Beasts Of The African Wild: 'War Witch' Star Rachel Mwanza Should Be As Famous As Quvenzhané Wallis

War Witch star Rachel Mwanza is headed to Hollywood, and she's earned her close-up.  On Wednesday, Tribeca Film announced that 16-year-old Mwanza has been granted a visa to travel to the United States to attend the Oscars and the Independent Spirit Awards this weekend, where War Witch is nominated, respectively,  in the Best Foreign Language Film and Best International Film categories. And it's time for the American media pays as much attention to her as it did to Quvenzhané Wallis. more »

Academy Award Nominations — What Were The Biggest Snubs & Shocks Of The 2013 Oscar Noms?

Whatever your Oscar nomination predictions were, you were wrong: This morning's Academy Awards announcements by hosts, Seth MacFarlane and Emma Stone, jolted Oscar-watchers awake with surprises and snubs so shocking they made everyone forget, within minutes, that MacFarlane made a Hitler joke, live, before six in the morning — setting the tone for his upcoming hosting gig.

From all the Beasts of the Southern Wild love, to the freezing-out of shoo-ins, Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty), Ben Affleck (Argo), and Tom Hooper (Les Miserables) from the Best Director race, which were the biggest shocks of the morning?
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Academy Award Nominees Announced - 'Lincoln' Leads 2013 Oscar Noms

Lincoln topped the nominees for the 85th Academy Awards Thursday morning in Los Angeles, the Steven Spielberg-directed film took 12 noms including the Best Picture and Director categories as well as Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Supporting Actor for Tommy Lee Jones and Best Supporting Actress for Sally Field.
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AFI Names 2012 Movie & TV Selections

The American Film Institute gave its selections for the best of 2012. The recent New York and Boston critics darling Zero Dark Thirty. AFI Awards selections are made through AFI's jury process in which scholars, film and television artists, critics and AFI Trustees determine the most outstanding achievements of the year, as well as provide a detailed rationale for each selection. This year’s juries – one for film and one for television – were chaired by producers and AFI Board of Trustees Vice Chairs Tom Pollock (former Vice Chairman of MCA, Chairman of Universal Pictures) for the movies and Rich Frank (former Chairman of Walt Disney Television, President of Walt Disney Studios, President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) for television, and includes award-winning artists such as Angela Bassett, Brad Bird, Chris Carter, Marta Kauffman and Octavia Spencer; film historian Leonard Maltin; scholars from prestigious universities with recognized motion picture arts programs (Syracuse, UCLA, University of Texas, USC, Wesleyan); AFI Board of Trustees; and critics.

"AFI AWARDS celebrates America’s storytellers as collaborators," said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO in a statement. "We are honored to bring together artists as a community, without competition, to acknowledge the gifts they have given the world in 2012."

AFI will honor the creative ensembles for each of the selections on January 11th in Los Angeles.

AFI Movies of the Year:

Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
The Dark Knight Rises
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

AFI TV Programs of the Year:

American Horror Story
Breaking Bad
Game Change
Game of Thrones
Girls
Homeland
Louie
Mad Men
Modern Family
The Walking Dead

'Zero Dark Thirty' Takes Top National Board Of Review Honors

In another major awards win for Kathryn Bigelow's latest, Zero Dark Thirty took major nods from the National Board of Review, receiving kudos for Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress for Jessica Chastain.

[Related: NY Film Critics Circle Spices Up Oscar Race With 'Zero Dark Thirty' Best Picture Pick]

Also taking major wins by the group were Bradley Cooper for Best Actor for Silver Linings Playbook, Leonardo DiCaprio (Best Supporting Actor) for Django Unchained, while Michael Haneke's Cannes Palme d'Or winner Amour took Best Foreign Language Film. Sundance '12 winner Beasts of the Southern Wild won both Best Directorial Debut for Benh Zeitlin and the Breakthrough Actress prize for Quevenzhané Wallis. Ben Affleck's Argo received a Special Achievement in Filmmaking mention.

Meredith Vieira will host the National Board of Review Gala on January 8th in New York.

2012 National Board of Review Prizes:

Best Film: Zero Dark Thirty
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Best Supporting Actress: Ann Dowd, Compliance
Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson, Looper
Best Adapted Screenplay: David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Animated Feature: Wreck-It Ralph
Special Achievement in Filmmaking: Ben Affleck, Argo
Breakthrough Actor: Tom Holland, The Impossible
Breakthrough Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis,  Beasts of the Southern Wild
Best Directorial Debut: Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Best Foreign Language Film: Amour
Best Documentary: Searching for Sugarman
William K. Everson Film History Award: 50 Years of Bond Films
Best Ensemble: Les Misérables
Spotlight Award: John Goodman (Argo, Flight, Paranorman, Trouble with the Curve)
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Central Park Five
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Promised Land
 
Top Films 
(in alphabetical order)
 
ARGO
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
DJANGO UNCHAINED
LES MISÉRABLES
LINCOLN
LOOPER
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
PROMISED LAND
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
 
Top 5 Foreign Language Films
(In Alphabetical Order)
 
BARBARA
THE INTOUCHABLES
THE KID WITH A BIKE
NO
WAR WITCH
 
Top 5 Documentaries
(In Alphabetical Order)
 
AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY
DETROPIA
THE GATEKEEPERS
THE INVISIBLE WAR
ONLY THE YOUNG
 
Top 10 Independent Films
(In Alphabetical Order)
 
ARBITRAGE
BERNIE
COMPLIANCE
END OF WATCH
HELLO I MUST BE GOING
LITTLE BIRDS
MOONRISE KINGDOM
ON THE ROAD
QUARTET
SLEEPWALK WITH ME

'Moonrise Kingdom,' 'Beasts' & 'Keep the Lights On' Lead Spirit Awards Nominations

Film Independent unveiled its 28th Spirit Award nominations Tuesday with last night's Gothams winner Moonrise Kingdom joining the pack of Best Feature nominees which also includes Beasts of the Southern Wild, Bernie, Keep the Lights On and Silver Linings Playbook.

Wes Anderson also picked up a Best Director nomination along with Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild, Ira Sachs for Keep the Lights On and David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook.

Winners will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 23, 2013. The awards ceremony will be held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica.

"The nominations this year represent an astonishingly strong group of artists both in front of and behind the camera," said Film Independent Co-president Josh Welsh. "At Film Independent, we nurture artist-driven filmmaking all year long and I can't imagine a more fitting or worthy group of films to celebrate here today."

2013 Spirit Awards Nominees:

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not awarded)

Beasts of the Southern Wild, Producers: Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey & Josh Penn

Bernie, Producers: Liz Glotzer, Richard Linklater, David McFadzean, Dete Meserve, Judd Payne, Celine Rattray, Martin Shafer, Ginger Sledge, Matt Williams

Keep the Lights On, Producers: Marie Therese Guirgis, Lucas Joaquin, Ira Sachs

Moonrise Kingdom, Producers: Wes Anderson, Jeremy Dawson, Steven Rales, Scott Rudin

Silver Linings Playbook, Producers: Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon

BEST DIRECTOR:

Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom
Julia Loktev, The Loneliest Planet
David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs, Keep the Lights On
Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

BEST SCREENPLAY:

Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola, Moonrise Kingdom
Zoe Kazan, Ruby Sparks
Martin McDonagh, Seven Psychopaths
David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs, Keep the Lights On

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer):
Fill the Void, DIRECTOR: Rama Burshtein, PRODUCER: Assaf Amir

Gimme the Loot, DIRECTOR: Adam Leon, PRODUCERS: Dominic Buchanan, Natalie Difford, Jamund Washington

Safety Not Guaranteed, DIRECTOR: Colin Trevorrow
PRODUCERS: Derek Connolly, Stephanie Langhoff, Peter Saraf, Colin Trevorrow, Marc Turtletaub

Sound of My Voice, DIRECTOR: Zal Batmanglij, PRODUCERS: Brit Marling, Hans Ritter, Shelley Surpin

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, DIRECTOR: Stephen Chbosky, PRODUCERS: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY:
Rama Burshtein, Fill the Void
Derek Connolly, Safety Not Guaranteed
Christopher Ford, Robot & Frank
Rashida Jones & Will McCormack, Celeste and Jesse Forever
Jonathan Lisecki, Gayby

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD - Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.
Breakfast with Curtis, WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Laura Colella

Middle of Nowhere, WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Ava DuVernay, PRODUCERS: Howard Barish, Paul Garnes

Mosquita y Mari, WRITER/DIRECTOR: Aurora Guerrero
PRODUCER: Chad Burris

Starlet WRITER/DIRECTOR: Sean Baker, PRODUCERS: Blake Ashman-Kipervaser, Kevin Chinoy, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Francesca Silvestri

The Color Wheel, WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Alex Ross Perry, WRITER: Carlen Altman

BEST FEMALE LEAD:

Linda Cardellini, Return
Emayatzy Corinealdi, Middle of Nowhere
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Smashed

BEST MALE LEAD:

Jack Black, Bernie
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Thure Lindhardt, Keep the Lights On
Matthew McConaughey, Killer Joe
Wendell Pierce, Four

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE:

Rosemarie DeWitt, Your Sister’s Sister
Ann Dowd, Compliance
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Brit Marling, Sound of My Voice
Lorraine Toussaint, Middle of Nowhere

BEST SUPPORTING MALE:

Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike
David Oyelowo, Middle of Nowhere
Michael Péna, End of Watch
Sam Rockwell, Seven Psychopaths
Bruce Willis, Moonrise Kingdom

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

Yoni Brook, Valley of Saints
Lol Crawley, Here
Ben Richardson, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Roman Vasyanov, End of Watch
Robert Yeoman, Moonrise Kingdom

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer):

How to Survive a Plague DIRECTOR: David France
PRODUCERS: David France, Howard Gertler

Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present, DIRECTOR: Matthew Akers, PRODUCERS: Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre

The Central Park Five, DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS: Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon

The Invisible War, DIRECTOR: Kirby Dick, PRODUCERS: Tanner King Barklow, Amy Ziering

The Waiting Room, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Peter Nicks
PRODUCERS: Linda Davis, William B. Hirsch

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director):

Amour (France) DIRECTOR: Michael Haneke

Once Upon A Time in Anatolia, (Turkey) DIRECTOR: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Rust And Bone (France/Belgium) DIRECTOR: Jacques Audiard

Sister (Switzerland) DIRECTOR: Ursula Meier

War Witch (Democratic Republic of Congo)
DIRECTOR: Kim Nguyen

16th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 16th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

Nobody Walks PRODUCER: Alicia Van Couvering
Prince Avalanche, PRODUCER: Derrick Tseng
Stones in the Sun, PRODUCER: Mynette Louie

19th ANNUAL SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 19th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Pincus, DIRECTOR: David Fenster
Gimme the Loot, DIRECTOR: Adam Leon
Electrick Children, DIRECTOR: Rebecca Thomas

STELLA ARTOIS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 18th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Leviathan, DIRECTOR: Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel
The Waiting Room, DIRECTOR: Peter Nicks
Only the Young, DIRECTOR: Jason Tippet & Elizabeth Mims

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD - (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

Starlet, Director: Sean Baker, Casting Director: Julia Kim
Ensemble Cast: Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Karren Karagulian, Stella Maeve, James Ransone

Jared Leto's 'Artifact' & 'Beasts Of The Southern Wild' Nominated For IFP Gotham Audience Award

Oscar hopeful Beasts of the Southern Wild and Artifact, actor Jared Leto's documentary — he's credited as Bartholomew Cubbins — about his band 30 Seconds to Mars, are among the five films that have made it to the final round of IFP's Gotham Independent Film Audience Award contest. Beasts, which was directed by Benh Zeitlin, turns out to be the only non-documentary nominated: The other three contenders include Kirby Dick's Invisible War, about rape in the military; Burn, Brenna Sanchez and Tom Putnam's documentary about Detroit firefighters, and Jonathan Kalafer's Once in a Lullaby: The PS 22 Chorus Story, which tells the story of how the fifth-grade chorus at a Staten Island public school came to perform at the 2011 Oscars. more »

Gotham Awards Unveil 22nd Annual Nominees

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) unveiled nominees for the 22nd annual Gotham Independent Film Awards Thursday morning with 26 films named in Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best Ensemble Performance, Breakthrough Director, Best Actor and "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You" categories. Indie favorites Beasts of the Southern Wild, Bernie, Middle of Nowhere, and Moonrise Kingdom received two nominations each. The Gotham Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, November 26th at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
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Elijah Wood Joins The Late Bloomer; Beasts Of The Southern Wild Actors Ruled Ineligible For SAG Awards: Biz Break

Also in Monday afternoon's round-up of news briefs is more Elijah Wood news. He is teaming up for a production company focusing on genre product. Matt Reeves is picked to direct a major Fox project and more casting news in today's edition.
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Oscar Preview: Free Quvenzhané Wallis

"Best Director is a nomination I can see for Beasts; it looks and plays like no other movie you'll see this year. But Best Actress? Remember, it's not like throwing a 13-year-old or even a talented 9-year-old up against four adults. The kid you're seeing onscreen is 6. And yeah, comparing actresses is always apples and oranges, but with the other four, whoever they end up being, we'll be able to talk about their performances and not the fact that they were bribed with candy on long days, or had their lines rewritten because long words were too hard to say, or were filmed without being aware of it in the hope that natural moments would be captured. Well, maybe the candy thing happens with adults. But to quote the star herself, 'I didn't even know about acting. That was just me.' Also: Telling a kid that young that now her job is to go be interviewed by a lot of grown-ups and have her picture taken so that she can win a prize? Ugh. Yecch. Gross." [Grantland]

RIP Ernest Borgnine; Fassbender Joins Videogame Franchise: Biz Break

In Monday morning's round-up of news briefs, Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine is remembered after he died over the weekend. Also, as awards season approaches, SAG opens up its submissions; Christopher Nolan gets his prints at Grauman's Chinese; Michael Fassbender boards a franchise; Beasts still strong in the specialty box office and Norway's The Almost Man wins a top film festival prize.
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Here, Then Wins in Edinburgh, Beasts of the Southern Wild Tops in Specialty Box Office

Also in Monday morning's round up of film news, more winners from the Edinburgh International Film Festival as well as fest news from Karlovy Vary and Shanghai.AndSpider-Man opens overseas to some impressive numbers
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REVIEW: Beasts of the Southern Wild Lives Up to Its Moral Universe

There was talk, back a week or so ago, about the perfect Father’s Day movie. Some made jokes about That’s My Boy, others took the opportunity to reassert the paternal themes across the work of Wes Anderson, including his latest, Moonrise Kingdom. I couldn’t help thinking, watching Beasts of the Southern Wild, a dreamy, boisterous, folk-inflected allegory of American independence and its foes, among other things, that for a certain type of father and daughter, at least, the story of a benevolent universe-ruler named Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) and her willful dad Wink (Dwight Henry) would unleash the floodgates like no other.
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Beasts of the Southern Wild Clip: Welcome to the Bathtub

A community of survivors exists on the outskirts of a Louisiana levee, where a six-year-old girl with a boundless imagination and a deep connection to the world around her lives with her father. In Movieline's exclusive clip, enter the world of Benh Zeitlin's impressive feature debut/Sundance hit Beasts of the Southern Wild (in limited release this week), as seen through the eyes of the film's pint-sized heroine, Hushpuppy (played with tremendous fearlessness by discovery of the year, Quvenzhané Wallis).
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Beasts of the Southern Wild Director Benh Zeitlin on His Dazzling Festival Winner

From the time it detonated public consciousness at Sundance last January, Benh Zeitlin’s dazzling magic realist feature debut Beasts of the Southern Wild has occasioned its own peculiar brand awe and wonder. After winning the grand jury prize and an award for best cinematography in Park City, the movie continues to conquer the world. Last month at Cannes, it captured the prestigious Camera d’Or for best first feature.
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