Brandy, Kirk Franklin, and Pharrell Williams Honored at Recording Academy Honors

Posted on January 30, 2026 by admin

Brandy, Kirk Franklin, and Pharrell Williams were honored Thursday night at the fourth annual Recording Academy Honors presented by the Black Music Collective, held January 29 in Santa Monica ahead of the Grammy Awards.Brandy and Franklin each received the Black Music Icon Award, recognizing their lasting artistic influence and cultural impact, while Williams was presented with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award for his contributions to music, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy.

The ceremony featured tribute performances from Coco Jones, Kehlani, FLO, John Legend, Lecrae, PJ Morton, Tamela Mann, and others, with appearances by Dr. Dre, Tyler the Creator, and Justin Timberlake. Both Brandy and Franklin also performed during the evening. In a notable moment, Eve was formally awarded a Grammy for her performance on The Roots’ “You Got Me,” correcting a long-standing credit oversight from the song’s original win in 2000.

The Black Music Collective event continues to spotlight Black artists and industry leaders while supporting future generations through scholarship initiatives and mentorship.

One Battle After Another Leads Online Film Critics Society Awards

Posted on January 26, 2026 by admin

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerged as a major winner at the 2025 Online Film Critics Society Awards, taking Best Picture and Best Director among five total wins. The film’s strong showing places it firmly among the most critically embraced releases of the year.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners ultimately led the awards overall, collecting 10 wins across major categories including acting, writing, cinematography, score, and multiple technical honors. With more than 38 films recognized across 22 categories, this year’s OFCS awards reflected an unusually broad spread of genres, from studio releases to international and independent titles.

One notable takeaway from this year’s results is how concentrated the wins were at the top: just two films accounted for nearly half of all awards handed out, underscoring a rare level of consensus among the Society’s nearly 300 voting critics worldwide.

The organization also presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Colleen Atwood, Jack Nicholson, Steven Spielberg, Vittorio Storaro, and Walter Murch, alongside Special Achievement Awards recognizing sustainability efforts in filmmaking and advocacy within the industry.

Here’s the complete list of Online Film Critics Society Award winners and nominations for 2025.

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Iyanu Scores Three NAACP Image Award Nominations

Posted on January 17, 2026 by admin

Lion Forge Entertainment’s animated series Iyanu has picked up three nominations at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards, marking a strong moment for the growing franchise.

The series is nominated for Outstanding Children’s Program and Outstanding Animated Series, while its season-ending movie special, Iyanu: The Age of Wonders, earned a nod for Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie, Documentary or Special, recognizing writers Roye Okupe and Brandon Easton.

Based on Okupe’s graphic novel Iyanu: Child of Wonder, the series follows a teenage orphan who discovers divine powers tied to the fate of the ancient kingdom of Yorubaland. Drawing heavily from Yoruba culture and mythology, Iyanu has stood out for its world-building and perspective within children’s animation.

The show premiered in 2025 on Cartoon Network and HBO Max and has since built an international audience. A second season is already set to arrive in Spring 2026, continuing Iyanu’s journey as her powers, and the stakes around her: grow.

The 57th NAACP Image Awards will take place on February 28, 2026, with winners announced during the ceremony in Pasadena, California.

‘One Battle After Another’ Leads 2026 Golden Globe Nominations; ‘The White Lotus’ Tops TV as Globes Expand Into Podcasts

Posted on December 8, 2025 by admin

The 2026 Golden Globe nominations were unveiled Monday morning, and the race quickly narrowed around a handful of major contenders. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another dominated the film side with nine nominations, the most of any title this year. Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value followed with eight, while Ryan Coogler’s Sinners earned seven, and Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet collected six. Frankenstein and Wicked: For Good landed five apiece.

On television, HBO’s The White Lotus led with six nominations, edging out Netflix’s Adolescence, which received five. Only Murders in the Building and Severance each secured four, continuing their awards-season consistency.

The ceremony returns to the Beverly Hilton on Jan. 11, airing live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, with Nikki Glaser hosting. Marlon Wayans and Skye P. Marshall announced the nominees from Los Angeles, including categories for film, television, stand-up comedy, and, for the first time, the best podcast award.

This year’s podcast lineup reflects the Globes’ push toward broader media recognition, while also avoiding the political and culture-war flashpoints that have defined the category elsewhere. Titles such as Armchair Expert, Call Her Daddy, Good Hang with Amy Poehler, The Mel Robbins Podcast, SmartLess, and NPR’s Up First made the inaugural shortlist.

On the distributor front, Neon led all film companies with 21 nominations, while Netflix dominated television with 22.

The Globes also continue building out their rebranding campaign, including the launch of “Golden Eve,” a primetime special honoring this year’s career-achievement recipients: Helen Mirren (Cecil B. DeMille Award) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Carol Burnett Award).

Below is the full list of nominees:

Here’s the full list of nominees.

Motion picture – Drama
“Sinners”
“It Was Just an Accident”
“Sentimental Value”
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“The Secret Agent”

Motion picture – Musical or comedy
“One Battle After Another”
“No Other Choice”
“Marty Supreme”
“Blue Moon”
“Bugonia”
“Nouvelle Vague”

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Republic Records Founders Monte and Avery Lipman Named 2026 GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honorees

Posted on December 7, 2025 by admin

Republic Records co-founders Monte Lipman and Avery Lipman will be honored with the GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons award at the Recording Academy and Clive Davis’ 2026 Pre-GRAMMY Gala. The event is set for Jan. 31, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton, the night before the 2026 GRAMMY Awards.

The Lipman brothers launched Republic Records in 1995 and have since overseen one of the industry’s most dominant modern music operations. Under their leadership, Republic has repeatedly topped Billboard metrics, earning Hot 100 Label of the Year in 11 of the past 12 years and maintaining a high-impact presence across pop, hip-hop, alternative, and emerging genres. The pair were recently appointed to oversee Universal Music Group’s East Coast label group, which includes Island, Def Jam, Mercury, and Republic.

Beyond their commercial track record, the brothers have been active in philanthropy, supporting medical research, arts programs, and community initiatives. They have been recognized by organizations including City of Hope, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, the T.J. Martell Foundation, and UJA-Federation, among others.

The Pre-GRAMMY Gala remains one of the recording industry’s most closely watched annual events, gathering major artists, executives, and creatives for an evening that honors influential contributors to the business.

“One Battle After Another” Dominates National Board of Review Awards

Posted on December 6, 2025 by admin

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another continued its awards-season surge, leading the 2025 National Board of Review honors with five major wins, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Supporting Actor for Benicio Del Toro, and Breakthrough Performance for Chase Infiniti.

The strong showing follows the film’s recent victories at both the Gotham Awards and the New York Film Critics Circle, positioning the Warner Bros. title as one of this season’s most formidable contenders.

Rose Byrne was named Best Actress for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, continuing her streak across multiple critics groups. Other notable winners included Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, Ryan Coogler for Sinners (Best Original Screenplay), and Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar for Train Dreams (Best Adapted Screenplay).

NBR also recognized Arco as Best Animated Feature, It Was Just an Accident as Best International Film, and Cover-Up as Best Documentary. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning earned the group’s stunt artistry honor, while Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw received Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography.

As usual, the organization released additional top-ten lists spanning films, international selections, documentaries, and independent features, which continue to serve as an early barometer of industry consensus.

The winners will be celebrated at the NBR’s annual gala on January 13, 2026, in New York City.

AFI Announces 2025 Honorees Across Film and Television

Posted on December 5, 2025 by admin

The American Film Institute has unveiled its selections for the 2025 AFI Awards, recognizing ten films and ten television programs that the organization deems the year’s most significant artistic achievements. One additional project, It Was Just an Accident, received the annual Special Award, given to works outside AFI’s standard eligibility.

This year’s film lineup spans major studio releases, acclaimed auteurs, and international literary adaptations, with titles including Avatar: Fire and Ash, Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Jay Kelly, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sinners, Train Dreams, and Wicked: For Good.

On the television side, the honorees reflect a broad mix of prestige drama, genre storytelling, and serialized world-building. The 2025 selections include Adolescence, Andor, Death by Lightning, The Diplomat, The Lowdown, The Pitt, Pluribus, Severance, The Studio, and Task.

AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale emphasized the awards’ long-standing focus on celebrating collective achievement rather than competition. Honorees will be recognized at AFI’s annual luncheon on January 9, 2026, a gathering known for bringing filmmakers and television creators together in an informal, industry-wide celebration of the year’s work.

The AFI Awards have become a consistent bellwether for awards-season momentum, often overlapping significantly with later Oscar and Emmy nominations.

Documentary “More Than Santa Baby” Honors Composer Philip Springer

Posted on December 1, 2025 by admin

The new documentary short More Than Santa Baby shines a spotlight on the remarkable life of composer Philip Springer, best known for writing the holiday classic “Santa Baby.” Directed by his daughter, Tamar Springer, the film reveals an artist whose career stretches across eight decades and far beyond his most famous song.

Running 39 minutes, the film blends archival footage, rare recordings, and interviews to trace Springer’s creative journey from 1940s Tin Pan Alley to the studio eras of New York and Hollywood. Along the way, his work connected with icons including Eartha Kitt, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Judy Garland.

The documentary has quickly become a festival favorite, premiering at Dances With Films in Los Angeles, winning the Documentary Short Audience Award, and continuing with a successful multi-city run, including the Big Apple Film Festival.

Set partly in New York City, the film serves as both a tribute to the Golden Age of American songwriting and a personal look at resilience, legacy, and lifelong creativity. Now 99, Springer continues to compose, making the film a timely portrait of enduring artistry.

Uruguay Selects Don’t You Let Me Go as Its Oscar Submission

Posted on November 22, 2025 by admin

Uruguay has chosen Don’t You Let Me Go (Agarrame fuerte), the latest feature from filmmakers Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge, as its official entry for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards. The film previously premiered at the Tribeca Festival, where it won the Nora Ephron Award, and later earned a nomination for Best Ibero-American Film at Spain’s Goya Awards.

Produced by Agustina Chiarino’s Bocacha Films, the 74-minute drama centers on Adela, a woman grieving the sudden death of her closest friend. During the funeral, she slips into an otherworldly journey that takes her back a decade, where she reunites with her younger friend group for one final weekend together. Through its mix of intimate realism and gentle fantasy, the film explores memory, loss, and the enduring bonds that shape women’s lives.

Featuring performances by Chiara Hourcade, Victoria Jorge, and Eva Dans, the film continues the longtime collaboration between Guevara, Jorge, and Chiarino, and underscores their focus on female-driven stories both in front of and behind the camera.

International sales are handled by Alpha Violet.

SFFILM Names 2025 Awards Night Honorees

Posted on November 20, 2025 by admin

L to R: Scott Cooper, 20th Century Studios. Benicio Del Toro, Warner Bros. Discovery, Wunmi Mosaku, Warner Bros. Discovery, Kristen Stewart, Emily Soto.

SFFILM has announced the recipients of its 2025 Awards Night honors, recognizing four artists whose work has had a major impact on contemporary cinema. This year’s event will celebrate filmmaker Scott Cooper, actors Benicio Del Toro and Wunmi Mosaku, and actor-filmmaker Kristen Stewart. The ceremony will take place December 8 at San Francisco’s Gateway Pavilion.

Cooper will receive the Irving M. Levin Award for Film Direction, joining past honorees including Denis Villeneuve, Greta Gerwig, and Ryan Coogler. Del Toro will receive the Maria Manetti Shrem Award for Acting, presented by Regina Hall, acknowledging a career that includes an Academy Award, a Cannes Best Actor win, and collaborations with many major directors.

The George Gund III Award for Virtuosity will be presented to Mosaku, whose recent work includes Sinners, Lovecraft Country, and the MCU. Actor Delroy Lindo will present the honor. Stewart will receive the Nion McEvoy & Leslie Berriman Award for Storytelling, recognizing her evolving work as both performer and filmmaker, including her feature directorial debut The Chronology of Water.

Proceeds from Awards Night support SFFILM’s year-round programming and artist development initiatives.