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Hope and Heart : Celebrating 40 years of SBIFF on opening night

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40 Years of SBIFF 2025 OPENING NIGHT: on a rainy night, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) opened its 40th edition with the U.S. premiere of “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,”, offering a much-needed respite after a challenging month marked by devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

Starting on February 4, the festival features 33 world premieres from 60 countries, with over half directed by women. Notable stars expected to attend this milestone celebration include Angelina Jolie, Ralph Fiennes, and Timothée Chalamet.

 

Interviews

 

 

At the Arlington Theatre opening, Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse reflected on the festival's 40-year journey, followed by SBIFF executive director Roger Durling, who expressed his passion for films and his vision of the role of Film Festivals. He emphasized the healing powers of cinema, how it fosters belonging, and builds communities.

Mr Durling also announced SBIFF's commitment to year-round programming, embedding art and creativity in Santa Barbara throughout the year.

Reiterating the festival's dedication to the community, SBIFF has pledged support for LA fire relief by partnering with Direct Relief to raise funds, featuring a $100,000 matching grant and limited-edition anniversary T-shirts.

Kicking off the festival at the Arlington Theatre was the U.S. premiere of “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,” French director Laura Piani’s first feature film.

This finely crafted and elegantly shot Franco-British romantic comedy explores the back and forth between a character's desire and her reality.

It follows an aspiring writer, portrayed by captivating actress Camille Rutherford, on a journey to find her creative voice, yearning for love while also dealing with grief.

The film is a witty and hopeful fairytale about embracing vulnerability and creating human connections in an increasingly disconnected world.

It reflects on the role of literature in our lives, Jane Austen's timeless impact, and on the importance of poetry found through life’s imperfection. Ultimately, it is a story about friendship, love, and forging one’s true path.

Overall, this heartwarming opening night of the Santa Barbara Film Festival remained true to its mission, embodying the promise of inclusivity, togetherness and the joy that cinema provides.

 

Helene Frain & Guy Kennedy

MTFB OSCAR SPECIAL: FINAL NOMINATION PREDICTIONS

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 MTFB OSCAR SPECIAL; FINAL NOMINATION PREDICTIONS



Well, here we are...months removed from the close of TFF #51 and now down to less than 24 hours until the big reveal of nominees for the 97th Academy Awards.  It could be a history making day for film from Telluride and the Oscars.  The largest number of nominees in a single year that have come from TFF films is 35 which has happened thrice with TFF films from 2016, 2021 and 2023 (those are the years of the fest).  TFF could see 35+ nominations for films that screened there by the end of the announcement tomorrow morning.  Exciting stuff...


So, drumroll please, here are the MTFB final Oscar nomination predictions (as always, TFF films are in Bold.  The film's previous rank is to the right in parentheses).


BEST PICTURE




1) Conclave
2) Emilia Perez
3) The Brutalist
4) Anora
5) A Complete Unknown
6) Wicked
7) Dune: Part Two
8) A Real Pain
9) The Substance
10) Sing Sing

Others: September 5, Nickel Boys and All We Imagine as Light.

Comment: It looks like TFF films will land four of the 10 slots which ties a record for TFF.  However, if any of the "Other" possibilities sneak in over Sing Sing or The Substance, a new record could be set.  I'd really love it if September 5 could slide in.


BEST DIRECTION

1) Brady Corbet/The Brutalist
2) Sean Baker/Anora
3) Jacques Audiard/Emilia Perez
4) Edward Berger/Conclave
5) Coralie Fargeat/The Substance

Others: James Mangold/ A Complete Unknown, RaMell Ross/Nickel Boys and Payal Kapadia/All We Imagine as Light.


BEST ACTRESS

1) Demi Moore/The Substance
2) Mikey Madison/Anora
3) Karla Sofia Gascon/Emilia Perez
4) Cynthia Erivo/Wicked
5) Fernanda Torres/I'm Still Here

Others: Marianne Jean-Baptiste/Hard Truths, Pamela Anderson/The Last Showgirl and Angelina Jolie/Maria.


BEST ACTOR

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Celebrating Sundance Institute Presented by Google TV, co-chaired by Ebs Burnough and Pat Mitchell

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Celebrating Sundance Institute Presented by Google TV, at the  Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, in Park City, Utah, starting January 24 at 6:30 p.m. MT with a cocktail reception. The dinner and program will begin at 8 p.m. MT.

Celebrating Sundance Institute Presented by Google TV, co-chaired by Ebs Burnough and Pat Mitchell, will celebrate Michelle Satter, Sundance Institute’s Founding Senior Director of Artist Programs, for her unparalleled commitment to nurturing and supporting artists through the Sundance Labs for the past four decades. Sundance Labs and Festival alum James Mangold, writer-director of A Complete Unknown, will be honored with the Trailblazer Award in recognition of his unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of cinema. Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award–winner and two-time Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo, currently starring as Elphaba in Universal Pictures’ Wicked, will be honored with the Visionary Award in recognition of her uncompromising work and notable contributions to the entertainment industry.The annual Vanguard Awards Presented by Acura will be awarded to Sean Wang, writer-director of Dìdi (弟弟), and Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, co-directors of Sugarcane, who premiered their films at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Your support, this evening and beyond, directly contributes to Sundance Institute’s year-round work enabling artists to bring their stories to life. Through these ongoing grants, mentorships, and other critical resources, the work that Michelle has built and championed will continue for decades to come.

Since 1981, the nonprofit Sundance Institute, founded by Robert Redford, has been dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Through our programs, we seek to uplift, support, and inspire independent film and media artists from around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. Be a part of the night’s magic all while helping support the Institute’s mission to cultivate the next generation of filmmakers.

 

Honorees
Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award

James Mangold

 
 

With A Complete Unknown James Mangold continues the tradition of filmmakers who can project their own vision and style onto a range of genres, uniting his films with constant humanist themes, intimate performances, and striking staging and imagery. Mangold’s diverse award-winning writing and directing work includes Heavy, Cop Land, Girl, Interrupted, Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma, Best Adapted Screenplay nominee Logan, and Best Picture nominee Ford v. Ferrari. Over his career, Mangold has collaborated with legendary actors such as Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, Vanessa Redgrave, Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Reese Witherspoon (Oscar winner for Walk the Line), Joaquin Phoenix (Oscar nominee for Walk the Line), Meg Ryan, Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie (Oscar winner for Girl, Interrupted), Winona Ryder, and Harrison Ford.

 

Sundance Institute Visionary Award

BAFTA and TFF #51 / MTFB Oscar Update-It's in Flux-Updating the Big Eight / Interviews and Profiles

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BAFTA AND TFF #51



First came the longlists and now we have the actual nominees from the British Academy of Film and Televisions Arts (BAFTA).  The Brits have nominated 14 films that played at TFF #51 for a total of 45 nominations.  Conclave and Emilia Perez had the most noms with a dozen and 11 respectively.  Here's the complete rundown of BAFTA nominations and TFF films:

Conclave (12): Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Direction, Actor (Fiennes), Supporting Actress (Rossellini), Casting, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Production Design, Score and Costumes.

Emilia Perez (11): Best Film, Best Film Not in the English Language, Direction, Actress (Gascon), Supporting Actress (Saldana), Supporting Actress (Gomez), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Score and Makeup/Hair.

Anora (7): Best Film, Direction, Actress (Madison), Supporting Actor (Borisov), Original Screenplay, Casting and Editing.

The Apprentice (3): Best Actor (Stan), Supporting Actor (Strong) and Casting.

A Real Pain (2): Best Supporting Actor (Culkin) and Original Screenplay.

The Outrun (2): Outstanding British Film and Best Actress (Ronan).

All other films have a single nomination as follows:

Nickel Boys: Best Adapted Screenplay.
No Other Land: Best Documentary.
Will & Harper: Best Documentary.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig: Best Film Not in the English Language.
All We Imagine as Light: Best Film Not in the English Language.
Bird: Outstanding British Film.
Santosh: Outstanding Debut.
Better Man: Best Special Visual Effects.


The BAFTA Awards will be handed out on Feb. 16th.



MTFB OSCAR UPDATE-IT'S IN FLUX




It's all pretty messy now.  Oscar nominations are now set to be announced on Jan. 23rd.  Today I'm updating the nomination predictions for the Big Eight categories: Picture, Direction, all four acting categories and the two screenplay categories.  My plan at the moment is to focus on updating close races in Monday's post and do a Special Final Oscar Nom post on Wednesday the 22

MTFB Oscar Update: Screenplays and More / MTFB Predicted Nomination Totals / SAG and DGA Nominations and TFF / IndieWire's 50+ Most Anticipated and TFF

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 MTFB OSCAR UPDATE: SCREENPLAYS AND MORE


Before we get to this post's Oscar nomination predictions, The Academy last night extended the nomination voting window by two days and moved the announcement of nominees to Sunday, January 19th due to the L.A. fires.  Now, onto the predictions which seem sort of a small consideration in light of what's going on in Southern California.

Here are updated nomination predictions for the Screenplay categories as well as for Best Costume Design, Makeup/Hair and Visual Effects. These categories were last predicted on Dec. 26th.  A film's previous rank appears to the right in parentheses. TFF #51 films are in Bold.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

1) Conclave (1)
2) Emilia Perez (2)
3) Sing Sing (3)
4) Nickel Boys (4)
5) Dune Part Two (5)

Others: A Complete Unknown, Wicked and The Room Next Door.


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY




1) Anora (1)
2) The Brutalist (2)
3) A Real Pain (3)
4) The Substance (4)
5) September 5 (5)

Others: Hard Truths, All We Imagine as Light and The Seed of the Sacred Fig.


BEST COSTUME DESIGN

1) Wicked (1)
2) Dune Part Two (2)
3) Gladiator II (4)
4) Maria (3)
5) Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (5)

Others: Nosferatu, Conclave and Blitz.


BEST MAKEUP/HAIR

1) The Substance (1)
2) Wicked (2)
3) Dune Part Two (3)
4) Nosferatu (4)
5) A Different Man (5)

Others: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Emilia Perez, The Apprentice.


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

The Festival Beat N°1120 and a Happy new year

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THE FESTIVAL BEAT MAKER ! SHARING MOTION AND EMOTION SINCE 1995   Wishing you happy new year
 
I take this opportunity to extend our warmest wishes for a successful new year on the festival circuit. We are working hard on a new version of our platform to better serve our community. Filmfestivals.com was established in 1995 before google existed, turned into a social network in 2006 with a blog platform welcoming festivals and film professionnals with some 120 000 articles.In the meantime we are busy maintaining the old site and offering some visibility and promotion in our temp dailies
 

 

FOLLOW US : facebook0.thumbnail.png   twitter_logo.thumbnail.png      

With other 11 000 festivals worldwide which we cover: no surprise reaching the '1100' mark for our newsletters count. We proudly share our knowledge of the Festival circuit with our community and really hope our audience will ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE. In case you missed any of these 1100+ newsletters ... you ll find them all here.    

> PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL in focus
 
Adrian Brody on the Red Carpet at the Palm Springs FF Award show Friday night and will be at the Golden Globes next
We well remember the Premiere of the “The Pianist,” in Cannes where the audience applause shook the room during ahhhh standing ovation.  Adrian went on to win the Academy  Award that year at the age of 29.  The youngest to ever achieve that honor.  And now having won many critic awards, will he win tonight at the Golden Globes with its International audience and voting members. ...

VIDEO The Golden Globes 2025 Award Winners

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The Golden Globes, often referred to as “Hollywood’s Party of the Year®,” is the largest awards show in the world to celebrate the best of both film and television. Emmy®-nominated comedian and actress Nikki Glaser hosted this year’s show, and multi-Emmy Award®-winning producing duo Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner of White Cherry Entertainment (WCE) served as executive producing showrunners for the 82nd Golden Globes. A Dick Clark Productions : the annual Golden Globes have been viewed in more than 185 countries and territories worldwide.

And the winners are:... Emilia Perez won 4 trophies (and 10 nominations)

Best Motion Picture, Drama
“The Brutalist”
Nominees in this category: “The Brutalist”; “A Complete Unknown”; “Conclave”; “Dune: Part Two”; “Nickel Boys”; “September 5”
 

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
“Emilia Pérez”
Nominees in this category: “Anora”; “Challengers”; “Emilia Pérez”; “A Real Pain”; “The Substance”; “Wicked”

 

Best Motion Picture, Animated
“Flow”
Nominees in this category: “Flow”; “Inside Out 2”; “Memoir of a Snail”; ”Moana 2”; “The Wild Robot”; “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”


Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
“Wicked”
Nominees in this category: “Alien: Romulus”; “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”; “Deadpool & Wolverine”; “Gladiator II”; “Inside Out 2”; “Twisters”; “Wicked”; “The Wild Robot”

Best Motion Picture, Non-English Language
“Emilia Pérez”
Nominees in this category: “All We Imagine as Light”; “Emilia Pérez”; “The Girl With the Needle”; “I’m Still Here”; “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”; “Vermiglio”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”
Nominees in this category: Pamela Anderson, “The Last Showgirl”; Angelina Jolie, “Maria”; Nicole Kidman, “Babygirl”; Tilda Swinton, “The Room Next Door”; Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”; Kate Winslet, “Lee”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”
Nominees in this category: Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”; Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”; Daniel Craig, “Queer”; Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”; Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”; Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice”

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Demi Moore, “The Substance”
Nominees in this category: Amy Adams, “Nightbitch”; Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”; Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”; Mikey Madison, “Anora”; Demi Moore, “The Substance”; Zendaya, “Challengers”

PSIFF Honored Wicked's Ariana Grande with The Rising Star Award

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                                                  PSIFF Honored Wicked's Ariana Grande with The Rising Star Award
 
The Palm Springs International Film Awards announced that Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global star Ariana Grande was the recipient of the Rising Star Award for her performance in Universal Pictures’ Wicked, her first starring role in a major studio film. The Film Awards took place on January 3, 2025, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 2-13, 2025. The event was presented by Silvercrest and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
 
Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, is based on the generation-defining stage musical about the untold story of the witches of Oz. Grande plays Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege, whose life and world view is upended by her unlikely friendship with Elphaba, a young woman ostracized because of her green skin. Their adventures together will lead them to fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
 
“In Wicked, Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda elevates her to new heights with a powerful acting performance that beautifully combines her outstanding musical talent, brilliant characterization and impeccable comedic timing,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Ariana is an iconic global performer, who has seamlessly transitioned to film in her first major starring role, proving herself to be a multifaceted and undeniable talent. This role is certain to be the beginning of the many accolades she will garner throughout her acting career. It is our great honor to recognize Ariana Grande with the Rising Star Award.”
 
Past recipients of the Rising Star Award include Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow), Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation), Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone), and Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl and Ex Machina). In the years those actors were each honored, Howard, Lawrence, and Kendrick received Academy Award® nominations, and Vikander received the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award.
 
Grande joins this year’s announced honorees: Adrien Brody (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor); Timothée Chalamet (Chairman’s Award); Conclave (Ensemble Performance Award) presented to actors Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Lucian Msamati; Kieran Culkin (Breakthrough Performance Award, Actor); Colman Domingo (Spotlight Award, Actor); Angelina Jolie (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress); Nicole Kidman (International Star Award); Mikey Madison (Breakthrough Performance Award, Actress); and Emilia Pérez (Vanguard Award) presented to director Jacques Audiard and actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez.
 
Grande is the first artist to hold the top three Billboard Hot 100 spots since The Beatles in 1964 with “7 Rings,” “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored,” and “Thank U, Next.” At age 31, she has delivered seven consecutive platinum-selling albums led by 4x Platinum &ldqu

PSIFF Awards Kieran Culkin with the Breakthrough Performance Award

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PSIFF Awards Kieran Culkin with the Breakthrough Performance Award
 
The Palm Springs International Film Awards announced that Kieran Culkin is the recipient of the Breakthrough Performance Award, Actor for his performance in A Real Pain. The Film Awards took place on January 3, 2025, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 2-13, 2025. The event was presented by Silvercrest and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
 
"Kieran Culkin delivers an extraordinary performance in his latest role as Benji in A Real Pain. The film follows two cousins who, after the death of their grandmother, embark on a tour of Polish Holocaust history, stirring a mix of emotions as they confront their shared past,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Culkin brings remarkable depth to his character—a free spirit whose charm captivates a small tour group, yet who wrestles with the emotions of family loss and a sense of an unfulfilled life. For this complex performance, we present Kieran Culkin with this year’s Breakthrough Performance Award.”
 
Culkin joins this year’s previously announced honorees Adrien Brody (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor), Conclave (Ensemble Performance Award) presented to actors Ralph FiennesIsabella RosselliniStanley TucciJohn Lithgow, and Lucian MsamatiColman Domingo (Spotlight Award, Actor); Angelina Jolie (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress); NicoleKidman (International Star Award); Mikey Madison (Breakthrough Performance Award); and Emilia Pérez (Vanguard Award) presented to director Jacques Audiard and actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez.
 
Past recipients of the Breakthrough Performance Award include Mahershala Ali, Austin Butler, Rami Malek, David Oyelowo, and Jeremy Renner. In the years they were honored, Ali and Malek went on to receive Academy Awards, while Butler and Renner received nominations.
 
A Real Painpresented by Searchlight Pictures, follows mismatched cousins David and Benji as they reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. Directed and written by Jesse Eisenberg, the film stars Eisenberg alongside Culkin with a cast rounded out by Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes.
 
Coming off of one of the most critically acclaimed television shows in recent history, Kieran Culkin garnered praise for his performance as Roman Roy in the Emmy and SAG winning drama, “Succession.” Culkin won an Emmy®, Critics Choice Award, and Golden Globe® last year for the final season of the show. Culkin, who has been acting for over 30 years has made distinct choices in both film and theatre. Recent film credits include; Igby Goes Down, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, No Sudden Move, Weiner Dog,

MTFB Oscar Update: Lead Acting and More / THR's Most Anticipated for 2025 / Interviews and Profiles

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 MTFB OSCAR UPDATE: LEAD ACTING AND MORE




I'm updating the Lead Acting categories today as well as Cinematography, Editing and Production Design.  These categories were last updated on Dec. 19th.  An actor's/film's previous position is indicated in (parentheses).  TFF #51 films are in Bold. 


BEST ACTRESS




1) Mikey Madison/Anora (1)
2) Angelina Jolie/Maria (4)
3) Karla Sofia Gascon/Emilia Perez (3)
4) Cynthia Erivo/Wicked (2)
5) Demi Moore/The Substance (5)

Others: Marianne Jean-Baptiste/Hard Truths, Nicole Kidman/Babygirl and Fernanda Torres/I'm Still Here.


BEST ACTOR

1)  Adrien Brody/The Brutalist (2)
2) Ralph Fiennes/Conclave (1)
3) Timothee Chalamet/A Complete Unknown (3)
4) Colman Domingo/Sing Sing (4)
5) Daniel Craig/Queer (5)

Others: Sebastian Stan/The Apprentice, Jesse Eisenberg/A Real Pain and Sebastian Stan/A Different Man.


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY




1) The Brutalist (2)
2) Maria (3)
3) Dune Part Two (1)
4) Nickel Boys (4)
5) Nosferatu (5)

Others: Conclave, Wicked Part 1 and The Girl with a Needle.

BEST EDITING

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