66th Annual British Academy Film Awards

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced their awards on February 10th, 2013 with giving away the Best Film award to none other than ARGO, directed and co-produced by Ben Affleck who also won the Best Director award. THIS IS SO AWESOME. So happy for him.

There were two surprises today.

• The first and the biggest surprise was David O. Russell's win in the Best Adapted Screenplay for Silver Linings Playbook, no one saw it coming and it's actually an achievement for him because Playbook has such a beautiful screenplay.


• The second surprise was Emmanuelle Riva's win in the Best Leading Actress category. Apparently, Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain are the most favorites and strong contenders but Riva's win surprised everyone including me and I'm glad that she won the award, she deserves it.

Rest of the wins were predictable and most of my predictions proved to be right. Here is the complete list of winners along with the nominations:

BEST FILM:

• WINNER: ARGO (Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney)


• LES MISÉRABLES (Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh)


• LIFE OF PI (Gil Netter, Ang Lee, David Womark)


• LINCOLN (Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy)


• ZERO DARK THIRTY (Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, Megan Ellison)

BEST DIRECTOR:

• MICHAEL HANEKE (Amour)


• WINNER: BEN AFFLECK (Argo)


• QUENTIN TARANTINO (Django Unchained)


• ANG LEE (Life of Pi)


• KATHRYN BIGELOW (Zero Dark Thirty)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:

• BEN AFFLECK (Argo)


• BRADLEY COOPER (Silver Linings Playbook)


• WINNER: DANIEL DAY-LEWIS (Lincoln)


• HUGH JACKMAN (Les Misérables)


• JOAQUIN PHOENIX (The Master)

BES ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:

• WINNER: EMMANUELLE RIVA (Amour)


• HELEN MIRREN (Hitchcock)


• JENNIFER LAWRENCE (Silver Linings Playbook)


• JESSICA CHASTAIN (Zero Dark Thirty)


• MARION COTILLARD (Rust and Bone)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

• ALAN ARKIN (Argo)


• WINNER: CHRISTOPH WALTZ (Django Unchained)


• JAVIER BARDEM (Skyfall)


• PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (The Master)


• TOMMY LEE JONES (Lincoln)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

• AMY ADAMS (The Master)


• WINNER: ANNE HATHAWAY (Les Misérables)


• HELEN HUNT (The Sessions)


• JUDI DENCH (Skyfall)


• SALLY FIELD (Lincoln)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

• WINNER: QUENTIN TARANTINO (Django Unchained)


• MICHAEL HANEKE (Amour)


• PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON (The Master)


• WES ANDERSON, ROMAN COPPOLA (Moonrise Kingdom)


• MARK BOAL (Zero Dark Thirty)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

• CHRIS TERRIO (Argo)


• LUCY ALIBAR, BENH ZEITLIN (Beasts of the Southern Wild)


• DAVID MAGEE (Life of Pi)


• TONY KUSHNER (Lincoln)


• WINNER: DAVID O. RUSSELL (Silver Linings Playbook)

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM:

• ANNA KARENINA (Joe Wright, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster, Tom Stoppard)


• THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (John Madden, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Ol Parker)


• LES MISÉRABLES (Tom Hooper, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh, William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer)


• SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS (Martin McDonagh, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin)


• WINNER: SKYFALL (Sam Mendes, Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan)

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER:

• WINNER: BART LAYTON (Director), DIMITRI DOGANIS (Producer) — THE IMPOSTER


• DAVID MORRIS (Director), JACQUI MORRIS (Director/Producer) — McCULLIN


• DEXTER FLETCHER (Director/Writer), DANNY KING (Writer) — WILD BILL


• JAMES BOBIN (Director) — THE MUPPETS


• TINA GHARAVI (Director/Writer) — I AM NASRINE

BEST FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE:

• WINNER: AMOUR (Michael Haneke, Margaret Ménégoz)


• HEADHUNTERS (Morten Tyldum, Marianne Gray, Asle Vatn)


• THE HUNT (Thomas Vinterberg, Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Morten Kaufmann)


• RUST AND BONE (Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux)


• UNTOUCHABLE (Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache, Nicolas Duval Adassovsky, Yann Zenou, Laurent Zeitoun)

BEST DOCUMENTARY:

• THE IMPOSTER (Bart Layton, Dimitri Doganis)


• MARLEY (Kevin Macdonald, Steve Bing, Charles Steel)


• McCULLIN (David Morris, Jacqui Morris)


• WINNER: SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN (Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn)


• WEST OF MEMPHIS (Amy Berg)

BEST ANIMATED FILM:

• WINNER: BRAVE (Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman)


• FRANKENWEENIE (Tim Burton)


• PARANORMAN (Sam Fell, Chris Butler)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

• SEAMUS McGARVEY (Anna Karenina)


• DANNY COHEN (Les Misérables)


• WINNER: CLAUDIO MIRANDA (Life of Pi)


• JANUSZ KAMINSKI (Lincoln)


• ROGER DEAKINS (Skyfall)

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC:

• DARIO MARIANELLI (Anna Karenina)


• ALEXANDRE DESPLAT (Argo)


• MYCHAEL DANNA (Life of Pi)


• JOHN WILLIAMS (Lincoln)


• WINNER: THOMAS NEWMAN (Skyfall)

BEST EDITING:

• WINNER: WILLIAM GOLDENBERG (Argo)


• FRED RASKIN (Django Unchained)


• TIM SQUYRES (Life of Pi)


• STUART BAIRD (Skyfall)


• DYLAN TICHENOR, WILLIAM GOLDENBERG (Zero Dark Thirty)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

• SARAH GREENWOOD, KATIE SPENCER (Anna Karenina)


• WINNER: EVE STEWART, ANNA LYNCH-ROBINSON (Les Misérables)


• DAVID GROPMAN, ANNA PINNOCK (Life of Pi)


• RICK CARTER, JIM ERICKSON (Lincoln)


• DENNIS GASSNER, ANNA PINNOCK (Skyfall)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:

• WINNER: JACQUELINE DURRAN (Anna Karenina)


• BEATRIX ARUNA PASZTOR (Great Expectations)


• PACA DELGADO (Les Misérables)


• JOANNA JOHNSTON (Lincoln)


• COLLEEN ATWOOD (Snow White and the Huntsman)

BEST MAKE UP & HAIR:

• IVANA PRIMORAC (Anna Karenina)


• JULIE HEWETT, MARTIN SAMUEL, HOWARD BERGER (Hitchcock)


• PETER SWORDS KING, RICHARD TAYLOR, RICK FINDLATER (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)


• WINNER: LISA WESTCOTT (Les Misérables)


• LOIS BURWELL, KAY GEORGIOU (Lincoln)

BEST SOUND:

• MARK ULANO, MICHAEL MINKLER, TONY LAMBERTI, WYLIE STATEMAN (Django Unchained)


• TONY JOHNSON, CHRISTOPHER BOYES, MICHAEL HEDGES, MICHAEL SEMANICK, BRENT BURGE, CHRIS WARD (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)


• WINNER: SIMON HAYES, ANDY NELSON, MARK PATERSON, JONATHAN ALLEN, LEE WALPOLE, JOHN WARHURST (Les Misérables)


• DREW KUNIN, EUGENE GEARTY, PHILIP STOCKTON, RON BARTLETT, D. M. HEMPHILL (Life of Pi)


• STUART WILSON, SCOTT MILLAN, GREG P. RUSSELL, PER HALLBERG, KAREN BAKER LANDERS (Skyfall)

BEST SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS:

• PAUL FRANKLIN, CHRIS CORBOULD, PETER BEBB, ANDREW LOCKLEY (The Dark Knight Rises)


• JOE LETTERI, ERIC SAINDON, DAVID CLAYTON, R. CHRISTOPHER WHITE (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)


• WINNER: BILL WESTENHOFER, GUILLAUME ROCHERON, ERIK-JAN DE BOER (Life of Pi)


• Marvel’s Avengers Assemble


• RICHARD STAMMERS, CHARLEY HENLEY, TREVOR WOOD, PAUL BUTTERWORTH (Prometheus)

BEST SHORT ANIMATION:

• HERE TO FALL (Kris Kelly, Evelyn McGrath)


• I’M FINE THANKS (Eamonn O’Neill)


• WINNER: THE MAKING OF LONGBIRD (Will Anderson, Ainslie Henderson)

BEST SHORT FILM:

• THE CURSE (Fyzal Boulifa, Gavin Humphries)


• GOOD NIGHT (Muriel d’Ansembourg, Eva Sigurdardottir)


• WINNER: SWIMMER (Lynne Ramsay, Peter Carlton, Diarmid Scrimshaw)


• TUMULT (Johnny Barrington, Rhianna Andrews)


• THE VOORMAN PROBLEM (Mark Gill, Baldwin Li)

THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public):

• ELIZABETH OLSEN


• ANDREA RISEBOROUGH


• SURAJ SHARMA


• WINNER: JUNO TEMPLE


• ALICIA VIKANDER

OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA: TESSA ROSS

25th Annual USC Libraries Scripter Award

The University of Southern California (USC) announced the winner of Scripter Award on February 9th, 2013 by giving it to none other than the writers of ARGO. Here, I must say that things are really going fine for Argo as it recently won PGA, DGA and SAG awards and it is also anticipated that it will win the Writers Guild of America award and eventually take away the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar on February 24th at the Oscars. All I can say is it isn't over yet. The announcement of winner must have been really tough as there were Lincoln and Life of Pi in the nominations, both of which have powerful and compelling screenplays and the Perks of Being a Wallflower, Silver Linings Playbook and Beasts of the Southern Wild, all of which shouldn't be taken lightly but the committee finally chose Argo as the winner.

Here is the name of all the parties involved in the writing of the scripts for all the nominees:

ARGO

Joshuah Bearman, author of the article “The Great Escape”; Antonio J. Mendez, author of The Master of Disguise; and screenwriter Chris Terrio; Warner Bros., Wired for Bearman’s article, and Penguin for Mendez’s book

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Dramatist Lucy Alibar, who wrote the play Juicy and Delicious, and screenwriter Benh Zeitlin, who co-wrote the screenplay with Alibar; Fox Searchlight and Diversion Books, publisher of the play Juicy and Delicious, upon which Beasts of the Southern Wild is based

LIFE OF PI

Novelist Yann Martel and screenwriter David Magee; 20th Century Fox and Mariner Books

LINCOLN

Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, and screenwriter Tony Kushner; DreamWorks and Mariner Books

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

Stephen Chbosky, author of the novel Perks of Being a Wallflower, as well as the screenplay based upon the book; Summit Entertainment and MTV Books

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Author Matthew Quick and screenwriter David O. Russell; Weinstein Company and Sara Crichton Books

Word of the Day

SELF-CONTROL.
Our lives revolve around it.

11th Annual Visual Effects Society Awards

The Visual Effects Society (VES) announced its awards on February 5th, 2013 with giving away the top prize to LIFE OF PI, directed and produced by Ang Lee. This is an achievment for Life of Pi considering there were so many films that incorporated special visual effects such as the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and the Avengers.

Here is the complete list of winners:

HONORARY AWARDS:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Richard Edlund

VES Visionary Award: Ang Lee

FILM:

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Feature Motion Picture: Life of Pi

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture: The Impossible

Outstanding Animation in an Animated Motion Picture: Brave

Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture: Richard Parker (Life of Pi)

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture: Merida (Brave)

Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture: Midtown Manhattan (The Avengers)

Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture: The Forest (Brave)

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture: Helicarrier (The Avengers)

Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture: Storm of God (Life of Pi)

Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture: Brave

Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture: Storm of God (Life of Pi)

TELEVISION:

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program: Game of Thrones

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program: Boardwalk Empire

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial: Biomorph (Nike)

Outstanding Animated Character in a Commercial or Broadcast Program: Training the Dragons (Game of Thrones)

Outstanding Created Environment in a Commercial or Broadcast Program: Pyke (Game of Thrones)

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Commercial or Broadcast Program: ZombiU

Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in a Commercial or Broadcast Program: Cloud (Guinness)

Outstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program: White Walker Army (Game of Thrones)

Outstanding Compositing in a Commercial: 2012 Silverado (Chevy)

OTHER CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Real-Time Visuals in a Video Game: Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project: Minion Mayhem (Despicable Me)

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project: Natalis

40th Annual Annie Awards

The International Animated Film Association announced the winners of Annie awards on February 2nd, 2013 with giving away the top prize to WRECK-IT RALPH. Now, this is really amazing, as all of the contenders for this year's Best Animated Feature Oscar are strong. Let's see who will be the big winner.

Here is the complete list of winners:

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature: Wreck-It Ralph

Best Animated Special Production: Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem

Best Animated Short Subject: Paperman

Best General Audience Animated TV Production: Robot Chicken DC Comics Special

Best Animated Television Production For Preschool Children: Bubble Guppies ‘A Tooth on the Looth’

Best Animated Television Production For Children: Dragons: Riders of Berk ‘How to Pick Your Dragon’

Best Animated Video Game: Journey

Best Student Film: Head Over Heels by Timothy Reckart

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production: Andy Hayes, Carl Hooper, David Lipton (Rise of the Guardians)

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in a Live Action Production: Jerome Platteaux, John Sigurdson, Ryan Hopkins, Raul Essig, Mark Chataway (The Avengers)

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: Dan Driscoll (SpongeBob SquarePants: It's a SpongeBob Christmas!)

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production: Travis Knight (ParaNorman)

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production: Erik de Boer, Matt Shumway, Brian Wells, Vinayak Pawar, Michael Holzl (Life of Pi - Tiger)

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: Robert Valley (Disney Tron: Uprising: The Renegade, Part I)

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production: Heidi Smith (ParaNorman)

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: John Eng (Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House)

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production: Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph)

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: John Paesano (Dragons: Riders of Berk: How to Pick Your Dragon)

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production: Henry Jackman, Skrillex, Adam Young, Matthew Thiessen, Jamie Houston, Yasushi Akimoto (Wreck-It Ralph)

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: Alberto Mielgo (Tron: Uprising: The Stranger)

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production: Steve Pilcher (Brave)

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: Doug Lovelace (Dragons: Riders of Berk: Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Man)

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production: Johanne Matte (Rise of the Guardians)

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: Kristen Schaal as Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls: Tourist Trapped)

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production: Alan Tudyk as King Candy (Wreck-It Ralph)

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: Trey Parker (South Park: Jewpacabra)

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production: Phil Johnston, Jennifer Lee (Wreck-It Ralph)

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production: Hugo Morales, Adam Arnold, Davrick Waeden, Otto Ferraye (Kung Fu Panda - Enter the Dragon)

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production: Nicholas C. Smith, A.C.E, Robert Grahamjones, A.C.E., David Suther (Brave)

JURIED AWARDS

Winsor McCay Award: Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliam, Mark Henn

June Foray Award: Howard Green

Ub Iwerks Award: Toon Boom Animation Pipeline

65th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) announced its winners on February 2nd, 2013 with giving away the Best Feature Film Director award to Ben Affleck for ARGO. Argo has also won the Producers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild awards and it is such a remarkable achievement for it to win this as well, thus becoming the strongest front-runner in the Best Picture Oscar race. Unfortunately Ben Affleck didn't get nominated for Best Director Oscar but he has already won the major awards including the Golden Globe for Best Director. His direction in Argo was marvelous, we all knew the outcome of the movie but his direction and vision kept us  interested in the film.

Rian Johnson won the award for his direction in Breaking Bad as a director. Lena Dunham won the award for Girls' direction. Pretty reasonable.

Here is the complete list of winners:

DGA Lifetime Achievement Award: Miloš Forman

FILM:

Feature Film: Ben Affleck (Argo)

Documentary Feature: Malik Bendjelloul (Searching for Sugar Man)

TELEVISION:

Drama Series: Rian Johnson (Breaking Bad - Season 5, Episode 4: Fifty-One)

Comedy Series: Lena Dunham (Girls - Pilot)

Miniseries or TV Film: Jay Roach (Game Change)

Children's Programs: Paul Hoen (Let It Shine)

Daytime Serials: Jill Mitwell (One Life to Live - Between Heaven and Hell)

Musical Variety: Glenn Weiss (66th Tony Awards)

Reality Programs: Brian Smith (MasterChef - Episode No. 305)

Commercials: Alejandro Iñárritu (Procter & Gamble's "Best Job")

17th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards

The Art Directors Guild (ADG) announced its ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards on February 2nd, 2013 with giving away the top prizes to ANNA KARENINA, LIFE OF PI and SKYFALL for Period, Fantasy and Contemporary film categories respectively. All of these winners are most deserving and it is probable that Anna Karenina will be the big winner at the Oscars or the trophy might also go to Les Miserables.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Herman Zimmerman

EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A FEATURE FILM

Period Film: Anna Karenina

Fantasy Film: Life of Pi

Contemporary Film: Skyfall

EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR TELEVISION

One-Hour Single Camera Television Series: Game of Thrones (Episode: The Ghost of Harrenhal)

Television or Mini-series: American Horror Story: Asylum (Episode: I Am Anne Frank, Part 2)

Episode of a Half-Hour Single Camera Television Series: Girls (Episode: Pilot)

Episode of a Multi-Camera Variety or Unscripted Series: Saturday Night Live (Host: Mick Jagger)

Awards/Music/Game Shows: 84th Annual Academy Awards

EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR COMMERCIALS & MUSIC VIDEOS

Commercials and Music Videos: Xbox (Halo 4 Commissioning)