The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Cate Blanchett is set to receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award.
“Cate Blanchett is truly one of the best actresses of this generation, whose performances are always extraordinary no matter the role. In her latest film Tár, Cate perfectly embodies Lydia Tár as an orchestra conductor at the height of her career whose life begins to unravel,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. ” There is no one better suited for this role and it is our honor to present the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress, to Cate Blanchett.”
Two-time Oscar winner Blanchett will receive the honor during a ceremony at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 5, 2023.
Her film Tar saw its initial theatrical release Oct. 7 through Focus Features.
Blanchett was honored at the festival previously with the Desert Palm Achievement Award: Actress (2016) for Carol and Truth, Career Achievement Award and Ensemble Performance Award Babel (2007).
Cate Blanchett will receive the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Blanchett will be honored on Friday, February 10, 2023 for her critically acclaimed portrayal of Lydia Tár in Todd Feld’s TÁR from Focus Features. Setting a historic record, this is the second time Blanchett will be feted at the festival as the Outstanding Performer of the Year.
In 2014, she received the honor for her role as Jasmine French in BLUE JASMINE. In 2008, she was crowned the Modern Master Award for her role as Queen Elizabeth in ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE and as multi-faceted Bob Dylan in I’M NOT THERE.
“Cate Blanchett is an artist that has nothing left to prove; she is one of the most brilliant actresses ever – yet she keeps challenging herself and proving over and over again that she’s the most outstanding performer!” SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling noted.
Cate Blanchett is an internationally acclaimed, Academy Award-winning actor, producer, artistic director, humanitarian, and dedicated member of the arts community. Blanchett plays the titular role and executive produces Todd Field’s highly anticipated feature film “TÁR,” which marks the writer-director-producer’s first film in over 15 years. The film was warmly welcomed at the Telluride Film Festival and Venice International Film Festival, where Blanchett was awarded the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress for her second time since I’m Not There. This fall, Blanchett will appear in Guillermo Del Toro’s latest film, “PINOCCHIO,” and the mockumentary hit series “Documentary Now!” She has now begun production in Australia on Warwick Thornton’s “The New Boy,” in which she stars and produces via the production company Dirty Films. She most recently wrapped production on “Disclaimer,” directed by Alfonso Cuaron, in which she also stars and executive produces. In 2021, Blanchett appeared in Adam McKay’s smash hit, Don’t Look Up, as well as Guillermo Del Toro’s Nightmare Alley. Continue reading →
ANIMATION IS FILM (AIF) announced the winners of its milestone fifth annual film festival today with the feature film LITTLE NICOLAS (Le Petit Nicolas), directed by Amandine Fredon & Benjamin Massoubre, winning the Grand Jury Prize, its top honor. MY FATHER’S DRAGON, directed by Oscar® nominee Nora Twomey (“The Breadwinner”), took home the Special Jury Prize. This year’s Audience Award went to AURORA’S SUNRISE directed by Inna Sahakyan, and the Shorts Jury Prize was awarded to ICE MERCHANTS directed by João Gonzalez.
In addition to earning AIF’s Grand Jury Prize, LITTLE NICOLAS (Le Petit Nicolas) is the 2022 winner of the prestigious Annecy’s Cristal award. This magical film follows the adventures of a mischievous boy and his schoolmates, teacher, and parents in Paris in the 1960s. Said Jury Chair and Variety’s Chief Film Critic, Peter Debruge, “Co-directors Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre have crafted a wonderful hand-drawn tribute to French cartoonists René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé. By adapting the duo’s distinctive style to animation, they have not only brought these beloved characters to life but also revealed the lesser-known lives of the artists responsible for their creation.” Charades is handling international sales.
Oscar-nominated director Nora Twomey returned to AIF this year with her second film, MY FATHER’S DRAGON, where it made its North American Premiere. In 2017, her directorial debut, “The Breadwinner,” also made its U.S. premiere at AIF, garnering both Jury and Audience prizes before earning an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature. MY FATHER’S DRAGON, a Netflix film, is based on the Newbery winning children’s book and follows a young boy who runs away to an island to rescue and befriend a young dragon. “Director Nora Twomey and the talented team at Cartoon Saloon honor the look of Ruth Stiles Gannett’s classic children’s book while bringing their signature touch to this well-crafted and visually compelling kids’ movie, which seems ideally suited for the medium of animation,” added DeBruge. Continue reading →
With the Hollywood Music in Media Awards set to return live for the annual celebration this year, the HMMA will be presenting composer Kurt Farquhar with the distinguished Career Achievement Award at thee 13th annual awards ceremony.
“We are so proud to be honoring Kurt,” HMMA executive producer Brent Harvey said in a statement. “He is an incredibly talented composer with a great message. After overcoming homelessness, he became a Hollywood success story. His journey is an inspiration to all.”
A native of Chicago, Farquhar has also won BMI award seven times. His credits include CBS’ The Neighborhood and The King of Queens, The History Channel’s mini-series Abraham Lincoln, The CW’s Black Lightning, and various series in BET network.
Farquhar will be joining a distinguished list of HMMA honorees in the past, as Kenny Loggins, Smokey Robinson, Diane Warren, Earth, Wind & Fire, Glen Campbell, Dave Mason, as well as film composers John Debney and Christopher Young.
The nominees for HMMA are chosen based on specific genres of music in film, TV and video games. Genre also includes dramatic feature, sci-fi/ fantasy, documentary, and animation. Submissions for this year are open up until Oct. 15, 2022.
The event is set to take place on November 16th at the Avalon in Hollywood. This will be the first time in nearly three years that HMMA will be held live and in person, with the last two years held with virtual events.
The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics has announced its nominees for its 14th Dorian TV Awards for the best in all of TV, mainstream to LGBTQIA+ content.
HBO comedy “Somebody Somewhere” and the HBO Max comedy “Hacks” leads the list of TV’s best, with five nominations apiece.
“Somebody Somewhere” received nod for best TV performance (Bridget Everett), supporting TV performance (Jeff Hiller) and best TV musical performance, best unsung TV show category, and the best LGBTQ show. “Hacks” received nods for best TV comedy along with ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” HBO’s “Barry” and HBO Max’s “The Other Two” and “Our Flag Means Death.”
Hit LGBTQ show “Heartstopper” is up for best LGBTQ show, best TV drama, while its actor Kit Connor has a best TV performance nomination.
BEST TV DRAMA
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Heartstopper (Netflix)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)
Severance (Apple TV+)
Succession (HBO)
BEST TV COMEDY
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Barry (HBO)
Hacks (HBO Max)
The Other Two (HBO Max)
Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max)
BEST LGBTQ SHOW
Hacks (HBO Max)
Heartstopper (Netflix)
The Other Two (HBO Max)
Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max)
Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
BEST TV MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Dopesick (Hulu)
The Dropout (Hulu)
Midnight Mass (Netflix)
Station Eleven (HBO Max)
The White Lotus (HBO)
Written, produced, and directed by Chloé Zhao, “The Rider” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2017. There, it won the Art Cinema Award, the top prize at the festival’s Directors’ Fortnight—a section where Zhao’s debut feature film, “Songs My Brothers Taught Me,” was screened and well-received in 2015.
Since its premiere, “The Rider” has garnered near-universal acclaim, enjoyed successful runs at both Telluride and Sundance in January, and secured nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards for best feature, director, editing, and cinematography. The film boasts a 97% rating on the film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus lauding “writer-director Chloé Zhao’s use of untrained actors to convey the movie’s fact-based story.”
Drawing inspiration from its actors’ real-life experiences, this docu-fiction chronicles the journey of a young Native-American cowboy and professional horse trainer, Brady Blackburn (portrayed by real-life rider Brady Jandreau). The story delves into his physical and emotional challenges after a devastating rodeo accident leaves him with a steel plate in his head, his perseverance despite medical advice to never ride again, and his quest for a new purpose in life.
Casting Brady, a non-professional actor in the lead role, was undoubtedly a gamble. Yet it proved fruitful: critics praised his portrayal, noting its reflection of his personal experiences and how it lent the film authenticity.
So moved by Brady’s story, Zhao also enlisted his family for the film. His real father and sister, Tim and Lilly, play fictionalized versions of themselves. The film also features his friends, including former bull rider Lane Scott, who was paralyzed in a car accident in 2013.
With the story told from Brady’s viewpoint as a sidelined rodeo rider, audiences sense his life’s trials and emotional turmoil. Yet, the film retains an undertone of hope.
Early in the film, we witness visible staples embedded in his skull. But Brady persists. In his hometown, where he’s somewhat a celebrity, he’s given encouragement to chase his dreams. Audiences root for his comeback in both his career and life.
One poignant moment shows Brady training a horse. Here, he’s truly in his element, gradually winning the horse’s trust. Their bond is evident, fostering viewer optimism, regardless of impending tragedies.
In a heartrending sequence, a horse named Apollo got caught in barbed wire, severely injuring his leg. This forces Brady’s father to euthanize him. Reflecting on this, Brady tells his sister, “I got hurt like Apollo did, but I’m a person, so I got to live.”
Director Zhao says in promoting the film: “Through Brady’s journey, both on and off screen, I hope to explore our culture of masculinity and to offer a more nuanced version of the classic American cowboy. I also want to offer an authentic portrait of the rough, honest and beautiful American heartland that I deeply love and respect.”
Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, the film’s cast includes Brady Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Tim Jandreau, Lane Scott, and Cat Clifford. “The Rider” is now screening in select theaters across the US.
