Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg and producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will be on hand to kick off the 13th annual TCM Classic Film Festival with a special presentation of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.”
The screening, set for Thurs. April 21, celebrates the 40th anniversary of the beloved family sci-fi film from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.
“I was 15 years old when ‘E.T.’ came out and what was true then remains so today; the film continues to speak to both children and adults. And it’s fair to say that this is the most influential family film since ‘The Wizard of Oz,’” stated Ben Mankiewicz, TCM primetime anchor and the festival’s official host. “When Steven Spielberg started work on ‘E.T.,’ he didn’t imagine he was making a movie with mass appeal. We don’t get to say this often, but boy was Spielberg wrong.”
Added Pola Changnon, TCM general manager: “’E.T.’ is the perfect example of a modern classic movie that combines both innovative direction and heartfelt performances. This film is beloved by millions around the world and we’re honored to have it open our festival.”
The 2022 festival runs April 21st-24th, centering around the theme “All Together Now: Back to the Big Screen.” TCM previously announced that during the festival actress and comedian Lily Tomlin will be honored with a hand and footprint ceremony outside Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre and the third Robert Osborne Award will be awarded to film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. For more information, visit tcm.com/festival.
Andrew Garfield, Amy Pascal, Rachel O’Connor and Sharen Davis To Be Honored At The 24th CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards)
The Costume Designers Guild announced that Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winning actor Andrew Garfield will be honored with the Spotlight Award, legendary producers Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor will receive the Distinguished Collaborator Award, and Emmy Award-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated costume designer Sharen Davis will be recognized with the Career Achievement Award at the 24th CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards).
Celebrating excellence in film, television, and short form costume design, the annual awards ceremony will take place live on Wednesday, March 9th at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. This year’s host and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Andrew Garfield’s history with costume design has transcended genre. A tech giant, a decorated soldier, a superhero, and now, with his performances in The Eyes of Tammy Faye and tick, tick…BOOM!, he has proven that he can do, and wear, just about anything. We are thrilled to be welcoming Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor to our roster of amazing distinguished collaborator recipients. Their respect of the art of costume design speaks for itself. And what can we say about Sharen Davis that she hasn’t already told us through her work? Her designs have included some of the most iconic costumes to grace our screens and it is our pleasure to celebrate her contributions to film and television alongside our other honorees at this year’s award ceremony,” said Salvador Perez, President of the Costume Designers Guild.
Donna Cline to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at ADG Awards
Concept Illustrator and Storyboard Artist Donna Cline, who brings a unique plethora of art and technical experience to feature films and television series (such as The Doctor, Outbreak and Bones), will receive the Art Director’s Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illustrators and Matte Artists (IMA) at the 26th Annual ADG Awards. Tamara Taylor, a star of the forensic crime drama Bones, will be presenting the award to Cline on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the ADG Awards, which returns live to the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel.
“Donna brings so much to the table on any project that she works on. In addition to being an amazing storyboard and concept illustration artist, she holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, was a forensic artist for major law enforcement agencies and a Reserve Deputy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for 20 years. It is unusual to offer that breadth of experience and creative talent to entertainment projects,” said Tim Wilcox, ADG Illustrators & Matte Artist Council Chair.
“This multi-faceted career has allowed Donna to provide many forms of art and research to the film and television projects as the technical advisor on productions. She often assists the cast with gaining proficiency in roles that necessitate accurate knowledge in medicine, forensics, science and psychology and collaborates with writers and other Department Heads to assist with technical accuracy. We want to make sure that we recognized and honor Donna’s career with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award,” he adds.
AFI Fest 2022 Announces Dates and Call for Entries
The 36th edition of AFI Fest will take place Nov. 2-6, 2002 in Los Angeles. Entries are now open and filmmakers are invited to submit fiction, documentary, experimental and animated short films.
Submission deadlines for for fiction shorts (under 40 minutes) and nonfiction shorts (under 40 minutes) are as follows: Early Deadline – Wed., March 2; Official Deadline – Wed., April 20; Final Deadline – Wed., June 15. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) recognizes AFI Fest as a qualifying festival for the live action and animated short film categories for the annual Academy Awards.
AFI also announced that because of the ongoing uncertainty due to the pandemic, the festival will expand its programming to include nonfiction films, which are traditionally presented at the AFI Docs festival in Washington, DC.
“AFI’s goal is to provide a safe environment for artists and audiences alike,” said AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale. “Uniting our events this year to be held in the fall will allow us to achieve this at a standard worthy of AFI and the storytellers who devote their lives to inspire and educate.”
Billy Crystal to Receive Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award
Crystal will be honored at the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards, taking place on March 13. Throughout nearly three decades, the Critics Choice Awards have honored just five other stars with the Lifetime Achievement Award, including Lauren Bacall, Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Eddie Murphy and Robert Wise.
Crystal is recognized for his many film and television credits spanning 45 years. In 1977, he played “Soap’s” Jodie Dallas, one of the first openly gay characters on TV, and in 1984, he joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live.” Best known for “When Harry Met Sally,” Crystal also starred in films including “The Princess Bride,” “Mr. Saturday Night,” “America’s Sweethearts,” “Running Scared” and “Parental Guidance.” He also voices the iconic Mike Wazowski, from Disney Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.,” “Monsters University” and “Monsters at Work.”
Hosted by Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer, the Critics Choice Awards will broadcast live on The CW and TBS at 7 p.m. ET.
Roger Deakins Knighted By Prince Charles
Oscar winning cinematographer Roger Deakins has been made a knight.
In a ceremony which took place at Windsor Castle, Deakins whose credits include “1917,” “Skyfall” and “Blade Runner 2049” was knighted for services to film by the Prince of Wales at an investiture on Tuesday.
Team Deakins wrote, “Here’s a more official photograph of Roger being knighted. It was an amazing experience and actually took our minds off the upcoming film for a few moments! We even took time for a nice lunch after but then it was back to work. Roger was happy to publicly state in the press that this honour was not just his but also for his crew and collaborators who make it possible for him to do what he does. And it’s true, our crew got knighted today too in our eyes!.”
Viola Davis Shares First Look at ‘The Woman King’
Set to hit theaters this September, Davis stars in the historical movie as Nanisca, general of the all-female military unit in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. Inspired by true events, the story follows Nanisca and Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), an ambitious recruit, who together fight enemies who violated their honor, enslaved their people and threatened to destroy everything they’ve lived for. Lashana Lynch and John Boyega also star opposite Davis and Mbedu in the film.
I’m deeply honored and excited to bring this incredible story of these badass female warriors to life. Get ready for THE WOMAN KING, exclusively in movie theaters this Fall!! 🎬👸🏿👑 @WomanKingMovie #BlackHistoryMonth 🤎🤎🤎 pic.twitter.com/Y92vyydi7C
— Viola Davis (@violadavis) February 1, 2022
Davis is producing the TriStar Pictures project alongside Cathy Schulman, Julius Tennon and Maria Bello. Based on an original screenplay by Dana Stevens, Stevens and Prince-Bythewood penned the most current draft of the script.
Gina Prince-Bythewood directs the film and behind-the-camera has recruited a team of female creatives. Polly Morgan (“A Quiet Place 2”) is the film’s cinematographer, Gersha Phillips created the costumes and Terilyn A. Shropshire who worked with Prince-Bythewood on “The Old Guard” is on board as the film’s editor.
Ellen Kuras, Peter Levy, John Lindley and Daniel Sasaki to be Feted at ADG Awards
The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) will recognize the work of four exceptional artists at the ASC’s 36th Annual Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography. Ellen Kuras, ASC has been tapped to receive the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award; Peter Levy, ASC, ACS will be presented with the Career Achievement in Television Award, and John Lindley, ASC will be honored with the President’s Award. Panavision’s Dan Sasaki will receive the ASC’s inaugural Curtis Clark Technical Achievement Award.
“We’re thrilled to be honoring our colleagues who have all made a significant impact on not only our artform, but our community as well,” said ASC President Stephen Lighthill. “Each of these recipients has made a unique contribution to cinema as leaders, storytellers and artists.”
Jon Favreau to Receive Distinguished Artisan Award From Makeup & Hairstylist Guild
The Makeup and Hairstylist Guild will be honoring Jon Favreau with their Distinguished Artisan Award at the 9th Annual MUAHS Awards on Feb. 29.
“Jon Favreau’s list of creative, exotic, and memorable characters lives on in his plethora of films, television movies and series. Jon is the ultimate collaborator who has worked alongside many 706 artists to help create memorable characters of all kinds in a myriad of different roles. We are thrilled to present the Artisan award to Jon as he is highly respected by make-up artists and hair stylists worldwide,” said Julie Socash, President of IATSE Local 706.
Favreau is currently showrunner and executive producer of “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian,” which garnered 39 Emmy Award nominations, winning 14 Emmys as well as numerous nominations and awards; and “The Book of Boba Fett” for Disney+. Favreau, no stranger to the “Star Wars” galaxy, has played roles in both the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” animated series and in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
Presenting Jon Favreau with the Distinguished Artisan Award is Ming-Na Wen, currently the star in “The Book of Boba Fett” and “The Mandalorian.”
Lionsgate Makes Three Date Announcements
Lionsgate Films has announced new dates for three films on its 2022 schedule. “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” starring Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates, will open Sept. 16. Marc Forster’s WWII story “White Bird: A Wonder Story” moves from Sept. 16 to Oct. 14. “The Devil’s Light,” about a nun who enters a school for exorcists normally reserved for priests, has moved from Feb. 25 to Oct. 28, just in time for a spooky Halloween viewing.
Filmmaker Daniel Adams Launches Mooncusser Filmworks
“The Lightkeepers” filmmaker has launched the new production company, which will focus on projects “with historical backdrops that also have compelling contemporary relevance.”
The company’s first film, “The Walk,” recently wrapped production and is currently being shopped for distribution. Directed by Adams, who also co-wrote the script alongside prison reform/civil rights activist George Powell, the story is set amid the court-ordered forced integration of the Boston School System in 1974. The film stars Justin Chatwin, Terrence Howard, Malcolm McDowell, Jeremy Piven, Katie Douglas, Lovie Simone and Anastasiya Mitrunen, is executive produced by Alex Nazarenko, and produced by Michael Mailer (“Blind,” “The Ledge”), Hank Blumenthal and Paul W. Hazen.
The follow up project is “The Panic,” a drama set in New York City around the financial crisis of 1907, following J. Pierpont Morgan, one of the most powerful bankers in history, and Charles Barney, who, as president of the Knickerbocker Trust, was involved in a scandal that brought down financial markets across the globe. Also written and directed by Adams, the film is slated to go into production this summer, with Nazarenko and Mailer as executive producer and producer respectively.
Adams is repped by Eric Williams and Evan Anglin at Zero Gravity Management. Mailer is repped by James Crane at Buchwald.
WarnerMedia OneFifty Acquires ‘Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance’ for HBO Max
In partnership with LDR Creative, WarnerMedia One Fifty will launch the groundbreaking documentary on HBO Max, where the film will stream exclusively in the U.S. beginning Feb. 1, kicking off programming celebrating Black History Month.
From filmmaker Khadifa Wong, the film traces the history of jazz dance from its origins in Africa and follows the evolution through each decade and genre while exploring and commenting on the political and social influences that shaped the artistry of today. With frank conversations about topics including appropriation, racism, socialism, and sexism, the film features special appearances by Debbie Allen, George Faison, Chita Rivera, Camille A. Brown, and Thomas F. DeFrantz. “Uprooted” also showcases the works of the Nicholas Brothers, Pepsi Bethel, Jack Cole, Katherine Dunham, Bob Fosse, and Gene Kelly.
The idea for the documentary came from leading educator/choreographer Zak Nemorin. “Uprooted” is produced by Lisa Donmall-Reeve, with Kimberley Browning as associate producer. The film’s innovative and immersive visuals are created by director of photography Matt Simpkins, with editor Joan Gill Amorim.
AMC+ and RLJE Films Acquire Worldwide Rights to ‘Christmas With the Campbells’
AMC+ and RLJE Films have acquired worldwide rights to the holiday comedy, “Christmas With The Campbells.” The film will be in theaters and stream exclusively on AMC+ in the U.S. on the same day in late fall of this year.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better cast and a group of filmmakers with whom to work,” said RLJE Films Chief Acquisitions Officer Mark Ward. “This is the second collaboration between RLJE Films and Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley and now, with the partnership with AMC+, we will be able to bring this film to an even wider audience.”
The deal was negotiated by Ward and Betsy Rodgers for AMC+/RLJE Films with Vaughn and Billingsley on behalf of the filmmakers.
Association of Film Commissioners International Elects New Board of Directors
The Association of Film Commissioners International has elected a new board of directors, and chosen Bas van der Ree of the Netherlands Film Commission as its new chairperson.
The non-profit entity, based in Los Angeles, represents more than 300 film offices across the U.S. and around the globe. Van der Ree has served as the Netherlands Film Commissioner since 2014, when the country launched its film incentive program, and recently served as 1st vice president of AFCI. Three new members joined the 11-member board: Gina Black from Screen Queensland, Marnie Gee of Creative BC, and Renee Robinson from Film Jamaica.
AFCI holds two annual conferences and keeps film officials up to date on production trends. The organized picked Eve Honthaner as its new president last August. Honthaner had previously served as deputy director of the California Film Commission.