News

Elsa Zylberstein, the French actor-producer whose timely movie “Simone: Woman of a Century” was recently released in the U.S., has signed with CAA for representation.

The actor’s performance as Simone Veil, an Auschwitz survivor who became a feminist icon and human rights activist, earned critical praise and struck a chord with French audiences, becoming one of the highest-grossing French films of 2022.

Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films in the U.S., Olivier Dahan’s biopic sheds light on how Veil became a revered figure within France’s male-dominated political world after surviving the camps, championing the 1975 law that legalized abortion in France. The Holocaust Museum in L.A. will host a special screening of the movie on Nov. 29 in the presence of Zylberstein. A similar event is also being organized in Washington, D.C.

The actor has also launched production vehicles in France and the U.S. to develop...

The Venice Film Festival is rolling out a juried impact award that will mark the first time a major film festival has awarded a prize focused solely on impact.

Impact campaigns are crafted around documentaries and some narrative films that have strong social or political messages that can inspire action among audiences and the industry at large. While the field has been around for the last decade, Venice’s Collateral Impact Award, which was created in partnership with ThinkFilm Impact Production, is the first time an impact-specific award is being presented at an A-list festival.

“This is an industry first — it’s not been seen anywhere,” ThinkFilm Impact Production founder and CEO Danielle Turkov Wilson told Variety. “I’ve been working at Cannes at the industry level for years, but to see something like this at the competition level is wonderful.”

Venice organizers said the award will honor a film...

British director Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, American Honey) will head up the international jury for Cannes’ 2021 Un Certain Regard section, the premier festival sidebar alongside Cannes’ competition line-up.

Joining Arnold on the 2021 Un Certain Regard jury are U.S. filmmaker Michael Covino (The Climb), French actor Elsa Zylberstein (I’ve Loved You So Long), Argentine director Daniel Burman (Lost Embrace), and Algerian filmmaker Mounia Meddour (Papicha).

Arnold is a Cannes regular, having won three Jury Awards for her three Cannes competition entries — her debut Red Road (2006), Fish Tank (2009), and American Honey (2016). Arnold’s latest, the bovine-focused documentary Cow, will bow ...

British director Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, American Honey) will head up the international jury for Cannes’ 2021 Un Certain Regard section, the premier festival sidebar alongside Cannes’ competition line-up.

Joining Arnold on the 2021 Un Certain Regard jury are U.S. filmmaker Michael Covino (The Climb), French actor Elsa Zylberstein (I’ve Loved You So Long), Argentine director Daniel Burman (Lost Embrace), and Algerian filmmaker Mounia Meddour (Papicha).

Arnold is a Cannes regular, having won three Jury Awards for her three Cannes competition entries — her debut Red Road (2006), Fish Tank (2009), and American Honey (2016). Arnold’s latest, the bovine-focused documentary Cow, will bow ...

Kristin Scott Thomas made her Hollywood debut in the 1986 Prince vehicle “Under the Cherry Moon.” It was not an acclaimed breakthrough. “It was what people like to call ‘a turkey,’” Thomas says in a crisp British accent that actually makes the word “turkey” sound elegant and prestigious. The reviews were vicious. “After being told you’re a better cure for insomnia than a glass of warmed milk, I’m amazed I ever got back in front of the camera,” Thomas says with a laugh.

Thomas stresses that the filming experience was wonderful. “To this day, I feel very, very lucky and privileged to have been involved,” she notes. “But it was all a difficult thing to take at the tender age of 24.” For her work, she got two Golden Raspberry Award nominations, for worst supporting actress and worst new star. She returned to France, where she has lived since the age of 19, and,...

Exclusive: Artist International Group CEO David Unger and Saram Entertainment CEO Soyoung Lee have launched a full-service, internationally-driven talent representation joint venture where they will rep a diverse set of clients across film and television from their Seoul and Los Angeles based offices. The goal is to produce and package film, television and local language content.

“Together we are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the explosive growth from international opportunities and partnerships,” Unger said. “Today, more than ever, content across film and television must speak to diverse audiences with global appeal.”

Artist International Group clients include Hanee Lee (Extreme Job), Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians), Anil Kapoor (Slumdog Millionaire), Gong Li (Memoirs of a Geisha), Tom Welling (Smallville), Mallika Sherawat (Time Raiders), Elsa Zylberstein (I’ve Loved You So Long), Siwon Choi (Dragon Blade) and Saïd Taghmaoui (Wonder Woman) as well as writer and director clients Amanda Sthers (Madame), Tony Kaye...

Have you ever performed in a language that is not your own? Whether you grew up in a bilingual household or mastered a foreign tongue in school, speaking more than one language can be a major asset as an actor. Need proof? Here are 21 stars who have delivered their best work in two (or more!) languages. Salma HayekHayek made her debut on the Mexican soap opera “Teresa” before breaking into Hollywood in the early 1990s. She has starred in over 40 films and on numerous television shows in both English and Spanish, and frequently draws on her Mexican heritage even in English-speaking roles. Christoph WaltzMost famous for his excellent collaborations with Quentin Tarantino in “Inglourious Basterds” and “Django Unchained,” the Austrian-born Waltz trained in New York but spent most of his later career working on stage and screen in Germany. Kristin Scott ThomasOscar-nominated for her role in 1996’s “The English Patient,...

Have you ever performed in a language that is not your own? Whether you grew up in a bilingual household or mastered a foreign tongue in school, speaking more than one language can be a major asset as an actor. Need proof? Here are 21 stars who have delivered their best work in two (or more!) languages. Salma HayekHayek made her debut on the Mexican soap opera “Teresa” before breaking into Hollywood in the early 1990s. She has starred in over 40 films and on numerous television shows in both English and Spanish, and frequently draws on her Mexican heritage even in English-speaking roles. Christoph WaltzMost famous for his excellent collaborations with Quentin Tarantino in “Inglourious Basterds” and “Django Unchained,” the Austrian-born Waltz trained in New York but spent most of his later career working on stage and screen in Germany. Kristin Scott ThomasOscar-nominated for her role in 1996’s “The English Patient,...

Catherine Deneuve: César Award Besst Actress Record-Tier (photo: Catherine Deneuve in 'In the Courtyard / Dans la cour') (See previous post: "Kristen Stewart and Catherine Deneuve Make César Award History.") Catherine Deneuve has received 12 Best Actress César nominations to date. Deneuve's nods were for the following movies (year of film's release): Pierre Salvadori's In the Courtyard / Dans la Cour (2014). Emmanuelle Bercot's On My Way / Elle s'en va (2013). François Ozon's Potiche (2010). Nicole Garcia's Place Vendôme (1998). André Téchiné's Thieves / Les voleurs (1996). André Téchiné's My Favorite Season / Ma saison préférée (1993). Régis Wargnier's Indochine (1992). François Dupeyron's Strange Place for an Encounter / Drôle d'endroit pour une rencontre (1988). Jean-Pierre Mocky's Agent trouble (1987). André Téchiné's Hotel America / Hôtel des Amériques (1981). François Truffaut's The Last Metro / Le dernier métro (1980). Jean-Paul Rappeneau's Le sauvage (1975). Additionally, Catherine Deneuve was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category...

Is this classy film, starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Daniel Auteuil, the modern equivalent of the French 'tradition of quality' that Truffaut warned us about?

There is something exasperating in this movie from Philippe Claudel, the French novelist-turned-film-maker who enjoyed such an impressive debut in 2008 with I've Loved You So Long, starring Kristin Scott Thomas as a woman nursing an awful secret. Scott Thomas now returns as Lucie, the wife of Paul (Daniel Auteuil), a wealthy and successful neurosurgeon. Their comfortable haute-bourgeois existence is disrupted when Paul starts getting anonymous bouquets. Is he being stalked? Or is something else going on, a midlife crisis connected to his burgeoning relationship with a beautiful young woman, Lou (Leïla Bekhti)? Auteuil looks the part, – Michael Haneke said he cast Auteuil in his stalker nightmare Hidden because he had the face of a man with a secret – and Before the Winter Chill has all...

The abolition of the Film Council has provoked another round of laments for UK cinema. But across the Channel there is a golden age for serious movies – and a cohesive industry with lessons for Britain's Hollywood-obsessed producers

When I walked out of the cinema the other evening after watching a very great actress at the top of her form – Kristin Scott Thomas in Leaving (Partir) – I realised that subtitles were now the norm for me. Of the 10 films I have paid to see over the last year, eight were French.

I'm aware of big releases like Inception and the accompanying ballyhoo over Tom Cruise's latest empty sensation, but it's a while since I have bought a ticket to see an American film. I'm hooked on the French, in awe of their style and the effortless class of their filmmaking.

Cinema is one of the ways a nation entertains itself,...

I'd like to report that March contained pots of gold but my experience was quite the opposite. I am so pleased to close the door on this month away and walk away. Nay, run! Ever had one of those months? April will be more fun. It must. But in case you missed anything here are 10 highlights from the month that is over... o-v-e-r. Get out of here, March!

Valentina! this classic star and fashion post didn't get much response but I loved typing it up. NYC has such rich culture. It's everywhere

Watchmen review I promised more reviews this year. Off to good start

Kristin Scott Thomas in interview with the acclaimed actress as I've Loved You So Long hit video. I'm so excited for her upcoming duet with Sergi Lopez in Partir. And you?

Signatures I'm so proud to host Adam's fine series. March featured Mia Farrow, Gena Rowlands and Edith Massey.

Kristen Scott-Thomas provides an extremely nuanced Golden-Globe nominated performance in the French pic 'I've Loved You So Long' that was mostly ignored this past Fall as people got the false impression from the title that this was yet another stuffy dramance; this is, in fact, a subtly tense mystery superbly told. It's certainly not a mystery film in the traditional sense, it's more what than why or who, and is centered around a character with a past that drives the film. It is a past that is slowly introduced until the final reveal is expertly conveyed during the final emotional wham-bam moments of the climax. It's methodically paced, but never boring as the film slowly lures you...

DVD Playhouse—March 2009

By

Allen Gardner

Let The Right One In (Magnolia) An awkward 12 year-old boy, ignored by his mother and the target of bullies, finds himself drawn to his new neighbor: a girl his own age who only appears at night, and seems herself to be as lonely an outcast as he. Haunting film from Sweden is best described as The 400 Blows meets Nosferatu, and contains some of the most haunting imagery of any film in recent memory. Truly a unique and memorable work. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurette; Photo and poster gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.

Paramount Centennial Collection Paramount offers two more classic titles, restored, remastered and loaded with extras. Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief stars Cary Grant as a retired jewel thief trying to enjoy his sunset years on the French Riviera with a minimum of drama, until he catches the eye of a high-maintenance heiress (Grace Kelly,...

Kristin Scott Thomas is "Extraordinary"

When I spoke with the acclaimed British actress in January, as we both recovered from Golden Globe parties, I discovered that she loves describing other actors that way. Yet the adjective fits her like a glove. "Versatile" would be another apt descriptor. She's equally at home in drama, comedy or in period epics. You'll find her in French, British, American and even Romanian cinema. She also treads the boards. Her recent performance in the Broadway run of The Seagull could bring her her first Tony nomination this summer. Her film career from Prince's odd con artist flick Under the Cherry Moon (1986) [think of his "Parade" CD if you're drawing a blank -ed.] through the Oscar stamped The English Patient (1996) to the recent French hits Tell No One and I've Loved You So Long (2008, just out on DVD!) has been alternately celebrated and underappreciated.

She likens her past twenty years in the spotlight to a rollercoaster...

Calling out sick never quite works for me...confessions of a blogaholic, I guess. Here are today's new DVDs. (Links go to Netflix for your ease of queue'ing)

The Must See

Ashes of Time Redux I once tried to watch a copy of Ashes of Time before the "reworking" and the image quality was so bad that I gave up after five minutes. Who wants a Wong Kar Wai movie with its visuals compromised? Nobody who knows how ravishing his imagery is, that's who. I'm thrilled to have a real go at this swordsmen drama starring the unbeatable Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and his two greatest screen lovers: Happy Together's Leslie Cheung and In the Mood for Love's Maggie Cheung. Plus there's Tony's frequent co-star and offscreen wife Carina Lau, Jacky Cheung and the legendary Brigitte Lin (The Bride With White Hair). Yes please sextupled.

Your Other Options

I've Loved You So Long...

Post Oscars the the crowds are smaller but red carpets never stopped being walked on. So here we go with this week's sampling.

Maribel Verdú would like to know what it is with French actresses and The Film Experience. How about some attention for the Spanish ladies? Rupert Friend and Keira Knightley attended the opening of his film The Young Victoria (previous post). Rupert will be the love of Michelle Pfeiffer and Emily Blunt's lives this year onscreen. Offscreen he's still Keira's. They make such a beautiful couple but they're both so angular one wonders if they keep gauze and surgical tape on their nightstands just as a precaution. Cheekbones that kill.

Breaking news: Charlize Theron still hot, still knows it. Can we please have more Carla Gugino and Miranda Richardson onscreen? Come on agents, casting directors, producers etcetera. Use them (We discussed Miranda earlier). More on Carla next week since Watchmen opens today.

When it came time to talk about snubs at the 2009 Oscars all eyes seemed to look in the direction of The Dark Knight, but even worse was the Academy's complete dismissal of I've Loved You So Long, a film that carries two of the best actress performances of the year from Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein, along with a fantastic script, score and direction by first timer Philippe Claudel, named best director of 2008 in the RopeofSilicon Awards. This is a beautiful film and dismissing it for the likes of Frost/Nixon, a film as generic as they come, is a complete act of disrespect and downright ignorance. I've Loved You So Long has a delicate flow to it that keeps its secrets closely guarded yet never to the point the audience is entirely in the dark. The story centers on Juliette (Scott Thomas) who has just been released after...

DVD Links: DVD News | Release Dates | New Dvds | Reviews | RSS Feed I apologize for the delay in publishing today's newly released DVDs and Blu-rays, but I posted enough articles last night I didn't want anything to get buried and it appears it was the right decision as only minutes ago I received word Slumdog Millionaire will be hitting DVD and Blu-ray on March 31, which wouldn't have made it into the report had I posted any earlier. As for today's releases there are a couple of titles worth noting that you may want to pick up including a film that I believe was the biggest Oscar snub of the year. Let's see what's out there... I've Loved You So Long Here it is, right off the bat. The biggest Oscar snub did not belong to The Dark Knight it belonged to the absence of I've Loved You So Long which at...

Man... you know it's a dry week for new DVDs when Ace Ventura Jr. is one of the most noteworthy releases. There are only a couple of new titles that are probably worth anyone's time, such as Baz Luhrman's epic western Australia, Philippe Claudel's I've Loved You So Long, and Wong Kar Wai's Ashes of Time Redux, but even these aren't movies I'm going to rush out to buy. Also out this week: Disney's inimitable Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Real Time starring Randy Quaid and Jay Baruchel, and In The Electric Mist starring Tommy Lee Jones. Comic book fans might want to check out Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic or DC's Wonder Woman animated feature, but I think your safest bet ...

First stop, "Australia." My my, that movie came out on DVD quickly! "Australia" was just released in November, and just barely three months later, you can enjoy it in the comfort of your home!

Check out my review of the film right here.

Also out on DVD, "Beverly Hills Chihuahua." It's a cute, harmless film, that will bring joy to your hearts :happy

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" Interview -- George Lopez

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" Interview -- Piper Perabo and Manolo Cardona

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" Interview -- Director Raja Gosnell

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" Movie Review

Also out on DVD, "I've Loved You So Long" with the great Kristin Scott Thomas. I think the actress was severely overlooked by the Academy.

And if you're in the mood for another "Ace Ventura" movie, then check out, "Ace Ventura Jr:Pet Detective." The title pretty much says it all.

This week on DVD we've got a sweeping historical epic from Down Under (Baz Luhrmann's Australia, plus an exclusive deleted scene), a tale of talking pooches (Beverly Hills Chihuahua), and a Certified Fresh drama starring Kristin Scott Thomas (I've Loved You So Long). For those whose interests are piqued by the words "direct to DVD," we've also got two new animated adventures (Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic, Wonder Woman) and a titillating vengeance pic (Stiletto, starring Stana Katic, Tom Berenger, and Michael Biehn), plus a bayou thriller adapted from a James Lee Burke bestseller (In the Electric Mist, starring Tommy...

    The weekly buffet of DVDs and games is open yet again. This week sees the release of the Baz Luhrmann helmed epic drama "Australia" on DVD and Blu-ray. The colorful film is a must-see for fans of the adventure and romance genres and features powerful performances and meticulous direction.   We have three reviews from "Australia" - two from the big screen release, the other from the DVD release. We suggest you read them for their varied points of view. Two are positive, the one negative.   What's it about?   Australia is an epic and romantic action adventure, set in that country on the explosive brink of World War II. In it, an English aristocrat (Nicole Kidman) travels to the faraway continent, where she meets a rough-hewn local (Hugh Jackman) and reluctantly agrees to join forces with him to save the land she inherited. Together, they embark upon a transforming journey across...

On Friday, February 27, the winners of the 34th Cesar Awards have been unveiled in a gala ceremony held at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris and "Seraphine" took the top honor as well as the most nods on the night. The Martin Provost's biopic about Gallic painter Seraphine de Senlis, which had collected 9 nominations from the French top awards which is equivalent to the Oscars, won the Best Film and five other kudos.

For the Best Film title, "Seraphine" best over other nominees that include Laurent Cantet's "The Class", Philippe Claudel's "I've Loved You So Long" and Jean-Francois Richet's "Mesrine". Apart from nabbing the Best Film kudo, the biopic had also grabbed Best Actress for Yolande Moreau, Best Original Screenplay for Provost, Best Original Score for Michael Galasso, Best Cinematography for Laurent Brunet and Best Costume Design for Madeline Fontaine.

Meanwhile, "Mesrine", which had dominated the nominations with 10 counts,...

Paris -- Martin Provost's "Seraphine" brushed through a very colorful 34th annual Cesar Awards, taking the prize for best film at the Friday night ceremony in Paris.

The film took home seven awards, including a best actress statue for star Yolande Moreau and wins for original screenplay, costumes, sound, photography and decor.

"Milk" Oscar winner Sean Penn and Dustin Hoffman added Hollywood star power to the 34th annual Cesars ceremony. Held at the Chatelet theater, the evening was presided over by actress Charlotte Gainsbourg -- named most promising actress 23 years ago -- and hosted by TV personality/actor/director Antoine de Caunes.

De Caunes followed Hugh Jackman's Oscars sing-along with his own opening musical number, complete with an onstage shower as he sang "Singin' in the Rain."

More predictable than De Caunes' onstage antics was the best actor prize given to Vincent Cassel for his role as "Public...

• A biopic about an unknown painter cleaned up the 34th edition of the Cesar awards (France's equivalent to the Oscars). You would have thought that it was an homage to Sean Penn (the actor was in attendance, first row ticket) and the dearly departed Claude Berri, but this was Martin Provost's night upsetting favorites Jean-François Richet and Mesrine (who won for Best Director and Best Actor) and the Palme d'Or winner The Class from Laurent Cantet winner went home with only the Best Adapted Film. Séraphine won a total of seven awards.  Kristin Scott Thomas didn't claim the top prize for Best Actress for I've Loved You So Long (the prize went to Yolande Moreau in Séraphine) but Philippe Claudel won for Best First Film and a very emotional Elsa Zylberstein grabbed the Best Supporting Actress nod. Finally, a little bit of redemption here for Best Foreign Picture,

...

Enter for a chance to win "I've Loved You So Long" (a.k.a. "Il y a longtemps que je t'aime") on Blu-ray! Take home the Kristin Scott Thomas drama from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The critically acclaimed drama is a winner of a BAFTA Award in the foreign language category, a Golden Globe nominee and has been nominated for many more awards. Also in the cast are Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius, Laurent Grévill, Frédéric Pierrot and Claire Johnston. Enter now! (registered users only). Not registered? Get registered and you receive a 10% voucher to use on each and every purchase* on our DVD and games store! What's it about? Léa (Elsa Zylberstein) and Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) are sisters. Juliette has just been released from prison after serving a long sentence. Léa was still a teenager when Juliette, a doctor, was convicted of the murder of her six-year-old son. Life...

Enter for a chance to win "I've Loved You So Long" (a.k.a. "Il y a longtemps que je t'aime") on DVD! Take home the Kristin Scott Thomas drama from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The critically acclaimed drama is a winner of a BAFTA Award in the foreign language category, a Golden Globe nominee and has been nominated for many more awards. Also in the cast are Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius, Laurent Grévill, Frédéric Pierrot and Claire Johnston. Léa (Elsa Zylberstein) and Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) are sisters. Juliette has just been released from prison after serving a long sentence. Léa was still a teenager when Juliette, a doctor, was convicted of the murder of her six-year-old son. Life together isn’t easy to begin with. Juliette has to relearn certain basics. The world has moved on and she often seems confused. Although she may seem cold and distant,...

Enter for a chance to win "I've Loved You So Long" (a.k.a. "Il y a longtemps que je t'aime") on DVD! Take home the Kristin Scott Thomas drama from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The critically acclaimed drama is a winner of a BAFTA Award in the foreign language category, a Golden Globe nominee and has been nominated for many more awards. Also in the cast are Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius, Laurent Grévill, Frédéric Pierrot and Claire Johnston. Léa (Elsa Zylberstein) and Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) are sisters. Juliette has just been released from prison after serving a long sentence. Léa was still a teenager when Juliette, a doctor, was convicted of the murder of her six-year-old son. Life together isn’t easy to begin with. Juliette has to relearn certain basics. The world has moved on and she often seems confused. Although she may seem cold and distant,...

The Jackie Chan starrer "Shinjuku Incident," directed by Derek Yee, and the social drama "Night and Fog," directed by Ann Hui, will serve as the opening-night films at the 33rd Hong Kong International Film Festival, running March 22-April 13.

Jia Zhangke's "24 City," starring Joan Chen, will close the fest.

The lineup, announced Thursday, also includes six gala premieres, including Wong Kar Wai's "Ashes of Time Redux"; Oliver Stone's "W."; the Kristin Scott Thomas starrer "I've Loved You So Long"; Dane Lam's "The Sniper"; Udayan Prasad's "The Yellow Handerkief," starring William Hurt and Maria Bello; and DreamWorks Animation's 3-D feature "Monsters vs. Aliens."

In the gala presentation, titles include "J.C.V.D.," starring Jean-Claude Van Damme; Academy Award nominee "The Baader Meinhof Complex," from Germany; the India/U.S. co-production "Chandni Chowk to China"; and Bill Maher's documentary "Religulous."

Running concurrently with Hong Kong Film and Television...

Film releases certainly aren't limited to theaters these days -- here's a rundown of titles making their way to you via alternative pathways.

On Demand

Our sister company IFC Films made a splash at this year's Sundance with the announcement of a partnership with the SXSW Film Festival to premiere four of the festival's picks concurrent with their debut in Austin. Joe Swanberg's latest, "Alexander the Last," headlines the group making their on demand debut on March 14, along with Australian comedy "Three Blind Mice," Bulgarian noir "Zift" and SXSW '08 alums "Medicine for Melancholy" and "Paper Covers Rock."

On DVD

It's a sign of the times that a serviceable Tommy Lee Jones thriller can sit alongside the latest from Steven Seagal at your local Blockbuster, but "In the Electric Mist" is far more interesting than the actor's paycheck output of the late '90s, even if it is missing...

links go to trailers

L I M I T E D

Gomorra The Italian hit finally opens proper, without the intended Oscar nomination it expected to be promoting itself with. I thought it was good but I don't totally understand the fuss, I must confess. If you like hyperlink mosaics or mafia films you could certainly do a lot lot worse. It has its moments.

Two Lovers I keep thinking this movie opened already but such is the fateful pattern of distribution for small actor's films. Only in this case it's more like actor (singular) since that's not what Joaquin Phoenix is anymore, you got it? See it for Gwynnie. Didn't you realize you kind of missed her when she showed up in Iron Man last summer?

W I D E

The International Evil banks vs. the world. How timely! But how did they get permission to shoot up the friggin' Guggenheim?...

The BAFTAs were once a shrug. Then a raised eyebrow. This year they were a scratched head. To me at least. So let me just speed through this. The last round of pre-Oscar winners. In other words, rehearsals for Oscar speeches. That's the only point.

Best Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Score & Sound (and more prizes later too) Slumdog Millionaire

I wish there was a Best Craft Services Oscar so Slumdog Millionaire could win that one, too.

Best MakeUp, Visual Effects & Art Direction The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I know there's been a lot of talk about Button going 0 for 13 at Oscar which would be a record but it's not going to happen. It should have an easy time in a couple of technical categories as it did here at BAFTA.

Carl Foreman Award Steve McQueen Hunger

That is such an amazing movie and I happy that they recognized it in a small way.

Digital Spy presents the full list of winners for the 2009 BAFTA Film Awards, held last night at London's Royal Opera House.

Best Film Slumdog Millionaire

Outstanding British Film Man On Wire

The Carl Foreman Award for special achievement by a British director, producer or writer in their first feature film Steve McQueen - Hunger

Best Director Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Original Screenplay Martin McDonagh - In Bruges

Best Adapted Screenplay Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Film Not In The English Language I've Loved You So Long

Best Animated Film Wall-e

Best Leading Actor Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Leading Actress Kate Winslet - The Reader

Best Supporting Actor Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight (more)...

The UK's biggest annual awards, the BAFTA's were held tonight. If you were smart, you tuned in to the live blog of our friends at the UK film site Filmstalker. They were there, in the audience, with their laptop delivering a blow by blow. For those of you who weren't following along with Brunton, we've got a full breakdown of the awards given. Anyone hoping for big surprises will be sorely disappointed. Slumdog Millionaire won everything. Here's the complete list of this year's BAFTA film winners: Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire Outstanding British Film: Man on Wire The Carl Foreman Award (Achievement by British director): Steve McQueen, Hunger Director: Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle Original Screenplay: In Bruges, Martin McDonagh Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy Film Not In The English Language: I've Loved You So Long, Yves Marmion, Philppe Claudel Animated Film: Wall-e Leading Actor: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler Leading...

"Slumdog Millionaire" continues its awards-season momentum by winning 7 at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). Meanwhile, Kate Winslet picked up the Best Actress award for "The Reader" and Mickey Rourke for Best Actor for "The Wrestler."

Here's the complete list of winners for the 2009 BAFTA Awards:

Best Film

"Slumdog Millionaire"

Outstanding British Film

"Man On Wire" - Simon Chinn / James Marsh

Leading Actor

Mickey Rourke - "The Wrestler"

Leading Actress

Kate Winslet - "The Reader"

Supporting Actor

Heath Ledger - "The Dark Knight"

Supporting Actress

Penélope Cruz - "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Director

"Slumdog Millionaire" - Danny Boyle

Original Screenplay

"In Bruges" - Martin Mcdonagh

Adapted Screenplay

"Slumdog Millionaire" - Simon Beaufoy

Film Not In The English Language

"I've Loved You So Long" - Yves Marmion / Philippe Claudel

The Carl Foreman Award For Special Achievement By A British Director, Writer Or Producer For Their First Feature Film

Steve Mcqueen, director...

Having become one of the awards' season favorites, "Slumdog Millionaire" once again showed its domination at the 2009 Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). On Sunday, February 8, at a gala ceremony held in London, the drama movie about a poor Indian orphan who gets a shot at winning millions in a television game has collected seven trophies, including Best Film.

For the Best Film title, "Slumdog" bested over "Frost/Nixon", "Milk", "The Reader" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". It has also scored Best Director for Danny Boyle, Best Music for A.R. Rahman, Best Cinematography for Anthony Dod Mantle, Best Editing for Chris Dickens and Best Sound.

In addition to all of those prizes, the movie, which has been honored with a Best Adapted Screenplay kudo at 2009 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 7, has secured another Adapted Screenplay throphy for Simon Beaufoy. "I've had a complex relationship with this statue,...

Oscar favourite Slumdog Millionaire stole the show at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards - scooping six gongs including Best Film and Best Director for Danny Boyle.Brad Pitt's movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button took home three awards, while Mickey Rourke beat off competition from Sean Penn (Milk) and Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) to win Leading Actor for his acclaimed role in The Wrestler.

Kate Winslet saw off Meryl Streep (Doubt) and Angelina Jolie (Changeling) to scoop Leading Actress for post-war drama The Reader.

Heath Ledger was given a posthumous Supporting Actor gong for his part as The Joker in The Dark Knight, while the Supporting Actress award went to Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Man on Wire - a documentary centred on Philippe Petit's daring tightrope walk above New York in 1974 - was named Outstanding British Film and Doctor Who actor Noel Clarke won the Orange Rising Star award.

Veteran movie maker Terry Gilliam was honoured with the Academy Fellowship.

And as well as Best Film and Best Director, Slumdog Millionaire also took home the Adapted Screenplay, Music, Sound, and Cinematography gongs.

Accepting the Best Film award, the movie's producer Christian Colson said, "Slumdog was dragged kicking and screaming into the world - against the advice of many - through the talent and passion of the people who made it.

"Our amazing cast and crew in Mumbai realised the dream through their sweat and blood. On behalf of everybody involved in making the film, I'd like to share this with the people of Mumbai."

The awards ceremony, hosted by British TV presenter Jonathan Ross, was held at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden on Sunday.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Best Film - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director - Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Leading Actor - Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Leading Actress - Kate Winslet, The Reader

Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best British Film - Man On Wire

Original Screenplay - In Bruges, Martin McDonagh

Adapted Screenplay - Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

Special Visual Effects - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Eric Barba/Craig Barron/Nathan McGuiness/Edson Williams)

Music - Slumdog Millionaire (A. R. Rahman)

Sound - Slumdog Millionaire (Glenn Freemantle/Resul Pookutty/Richard Pryke/Tom Sayers/Ian Tapp)

Production Design - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Donald Graham Burt/Victor Zolfo)

Hair and Make Up - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Jean Black/Colleen Callaghan)

Cinematography - Slumdog Millionaire (Anthony Dod Mantle)

Costume Design - The Duchess (Michael O'Connor)

Best Film Not In The English Language - I've Loved You So Long

The Carl Foreman Award For Achievement For A Writer, Director, Or Producer In Their First Feature Film - Steve McQueen, Hunger

The Michael Balcon Award For Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema - Pinewood and Shepperton Studios

2009 Academy Fellowship For Exceptional Contribution To Filmmaking - Terry Gilliam

Orange Rising Star Award - Noel Clarke...

The 2009 BAFTA Award winners have been announced and once again Slumdog Millionaire has taken on all comers and come out ahead with seven awards including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. On the acting side Kate Winslet has once again taken home hardware winning Best Actress for her performance in The Reader while Mickey Rourke won on the Leading Actor side beating Sean Penn among others for his performance in The Wrestler. Heath Ledger was awarded for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight and Penelope Cruz won for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The acting awards are a big deal for those predicting the 2009 Oscar winners as last year all four acting winners at the BAFTAs went on to take home the Oscar, which included Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton. It also means good news for Danny Boyle as the Coens went on to...

Slumdog Millionaire continued its winning ways at this year's BAFTA Awards, snagging seven honors including Best Picture and Director.

London -- Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" dominated this year's Orange British Academy Film Awards, scooping seven awards including best film, director, cinematography and adapted screenplay for writer Simon Beaufoy.

"I've had a complex relationship with this statue," Beaufoy said to a packed Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden. "I have a plastic one that I bought from eBay, a chocolate one that I stole from the dinner one year and now, well ..."

"Slumdog" producer Christian Coulson will be hoping his trip to the podium for the best film nod will be repeated again in a few weeks at the Oscars. The Bafas are presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Mickey Rourke's career rehabilitation continued apace, slamming home the evening's lead actor prize for his performance as a washed-up grappler in "The Wrestler."

The Brits demanded a less gushing acceptance...

The Oscars' five best picture nominees line up exactly with the contenders for the top prize at Sunday's BAFTAs. "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" lead the pack at the BAFTA Awards with 11 nominations each while "Frost/Nixon" and "Milk" have six and three bids, respectively. Surprise nominee "The Reader" — which many believe bumped "The Dark Knight" from the top race on both sides of the Atlantic — got five nods in total. (And, as is the case with the Oscars, "The Dark Knight" has eight nominations here.)

Since the BAFTAs were moved up in 2000 to take place while academy members are still voting for the Oscars, these laurels have foreseen only two best picture winners — "Gladiator" (2000) and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003). However, the BAFTAs do far better at predicting the acting Oscar winners. Both last year and in 2006, all four BAFTA...

Kristin Scott Thomas has called Kate Winslet's Golden Globe win for The Reader "unfair". Winslet scooped the Best Supporting Actress gong for the holocaust drama, as well as the Best Actress prize for Revolutionary Road last month - beating Thomas for her performance in I've Loved You So Long. Thomas, who will go head-to-head with Winslet at Sunday's BAFTAs, suggested that her rival's Reader (more)...

The London Film Critics Circle has announced its winners, and Slumdog Millionaire took home the most awards, including the Richard Attenborough award for Best British Film, but it was The Wrestler that was the big winner, earning Film of the Year honors and naming Mickey Rourke its Actor of the Year.

Because the London critics split the winnings between films and performances in general and British films and performances, the results can be kind of confusing. Kate Winslet was named Actress of the Year, and even though she's British, she lost British Actress of the Year to Kristin Scott-Thomas, whose award-winning film, I've Loved You So Long, is in French.

Tilda Swinton won British Actress in a Supporting Role, for the all-American Curious Case of Benjamin Button. How do they keep it all straight?...

Jeff Wells at Hollywood-Elsewhere has never been one to shy from delivering his blunt opinion and today he has delivered a death blow to the illusion that the Oscars are about the actual best performances and films from each year and more about ... well, more about anything but that. In a post highlighting Penelope Cruz's cute appearance on the "Tonight Show" (right) he delivers this bit of encouragement: With this blow-dryer joke, it's safe to say that Penelope Cruz has the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in the bag. Maybe she already had it and this is icing on the cake. Whatever. I do know that 65-and-over male Academy members (i.e., the Lorenzo Semple, Jr. crowd) have a rep for responding to alluring female contenders. From this point those who haven't yet voted will be thinking the following about Cruz: (a) great firecracker performance in the Woody Allen film,...

London Film Critics' Circle have finally unveiled the winners of their 29th annual film awards on Wednesday, February 4. At the ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" has been hailed as Film of the Year and got Mickey Rourke an Actor of the Year title, while Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" showed its domination, collecting three out of six prizes it was up for.

"Slumdog Millionaire", the drama movie about a poor Indian boy who gets a shot at winning millions in a television game, show won the Attenborough Film of the Year title and Screenwriter of the Year prize for Simon Beaufoy. While losing the Director of the Year kudo to David Fincher of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", the film managed to grab the British Director of the Year award for its helmer Danny Boyle.

While "Hunger" director Steve McQueen drew Breakthrough British Film-Maker,...

Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei's Oscar hopes have been given a boost after their movie The Wrestler was named top film by the London Film Critics' Circle on Wednesday night. Darren Aronofsky's gritty movie claimed the group's Best Film prize, while Rourke was named Best Actor.

But Oscar favourite Slumdog Millionaire took home the biggest awards haul - with Best British Film, Best British Director and Best Screenwriter honours.

Meanwhile, Kate Winslet was named Best Actress for her performances in Revolutionary Road and The Reader, and Kristin Scott Thomas picked up the Best British Actress prize for French film I've Loved You So Long. The Best British Actor honour went to Hunger star Michael Fassbender.

David Fincher took home the Best Director prize for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

The full list of winners is:

Film of The Year - The Wrestler

Richard Attenborough Film of The Year - Slumdog Millionaire

Director of The Year - David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

British Director of The Year - Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

Actor of The Year - Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Actress of The Year - Kate Winslet (The Reader & Revolutionary Road)

British Actor of The Year - Michael Fassbender (Hunger)

British Actress of The Year - Kristin Scott-Thomas (I've Loved You So Long)

British Actor in a Supporting Role - Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky)

British Actress in a Supporting Role - Tilda Swinton (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Screenwriter of The Year - Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)

Young British Performer of The Year - Thomas Turgoose (Somers Town & Eden Lake)

Breakthrough British Filmmaker - Steve McQueen (Hunger)

Foreign Language Film of The Year - Waltz With Bashir

The Dilys Powell Award - Dame Judi Dench.

Director Darren Aronofsky's masterpiece, "The Wrestler" took home the best film and Mickey Rourke won best actor at the London Film Critics' Circle Awards.

But Danny Boyle's Oscar front-runner, "Slumdog Millionaire" took the most awards!

Here's a complete list of winners for the 29th Critics' Circle Film Awards

Film Of The Year

"The Wrestler" - Darren Aronofsky

Attenborough Film Of The Year

"Slumdog Millionaire" - Danny Boyle

Director Of The Year

David Fincher - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

British Director Of The Year

Danny Boyle - "Slumdog Millionaire"

Actor Of The Year

Mickey Rourke - "The Wrestler"

Actress Of The Year

Kate Winslet - "The Reader" / "Revolutionary Road"

British Actor Of The Year

Michael Fassbender - "Hunger"

British Actress Of The Year

Kristin Scott-Thomas - "I've Loved You So Long"

British Actor In A Supporting Role

Eddie Marsan - "Happy-Go-Lucky"

British Actress In A Supporting Role...

Scott Feinberg at The Envelope has created a list of his "The top 25 movies of the past 10 years that got no Oscar love" and it's an interesting idea considering there has been so much hatred aimed at the Academy over The Dark Knight not getting a Best Picture nomination, but it did actually receive eight nominations, which is nothing to scoff at. We are talking about films that didn't receive any nominations, zero, zilch, nada. Any come to mind? I had never considered the idea since it is a relatively hard thing to imagine that a favorite film of yours didn't receive any Oscar nominations -- wait, is that why general audiences aren't interested in the Oscars? -- but then I went back over my 2003-2008 Top Ten lists and found several that weren't nominated and put together a quick top ten and an example category I think they should have been nominated in.

There's so much to consider each Oscar Nomination morning but here are 13 interesting notes about the just announced nominees - the industry's own opinion on their 'Best' work.

13 Meryl Streep Continues To Make Things Difficult For Everyone Else

Love you Meryl! Scoring her 15th acting nomination she puts further distance between herself and nearest rival Jack Nicholson who has only (ha ha) a measly 12 acting nominations (one more win than Meryl, though). Just about the only person who might be a threat to Meryl in the all-time record books is Kate Winslet, considering that Kate is only 33 years old and has 6 nominations already. Streep only had 4 nominations by that age (although she had won twice... and Kate is still waiting). [Lots more on Meryl]

12 The Guilds are a Problem

Would Wall•E have gained more Oscar Best Picture traction if all of these guilds didn't declare animated films ineligible? I believe it would have.