Awards Round-Up: Robert De Niro Gets Kennedy-ed; Anvil, Moon Find Euro Love

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It took some work, but four days after the National Board of Review's list of '09 winners left the distinct, chalky aftertaste of WTF in America's collective mouth (Two Lovers among the year's 10 best independent films? Come again?), a crisp, refreshing glass of alternative awards news helped rinse the flavor away over the weekend:

· Robert De Niro and Mel Brooks represented Hollywood at this year's Kennedy Center Honors, joining Bruce Springsteen, Dave Brubeck and opera singer Grace Bumbry as 2009's graduating class of cultural heroes. President Obama introduced the group, with Brooks appreciating the recognition as "better late than never"; the televised event that you're usually surprised to see still airs after all these years of never watching it will be broadcast on CBS on Dec. 29.

· Anvil! The Story of Anvil avenged its Oscar short-list snub over the weekend by winning the International Documentary Association's top prize for 2009. New Carpetbagger Melena Ryzik points out that the overlapping memberships of the IDA and Academy suggest an even bigger behind-the-scenes Oscar fissure than originally anticipated, but then also notes Anvil!'s potential sneak attack on Best Picture. And that, dear reader, is basically what it looks like when you blog a champagne hiccup.

· The great, underrated (in the States, anyway) sci-fi indie Moon got some of its highest-profile love yet, claiming Best Picture at Sunday's British Independent Film Awards. Last year's winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Get excited for the underdog comeback of the year! Also at last night's BIFA ceremony: Daniel Day-Lewis won a lifetime achievement award, Andrea Arnold drunkenly accepted her directing prize for Fish Tank, and Anne-Marie Duff accidentally knocked her supporting-actress trophy off the podium. Congrats to all.



Comments

  • The Winchester says:

    Moon deserves the love. I was disappointed when I saw Sam Rockwell was not involved in any way with that "New Moon" sequel that came out recently.