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt” and the recent Oscar-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” Born in New York City, she will be the Academy’s first president of Asian descent, and the fourth woman after Bette Davis (who resigned after two months in...
She was elected at a virtual meeting of the 54-member board, which was selecting a successor to casting director David Rubin. While presidents can serve four consecutive one-year terms, Rubin had to leave the board because of term limits after serving three terms.
Yang is a member of the Academy’s Producers Branch and for the past year had served as a vice president of the board and chair of the Membership Committee.
Yang is a producer of “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt” and the recent Oscar-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” Born in New York City, she will be the Academy’s first president of Asian descent, and the fourth woman after Bette Davis (who resigned after two months in...
- 8/2/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Janet Yang, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, has been elected the 36th president in the 95-year history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The 66-year-old, who broke into showbiz by connecting key players in the Chinese and Hollywood film industries to make possible films like Empire of the Sun before becoming a producer of films including The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, is just the fourth female (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin and Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and second person of color (after Boone Isaacs) ever tapped by the Academy’s board to hold the board’s top job.
A member of the producers branch since 2002, Yang defeated DeVon Franklin, a member of the executives branch since 2016. Both candidates have served on the Academy’s board of governors since 2019 as governors-at-large. Three seats for governors-at-large were...
Janet Yang, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, has been elected the 36th president in the 95-year history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The 66-year-old, who broke into showbiz by connecting key players in the Chinese and Hollywood film industries to make possible films like Empire of the Sun before becoming a producer of films including The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, is just the fourth female (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin and Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and second person of color (after Boone Isaacs) ever tapped by the Academy’s board to hold the board’s top job.
A member of the producers branch since 2002, Yang defeated DeVon Franklin, a member of the executives branch since 2016. Both candidates have served on the Academy’s board of governors since 2019 as governors-at-large. Three seats for governors-at-large were...
- 8/2/2022
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has shed its non-profit status and agreed to sell the Golden Globes to acting CEO Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and turn the embattled organization into a private venture, the HFPA announced Thursday.
The sale’s proposal from Eldridge Industries LLC, which is founded and chaired by the billionaire Boehly, creates a private entity to manage its Golden Globes assets, according to the announcement, while its charitable and philanthropic programs will be preserved in a separate non-profit entity. The plan also shifts all rights for the Golden Globes intellectual property to the company and empowers it to oversee the professionalization and modernization of the Golden Globe Awards.
TheWrap last November reported exclusively of Boehly’s intention to make the Globes a for-profit organization, though the plan was denied at the time.
Terms of the vote were not disclosed, but a source told TheWrap that 76 members...
The sale’s proposal from Eldridge Industries LLC, which is founded and chaired by the billionaire Boehly, creates a private entity to manage its Golden Globes assets, according to the announcement, while its charitable and philanthropic programs will be preserved in a separate non-profit entity. The plan also shifts all rights for the Golden Globes intellectual property to the company and empowers it to oversee the professionalization and modernization of the Golden Globe Awards.
TheWrap last November reported exclusively of Boehly’s intention to make the Globes a for-profit organization, though the plan was denied at the time.
Terms of the vote were not disclosed, but a source told TheWrap that 76 members...
- 7/28/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
With new Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer in place, the next big question mark for the organization that hosts the Oscars revolves around who will replace outgoing president David Rubin, whose term ends this summer. On Aug. 2, the AMPAS Board of Governors will select its 38th president.
Whoever takes the No. 2 slot will face intense pressure to navigate agendas dictated by bylaws, decades of tradition and an ever-changing media landscape. Two front-runners have emerged to lead the organization’s nearly 10,000 members, and both are producers: Janet Yang, an Ivy League graduate whose film credits include “The Joy Luck Club” (1993), and DeVon Franklin, a former Sony Pictures Entertainment executive who is president and CEO of multimedia company Franklin Entertainment.
Yang, who is of Chinese descent, and Franklin, who is Black, would represent a new-looking Academy leadership that’s been overwhelmingly male and white over its history.
Whoever takes the No. 2 slot will face intense pressure to navigate agendas dictated by bylaws, decades of tradition and an ever-changing media landscape. Two front-runners have emerged to lead the organization’s nearly 10,000 members, and both are producers: Janet Yang, an Ivy League graduate whose film credits include “The Joy Luck Club” (1993), and DeVon Franklin, a former Sony Pictures Entertainment executive who is president and CEO of multimedia company Franklin Entertainment.
Yang, who is of Chinese descent, and Franklin, who is Black, would represent a new-looking Academy leadership that’s been overwhelmingly male and white over its history.
- 7/20/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Former Film Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and her Pacific Coast Entertainment are offering Hollywood Foreign Press Association members an annual salary of 120,000 as part of its proposal to acquire the Golden Globes show while keeping the embattled organization itself as a nonprofit.
According to a copy of a term sheet sent to members and the HFPA’s board of directors that was obtained by TheWrap, Isaacs’ Pacific Coast Entertainment proposes sharing 20 of its Globes-related revenue with the HFPA and supporting individual HFPA members with a six-figure salary for a maximum of five years, plus 100,000 in a one-time Covid relief grant as well as health care, 401(k) and other benefits. Pce also proposes creating a member’s endowment with 5 million annual contributions that would help support the freelance-heavy pool of journalists.
Pacific Coast promises to use its resources to “deepen and accelerate the transformation” of the embattled group, which has...
According to a copy of a term sheet sent to members and the HFPA’s board of directors that was obtained by TheWrap, Isaacs’ Pacific Coast Entertainment proposes sharing 20 of its Globes-related revenue with the HFPA and supporting individual HFPA members with a six-figure salary for a maximum of five years, plus 100,000 in a one-time Covid relief grant as well as health care, 401(k) and other benefits. Pce also proposes creating a member’s endowment with 5 million annual contributions that would help support the freelance-heavy pool of journalists.
Pacific Coast promises to use its resources to “deepen and accelerate the transformation” of the embattled group, which has...
- 5/17/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Friday moved closer to shedding its nonprofit status, announcing that its leadership had negotiated a term sheet to sell the Golden Globes to acting CEO Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and turn the embattled organization into a for-profit venture that he would run.
The financial terms of the Eldridge proposal were not disclosed, and the organization noted that at least one other entity has expressed interest in making an alternate proposal for the HFPA’s future — a reference to a proposed partnership with former AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs and her Pacific Coast Entertainment to improve the “tarnished” image of the HFPA.
The HFPA on Friday also announced that Boehly’s proposal and any alternatives would be reviewed by a special committee make up of producer Sharlette Hambrick, veteran nonprofit executive Jeff Harris and C-level communications marketing executive Joanna Massey — who were all named...
The financial terms of the Eldridge proposal were not disclosed, and the organization noted that at least one other entity has expressed interest in making an alternate proposal for the HFPA’s future — a reference to a proposed partnership with former AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs and her Pacific Coast Entertainment to improve the “tarnished” image of the HFPA.
The HFPA on Friday also announced that Boehly’s proposal and any alternatives would be reviewed by a special committee make up of producer Sharlette Hambrick, veteran nonprofit executive Jeff Harris and C-level communications marketing executive Joanna Massey — who were all named...
- 5/13/2022
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
Former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs this week reached out directly to members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) offering a plan to partner with her Pacific Coast Entertainment (Pce) to offer a “fresh start” to the group behind the embattled Golden Globes.
Isaacs, who steered the movie academy through the #OscarsSoWhite controversy during her 2013-17 tenure, also criticized the “disappointing” lack of response from HFPA president Helen Hoehne and Todd Boehly, the billionaire investor who serves as interim CEO of HFPA. Boehly also owns MRC, the company that produces the Globes telecast and shares in the 60 million licensing fee from NBC for the show. In the letter Isaacs said her group had already sent two letters to the members, Hoehne and Boehly.
Update: in an explosive letter sent Friday to the members, Isaacs’ partner Yusef Jackson slammed the lack of formal process...
Isaacs, who steered the movie academy through the #OscarsSoWhite controversy during her 2013-17 tenure, also criticized the “disappointing” lack of response from HFPA president Helen Hoehne and Todd Boehly, the billionaire investor who serves as interim CEO of HFPA. Boehly also owns MRC, the company that produces the Globes telecast and shares in the 60 million licensing fee from NBC for the show. In the letter Isaacs said her group had already sent two letters to the members, Hoehne and Boehly.
Update: in an explosive letter sent Friday to the members, Isaacs’ partner Yusef Jackson slammed the lack of formal process...
- 4/22/2022
- by Diane Haithman
- The Wrap
James Bond franchise architects Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have been set to receive the 2022 Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. The honor will be bestowed September 21 during a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton.
The Pioneer of the Year Award honors leaders in the movie industry whose career achievements and commitment to philanthropy is exemplary. The award, handed out for more than 70 years, is part of a gala to support the foundation’s Pioneers Assistance Fund, which provides financial assistance to individuals in need in the distribution and exhibition community.
Wilson and Broccoli have produced nine 007 films together: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002), Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and last year’s No Time to Die which marked the final Bond appearance by Daniel Craig.
“We are thrilled that Michael and Barbara will be receiving this well-deserved honor,...
The Pioneer of the Year Award honors leaders in the movie industry whose career achievements and commitment to philanthropy is exemplary. The award, handed out for more than 70 years, is part of a gala to support the foundation’s Pioneers Assistance Fund, which provides financial assistance to individuals in need in the distribution and exhibition community.
Wilson and Broccoli have produced nine 007 films together: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002), Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and last year’s No Time to Die which marked the final Bond appearance by Daniel Craig.
“We are thrilled that Michael and Barbara will be receiving this well-deserved honor,...
- 4/21/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The repercussions of Best Actor winner Will Smith attacking presenter Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars are still being felt by Hollywood, especially Black stars.
Emmy nominee David Oyelowo published a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter detailing the ripple effect of the now-infamous Oscars slap. Oyelowo has been a bystander to a number of dramatic episodes at the Oscars, from “Selma” being snubbed for Best Actor and Best Director igniting #OscarsSoWhite in 2015 to his viral reaction to “La La Land” being mistakenly announced Best Picture.
“But like most of us, nothing could have prepared me for what was to come,” Oyelowo wrote of the 94th annual Oscars. “As a Black man in the public eye, you are constantly aware of the fact that your very existence is political. You are consistently in a state of either being used as an example to perpetuate or debunk a stereotype. Those stereotypes are tied to criminality,...
Emmy nominee David Oyelowo published a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter detailing the ripple effect of the now-infamous Oscars slap. Oyelowo has been a bystander to a number of dramatic episodes at the Oscars, from “Selma” being snubbed for Best Actor and Best Director igniting #OscarsSoWhite in 2015 to his viral reaction to “La La Land” being mistakenly announced Best Picture.
“But like most of us, nothing could have prepared me for what was to come,” Oyelowo wrote of the 94th annual Oscars. “As a Black man in the public eye, you are constantly aware of the fact that your very existence is political. You are consistently in a state of either being used as an example to perpetuate or debunk a stereotype. Those stereotypes are tied to criminality,...
- 4/7/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The first Oscars of the weekend were handed out last night in Hollywood, and you can bet no one is going to argue about the worthiness of these four new recipients of the industry’s highest award.
The Governors Awards, always a great evening, came back after last year’s pandemic-related cancellation, and Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann were awarded Honorary Oscars for their illustrious careers, while Danny Glover received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. As Academy President David Rubin said in his opening remarks, these selections were essentially no-brainers. In fact, he said it was the shortest Board Of Governors meeting ever convened with the purpose of choosing those who pass the exacting test of the Board in order to receive these Oscars. As he noted when their names were proposed there was unanimous support in the room.
What wasn’t as easy, in light of...
The Governors Awards, always a great evening, came back after last year’s pandemic-related cancellation, and Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann were awarded Honorary Oscars for their illustrious careers, while Danny Glover received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. As Academy President David Rubin said in his opening remarks, these selections were essentially no-brainers. In fact, he said it was the shortest Board Of Governors meeting ever convened with the purpose of choosing those who pass the exacting test of the Board in order to receive these Oscars. As he noted when their names were proposed there was unanimous support in the room.
What wasn’t as easy, in light of...
- 3/26/2022
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
We lost Sidney Poitier, and his impact is immeasurable. He was a titan in the industry who broke barriers and Oscar records. He became the first Black man to be nominated for any acting Oscar for “The Defiant Ones” (1958). At 37, he was the first to win any competitive Oscar for “Lilies of the Field” (1963), which paved the way for Black excellence to be considered attainable by Hollywood-accolade measures.
At the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony, Poitier was given an honorary award the same night Denzel Washington won best actor (“Training Day”) and Halle Berry took home best actress (“Monster’s Ball”). Poitier is so often not acknowledged when people reflect on that night; they fail to realize how many industry events and celebrity crises had to occur for the evening to be possible. Between Russell Crowe throwing a phone and the timing of Poitier’s honor announcement, it was the perfect alignment that led to this milestone.
At the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony, Poitier was given an honorary award the same night Denzel Washington won best actor (“Training Day”) and Halle Berry took home best actress (“Monster’s Ball”). Poitier is so often not acknowledged when people reflect on that night; they fail to realize how many industry events and celebrity crises had to occur for the evening to be possible. Between Russell Crowe throwing a phone and the timing of Poitier’s honor announcement, it was the perfect alignment that led to this milestone.
- 1/14/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Late great Italian actor Vittorio Gassman, who is best known to U.S. audiences as the star of classics such as “Big Deal on Madonna Street” and “Il Sorpasso” (“The Easy Life”), will be celebrated by the Los Angeles-Italia Film Fashion and Art Festival, which will run March 20-26 at Hollywood’s Tcl Chinese Theater.
The annual pre-Oscars event comprising movies and music and celebrating showbiz ties between Italy and Hollywood, now at its 17th edition, will pay tribute to the centennial of Gassman’s birth with a mini-retro honoring the memory of the iconic thesp who, among other accolades, won the best actor prize at Cannes in 1975 for his performance as a blind man in Dino Risi’s ”Profumo di Donna,” later remade in English as ”Scent of a Woman” with Al Pacino.
“We are honored and extremely pleased to pay a well-deserved tribute to an Italian genius whose...
The annual pre-Oscars event comprising movies and music and celebrating showbiz ties between Italy and Hollywood, now at its 17th edition, will pay tribute to the centennial of Gassman’s birth with a mini-retro honoring the memory of the iconic thesp who, among other accolades, won the best actor prize at Cannes in 1975 for his performance as a blind man in Dino Risi’s ”Profumo di Donna,” later remade in English as ”Scent of a Woman” with Al Pacino.
“We are honored and extremely pleased to pay a well-deserved tribute to an Italian genius whose...
- 1/11/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Cheryl Boone Isaacs, former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, remembers Oscar winner Sidney Poitier as “a beautiful man, a creative individual, who gave a lot.”
Isaacs, who now serves as the founding director of the Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, talked poignantly and openly with Variety after learning the news of his passing on Friday at the age of 94.
“Mr. Poitier’s light was very bright,” Isaacs says. “He probably wasn’t aware of it, because most people with a lot of light are not because they’re busy being who they are.”
Poitier was the first Black man to be nominated for best actor for his performance in “The Defiant Ones” (1958), later becoming the first to win best actor for “Lilies of the Field” (1963). Recalling the night of his historic win,...
Isaacs, who now serves as the founding director of the Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, talked poignantly and openly with Variety after learning the news of his passing on Friday at the age of 94.
“Mr. Poitier’s light was very bright,” Isaacs says. “He probably wasn’t aware of it, because most people with a lot of light are not because they’re busy being who they are.”
Poitier was the first Black man to be nominated for best actor for his performance in “The Defiant Ones” (1958), later becoming the first to win best actor for “Lilies of the Field” (1963). Recalling the night of his historic win,...
- 1/7/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been named founding director of the newly established Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State U. Boone Isaacs will be director of the three-campus film school starting Jan. 1. She will lead from the Asu California Center in Los Angeles as well as from Tempe and Mesa.
“Cheryl Boone Isaacs has built her extraordinary career championing — and exemplifying — two of the primary things the Sidney Poitier New American Film School stands for: inclusion and excellence,” said Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Asu.
“Boone Isaacs is one of the most respected leaders in Hollywood and she fully understands its operating system.” He added that her experience in the industry and in education makes her the perfect person for the job.
Boone Isaacs is a decades-long veteran of the film biz as a marketing and PR maven. She...
“Cheryl Boone Isaacs has built her extraordinary career championing — and exemplifying — two of the primary things the Sidney Poitier New American Film School stands for: inclusion and excellence,” said Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Asu.
“Boone Isaacs is one of the most respected leaders in Hollywood and she fully understands its operating system.” He added that her experience in the industry and in education makes her the perfect person for the job.
Boone Isaacs is a decades-long veteran of the film biz as a marketing and PR maven. She...
- 11/16/2021
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Veteran marketing and public relations executive and former President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been named to serve as Founding Director of the Sidney Poitier New American Film School. Boone Isaacs, an adjunct professor at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, will begin as director the new three-campus film school at Asu on January 1. She plans to lead from the Asu California Center in Los Angeles as well as from Tempe and Mesa, where the state-of-the-art 118,000-square foot campus is located.
“Cheryl Boone Isaacs has built her extraordinary career championing — and exemplifying — two of the primary things the Sidney Poitier New American Film School stands for: inclusion and excellence,” said Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Asu.
“Boone Isaacs is one of the most respected leaders in Hollywood, and she fully understands its operating system,...
“Cheryl Boone Isaacs has built her extraordinary career championing — and exemplifying — two of the primary things the Sidney Poitier New American Film School stands for: inclusion and excellence,” said Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Asu.
“Boone Isaacs is one of the most respected leaders in Hollywood, and she fully understands its operating system,...
- 11/16/2021
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
It happens like clockwork every year on the day that Oscar nominations are announced. The nominees are revealed early in the morning, people parse the list to figure out what it all means, and by the end of the day there’s a controversy brewing about who was snubbed or the lack of diversity or the perceived bias of the voters.
All of that happened again this week after Monday’s nominations, but with one significant difference: The controversy had nothing to do with the Oscar voters. Their choices were respectable enough that the industry quickly moved back to assailing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and its awards show, the Golden Globes.
Sure, you could find fault with some of the Oscar omissions — Delroy Lindo, people! — and could wonder why, in a record year for nonwhite acting nominees, only one of the eight Best Picture nominees, “Judas and the Black Messiah,...
All of that happened again this week after Monday’s nominations, but with one significant difference: The controversy had nothing to do with the Oscar voters. Their choices were respectable enough that the industry quickly moved back to assailing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and its awards show, the Golden Globes.
Sure, you could find fault with some of the Oscar omissions — Delroy Lindo, people! — and could wonder why, in a record year for nonwhite acting nominees, only one of the eight Best Picture nominees, “Judas and the Black Messiah,...
- 3/19/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Women In Film, Los Angeles (Wif) is expanding its board of directors by six with the election appointments of Niija Kuykendall, Michelle Lee, Monica Levinson, Chris Nee, Shivani Rawat and Ida Ziniti.
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer, creator, or agent,” said board president Amy Baer, CEO of Gidden Media. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
Baer also saluted outgoing board members Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam, all ...
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer, creator, or agent,” said board president Amy Baer, CEO of Gidden Media. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
Baer also saluted outgoing board members Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam, all ...
Women In Film, Los Angeles (Wif) is expanding its board of directors by six with the election appointments of Niija Kuykendall, Michelle Lee, Monica Levinson, Chris Nee, Shivani Rawat and Ida Ziniti.
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer, creator, or agent,” said board president Amy Baer, CEO of Gidden Media. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
Baer also saluted outgoing board members Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam, all ...
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer, creator, or agent,” said board president Amy Baer, CEO of Gidden Media. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
Baer also saluted outgoing board members Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam, all ...
Women in Film Los Angeles has a half-dozen new board members.
New to the board are Niija Kuykendall, EVP Production at Warner Bros Pictures; Michelle Lee, Director of Domestic Programming at AppleTV+; film producer Monica Levinson; and Ida Ziniti, Co-Head of the Motion Picture Literary Department at CAA.
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert — whether as an executive, producer, creator or agent,” Board President and Gidden Media CEO Amy Baer said in making the announcement on International Women’s Day. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
She noted that outgoing board members — Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam — who have completed their terms.
New to the board are Niija Kuykendall, EVP Production at Warner Bros Pictures; Michelle Lee, Director of Domestic Programming at AppleTV+; film producer Monica Levinson; and Ida Ziniti, Co-Head of the Motion Picture Literary Department at CAA.
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert — whether as an executive, producer, creator or agent,” Board President and Gidden Media CEO Amy Baer said in making the announcement on International Women’s Day. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
She noted that outgoing board members — Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam — who have completed their terms.
- 3/9/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Advocacy group recruits Golden Globe-winning producer and executives from CAA and Warner Bros.
Women In Film, Los Angeles (Wif) has named six new board members, among them Borat Subsequent Moviefilm producer Monica Levinson, CAA’s Ida Ziniti and Warner Bros Pictures production executive Niija Kuykendall.
Also joining the advocacy group’s 2021 board are Apple TV+ director of domestic programming Michelle Lee, Emmy-winning TV executive producer Chris Nee and Shivani Rawat, CEO production and finance company ShivHans Pictures.
Wif board president Amy Baer (CEO of Gidden Media) said: “Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer,...
Women In Film, Los Angeles (Wif) has named six new board members, among them Borat Subsequent Moviefilm producer Monica Levinson, CAA’s Ida Ziniti and Warner Bros Pictures production executive Niija Kuykendall.
Also joining the advocacy group’s 2021 board are Apple TV+ director of domestic programming Michelle Lee, Emmy-winning TV executive producer Chris Nee and Shivani Rawat, CEO production and finance company ShivHans Pictures.
Wif board president Amy Baer (CEO of Gidden Media) said: “Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer,...
- 3/9/2021
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
The diversity and inclusion initiative has been a heavy focus for the Oscars the past few years, shown by the expansive membership initiative. Today, as part of the Academy Aperture 2025 initiative, AMPAS announced new representation and inclusion standards in order to be eligible in the best picture category.
For the 94th and 95th Oscars ceremonies, scheduled for 2022 and 2023, a film will submit a confidential Academy Inclusion Standards form to be considered for best picture. Beginning in 2024, for the 96th Oscars, a film submitting for best picture will need to meet the inclusion thresholds by meeting two of the four standards.
All other Academy categories will keep their current eligibility requirements. For categories such as animated feature, documentary feature and international feature, that submit for best picture consideration, they will be addressed separately.
For a number of years, the Academy has struggled to nominate films that are diverse in its cast,...
For the 94th and 95th Oscars ceremonies, scheduled for 2022 and 2023, a film will submit a confidential Academy Inclusion Standards form to be considered for best picture. Beginning in 2024, for the 96th Oscars, a film submitting for best picture will need to meet the inclusion thresholds by meeting two of the four standards.
All other Academy categories will keep their current eligibility requirements. For categories such as animated feature, documentary feature and international feature, that submit for best picture consideration, they will be addressed separately.
For a number of years, the Academy has struggled to nominate films that are diverse in its cast,...
- 9/9/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Virgil Films has acquired the U.S. and Canadian digital rights to Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies, a feature-length look at Alan Ladd Jr. directed by his daughter, Amanda Ladd Jones.
The studio boss and producer is responsible for some of Hollywood’s all-time biggest titles, including Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, Chariots of Fire, Police Academy, Braveheart, Thelma & Louise and Young Frankenstein. The film features interviews with George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Affleck, Ron Howard, Morgan Freeman, Mel Brooks, Richard Donner.
As Deadline noted in a 2017 post, Ladd had a low-key style and was a man of few words relative to the industry’s chattering norms. When he was just 37, having grown up in the industry as the son of a popular Hollywood actor, Ladd became head of production at 20th Century Fox. Before long, he had green-lit several films that would cement his legacy.
The studio boss and producer is responsible for some of Hollywood’s all-time biggest titles, including Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, Chariots of Fire, Police Academy, Braveheart, Thelma & Louise and Young Frankenstein. The film features interviews with George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Affleck, Ron Howard, Morgan Freeman, Mel Brooks, Richard Donner.
As Deadline noted in a 2017 post, Ladd had a low-key style and was a man of few words relative to the industry’s chattering norms. When he was just 37, having grown up in the industry as the son of a popular Hollywood actor, Ladd became head of production at 20th Century Fox. Before long, he had green-lit several films that would cement his legacy.
- 6/9/2020
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
While the Venice Film Festival is poised to lead the way among top-tier film events a trio of smaller Italian summer fests with international standing is now also set to hold physical editions prior to September when the Lido plans to take its post-pandemic plunge.
Restrictions are rapidly lifting in Italy, where the coronavirus curve is finally flattening after the longest lockdown in Europe. Starting Wednesday Italy is allowing travelers from the 25 other members of the Schengen visa-free travel area that covers much of Europe to enter the country with no restrictions.
And, along with Venice topper Alberto Barbera, several other Italian fest chiefs are busy trying to rise to the challenge of not cancelling their events or making them go entirely digital.
Italy’s first post-lockdown shindig, barring complications, will be the annual Ischia Global Film and Music Fest, renamed “Ischia Smart 2020” this year, and set to be held...
Restrictions are rapidly lifting in Italy, where the coronavirus curve is finally flattening after the longest lockdown in Europe. Starting Wednesday Italy is allowing travelers from the 25 other members of the Schengen visa-free travel area that covers much of Europe to enter the country with no restrictions.
And, along with Venice topper Alberto Barbera, several other Italian fest chiefs are busy trying to rise to the challenge of not cancelling their events or making them go entirely digital.
Italy’s first post-lockdown shindig, barring complications, will be the annual Ischia Global Film and Music Fest, renamed “Ischia Smart 2020” this year, and set to be held...
- 6/3/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
In today’s film news roundup, DreamWorks Animation hires a Sony vet, indie comedy “Kombucha Cure” gets cast, “Siempre, Luis” gets sold and Women In Film names new board members.
Acquisition
HBO has acquired worldwide television and streaming rights to the documentary feature film “Siempre, Luis,” which had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
First-time filmmaker John James’ film is a portrait of Luis A. Miranda Jr., a Puerto Rican migrant who helped shape New York politics for over three decades. He’s also the father of Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“My first film started as the story of a tireless migrant who built an extraordinary legacy,” said James. “Yet, as I followed Luis Miranda over a lengthy period of time, I couldn’t have imagined that he would see his native Puerto Rico face catastrophic crisis just as our mainland is thrown into bitter political upheaval. We’re excited...
Acquisition
HBO has acquired worldwide television and streaming rights to the documentary feature film “Siempre, Luis,” which had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
First-time filmmaker John James’ film is a portrait of Luis A. Miranda Jr., a Puerto Rican migrant who helped shape New York politics for over three decades. He’s also the father of Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“My first film started as the story of a tireless migrant who built an extraordinary legacy,” said James. “Yet, as I followed Luis Miranda over a lengthy period of time, I couldn’t have imagined that he would see his native Puerto Rico face catastrophic crisis just as our mainland is thrown into bitter political upheaval. We’re excited...
- 2/1/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Women in Film, Los Angeles (Wif L.A.) has added four new members to its 2020 Board of Directors — TriStar Pictures chief Nicole Brown, Showtime acquisitions executive Helen Huang, former Oscars head Cheryl Boone Isaacs and YouTube Originals exec Margie Moreno have joined the board.
“Each of the new Board members brings her own unique expertise that is so valuable to our organization as we serve women in an industry that is evolving and broadening its reach,” said Board President Amy Baer. “We are also incredibly grateful for the years of service that our outgoing Board members have generously given to the organization. Rowena Arguelles, Jane Fleming, Deborah Liebling, Ghen Laraya Long, Hannah Minghella, and Cathy Schulman have completed their terms, and their guidance of Wif’s advocacy work and programming has been invaluable.”
Wif L.A. Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer added: “The 2020 Board of Directors is comprised of exceptional women...
“Each of the new Board members brings her own unique expertise that is so valuable to our organization as we serve women in an industry that is evolving and broadening its reach,” said Board President Amy Baer. “We are also incredibly grateful for the years of service that our outgoing Board members have generously given to the organization. Rowena Arguelles, Jane Fleming, Deborah Liebling, Ghen Laraya Long, Hannah Minghella, and Cathy Schulman have completed their terms, and their guidance of Wif’s advocacy work and programming has been invaluable.”
Wif L.A. Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer added: “The 2020 Board of Directors is comprised of exceptional women...
- 1/31/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Until Issa Rae and John Cho announced “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo as a nominee for best actress for the 92nd Academy Awards, it was looking increasingly likely that the Oscars were heading for a repeat of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that drove the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences four years ago to aggressively begin diversifying its membership.
Instead, Erivo saved the Academy from the embarrassment of yet another slate of all-white acting nominees — but just barely.
This year’s Oscar nominations for acting still managed to shut out a wealth of highly regarded performances by actors of color who did earn nominations for several other lead-up awards.
Those include Awkwafina in “The Farewell” (best actress winner at the Golden Globes and nominee at the Critics’ Choice Awards), Jennifer Lopez in “Hustlers”, Eddie Murphy in “Dolemite Is My Name” (best actor nominee at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards...
Instead, Erivo saved the Academy from the embarrassment of yet another slate of all-white acting nominees — but just barely.
This year’s Oscar nominations for acting still managed to shut out a wealth of highly regarded performances by actors of color who did earn nominations for several other lead-up awards.
Those include Awkwafina in “The Farewell” (best actress winner at the Golden Globes and nominee at the Critics’ Choice Awards), Jennifer Lopez in “Hustlers”, Eddie Murphy in “Dolemite Is My Name” (best actor nominee at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards...
- 1/13/2020
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
What a difference a decade makes.
At the beginning of the 2010s, the Oscars were already showing signs of change: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had expanded the Best Picture category from five to 10 nominees and given the Best Director award to a woman for the first time ever, while also looking for new income sources as Oscar show ratings fell and the economic downturn hit AMPAS investments.
Even so, nobody could have foreseen just how dramatically the awards, and the Academy that hands them out, would be transformed over the next 10 years. While the 1930s saw the Oscars grow from seven categories decided by committee to 20 categories and thousands of voters, and the 1950s put the Oscars on television, it’s hard to find a more transformational decade than the 2010s.
Here’s a look at the changes, which have included the profound impact of #OscarsSoWhite and #MeToo,...
At the beginning of the 2010s, the Oscars were already showing signs of change: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had expanded the Best Picture category from five to 10 nominees and given the Best Director award to a woman for the first time ever, while also looking for new income sources as Oscar show ratings fell and the economic downturn hit AMPAS investments.
Even so, nobody could have foreseen just how dramatically the awards, and the Academy that hands them out, would be transformed over the next 10 years. While the 1930s saw the Oscars grow from seven categories decided by committee to 20 categories and thousands of voters, and the 1950s put the Oscars on television, it’s hard to find a more transformational decade than the 2010s.
Here’s a look at the changes, which have included the profound impact of #OscarsSoWhite and #MeToo,...
- 12/29/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Critics Choice Association announced today that it will celebrate more than 100 years of black cinema and honor the achievements of 2019 at the Celebration of Black Cinema on Monday, December 2 at the new Landmark Annex (part of The Landmark theatre complex) in Los Angeles. The event will honor four individuals for their outstanding achievements in film this year.
Eddie Murphy will receive the Career Achievement Award as a tribute to his extraordinary roles over the years. Recognized most recently for his brilliant portrayal of the legendary Rudy Ray Moore in Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name, Murphy’s performance helps shed light on an era when black artists were pioneering new-found ways to reach black audiences and tell their own stories. He has continued to impress critics and audiences alike, all while blazing the trail for those who have come after him.
Nia Long will be honored for her performance...
Eddie Murphy will receive the Career Achievement Award as a tribute to his extraordinary roles over the years. Recognized most recently for his brilliant portrayal of the legendary Rudy Ray Moore in Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name, Murphy’s performance helps shed light on an era when black artists were pioneering new-found ways to reach black audiences and tell their own stories. He has continued to impress critics and audiences alike, all while blazing the trail for those who have come after him.
Nia Long will be honored for her performance...
- 11/20/2019
- Look to the Stars
Eddie Murphy will receive the Career Achievement Award, and Nia Long, Chiwetel Ejiofor and director Kasi Lemmons will also be honored December 2 at the Celebration of Black Cinema presented by the Critics Choice Association (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association).
The event at the new Landmark Annex, part of the Landmark Theatre complex in Los Angeles, is designed to toast more than 100 years of black cinema and will be feting four individuals for their outstanding achievements in film in 2019, which is also the 100-year anniversary of The Homesteader from director Oscar Micheaux, credited by many as the first African American to make a feature-length film. He would go on to produce and/or direct another 44 films between 1919-1948.
Former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Cheryl Boone Isaacs will host the evening, which benefits the UCLA Film & Television Archive and its commitment to the preservation of cinema.
The event at the new Landmark Annex, part of the Landmark Theatre complex in Los Angeles, is designed to toast more than 100 years of black cinema and will be feting four individuals for their outstanding achievements in film in 2019, which is also the 100-year anniversary of The Homesteader from director Oscar Micheaux, credited by many as the first African American to make a feature-length film. He would go on to produce and/or direct another 44 films between 1919-1948.
Former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Cheryl Boone Isaacs will host the evening, which benefits the UCLA Film & Television Archive and its commitment to the preservation of cinema.
- 11/19/2019
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Eddie Murphy is set to receive the Career Achievement Award from the Critics Choice Association as part of a celebration of black cinema, the awards group announced Tuesday.
Nia Long, Kasi Lemmons and Chiwetel Ejiofor will also be honored as part of a ceremony for the Celebration of Black Cinema on Monday, Dec. 2 at the new Landmark Annex as part of the Landmark Theatres complex in Los Angeles.
Murphy is being recognized following his work as blaxploitation film star Rudy Ray Moore in the film “Dolemite Is My Name,” which the Critics Choice Association says helps sheds light on an era when black artists were pioneering new-found ways to reach black audiences and tell their own stories.
Also Read: Eddie Murphy Says Barack Obama Pushed Him to Return to Standup
Long will be honored for her performance as Eunice Garrett in Apple’s “The Banker,” a story about African Americans...
Nia Long, Kasi Lemmons and Chiwetel Ejiofor will also be honored as part of a ceremony for the Celebration of Black Cinema on Monday, Dec. 2 at the new Landmark Annex as part of the Landmark Theatres complex in Los Angeles.
Murphy is being recognized following his work as blaxploitation film star Rudy Ray Moore in the film “Dolemite Is My Name,” which the Critics Choice Association says helps sheds light on an era when black artists were pioneering new-found ways to reach black audiences and tell their own stories.
Also Read: Eddie Murphy Says Barack Obama Pushed Him to Return to Standup
Long will be honored for her performance as Eunice Garrett in Apple’s “The Banker,” a story about African Americans...
- 11/19/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Elizabeth Banks became the first female director honored as Pioneer of the Year in the 78-year history of the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. The feeling in the room for an industry run largely by white men was that it seemed just the right choice in 2019 to honor a woman who does it all: produce, direct, write, act and even host a game show (she Mc’d the ABC revival of Press Your Luck this summer). And for an organization that is a charity all about giving back, Banks is a philanthropist who advocates for women’s rights and health for a number of prominent groups from Planned Parenthood to Center For Reproductive Rights to Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative and many more.
The award was presented Wednesday at the organization’s annual Pioneer Awards dinner at the Beverly Hilton, the first time in a decade for the...
The award was presented Wednesday at the organization’s annual Pioneer Awards dinner at the Beverly Hilton, the first time in a decade for the...
- 9/26/2019
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Receiving the 2019 Pioneer of the Year award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, Elizabeth Banks is leading in a new field. In addition to her achievements as an actor, director, producer and writer, Banks also devotes considerable time and money to a wide array of philanthropic efforts and organizations.
And on Sept. 25 she will be the first female director to receive the honor in the 78-year history of the Pioneer of the Year Dinner benefiting the Pioneers Assistance Fund. Banks was surprised and delighted by the prestigious honor.
“I’m pretty excited to be following in the footsteps of so many incredible past honorees,” says Banks, who joins a who’s who of legendary recipients such as Cecil B. DeMille, Jack Warner, Darryl F. Zanuck, Cheryl Boone Isaacs and last year’s honoree Tom Cruise. “And we’ve already raised over a million dollars for the Pioneer Assistance Fund,...
And on Sept. 25 she will be the first female director to receive the honor in the 78-year history of the Pioneer of the Year Dinner benefiting the Pioneers Assistance Fund. Banks was surprised and delighted by the prestigious honor.
“I’m pretty excited to be following in the footsteps of so many incredible past honorees,” says Banks, who joins a who’s who of legendary recipients such as Cecil B. DeMille, Jack Warner, Darryl F. Zanuck, Cheryl Boone Isaacs and last year’s honoree Tom Cruise. “And we’ve already raised over a million dollars for the Pioneer Assistance Fund,...
- 9/25/2019
- by Paul Plunkett
- Variety Film + TV
David Rubin is the 37th president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The decision came Tuesday night at a meeting of the AMPAS board of governors, which also selected a new slate of officers.
Rubin, the casting branch governor and board secretary, will succeed exiting president John Bailey, who served two back-to-back terms that were plagued with a variety of scandals and misunderstandings, from an ill-fated push to change the annual Oscar ceremony with the addition of an Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film category and snipping of televised awards for categories like Best Editing and Best Cinematography, to a leaked sexual harassment investigation (he was later exonerated).
Rubin is the first casting director to hold the position of Academy President. His more than 100 film and television credits include “The English Patient,” “Men in Black,” “Hairspray,” “Lars and the Real Girl,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Rubin, the casting branch governor and board secretary, will succeed exiting president John Bailey, who served two back-to-back terms that were plagued with a variety of scandals and misunderstandings, from an ill-fated push to change the annual Oscar ceremony with the addition of an Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film category and snipping of televised awards for categories like Best Editing and Best Cinematography, to a leaked sexual harassment investigation (he was later exonerated).
Rubin is the first casting director to hold the position of Academy President. His more than 100 film and television credits include “The English Patient,” “Men in Black,” “Hairspray,” “Lars and the Real Girl,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral.
- 8/7/2019
- by Kate Erbland and Dana Harris
- Indiewire
The reign of John Bailey has mercifully come to an end and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences now has a new president, David Rubin. The first Casting Director to be AMPAS President, Rubin also is the second white male to hold the position after Cheryl Boone Isaacs impressive run from 2013-2017. Is that a mistake? Should it even matter when the Academy is trying to diversify it’s ranks and the industry itself?
Continue reading David Rubin Elected New President of The Academy: Can He Lead The Academy Into The New Decade? at The Playlist.
Continue reading David Rubin Elected New President of The Academy: Can He Lead The Academy Into The New Decade? at The Playlist.
- 8/7/2019
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
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