World News
The Lost Daughter, Squid Game others win at 31st Annual Gotham Awards
The Gotham Film & Media Institute (The Gotham) has announced the winners of the 31st Annual Gotham Awards at a ceremony held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
Winning Best Feature and three additional awards was The Lost Daughter, director and screenwriter Maggie Gyllenhaal’s assured screen adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel about a solitary vacationing professor and mother of two grown daughters whose encounters with a different young mother provoke haunting memories of her own past. Maggie Gyllenhaal also scored two additional individual awards for Best Screenplay and the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director award given to a director for their first fiction feature film. Gyllenhaal had previously won a Gotham Award nineteen years ago in 2002 as Breakthrough Actor for her performance in Secretary. And for her performance as Leda, the complex central character of The Lost Daughter, Olivia Colman received the Outstanding Lead Performance award, having previously received a special Ensemble Performance award in 2018 as part of the lead trio of The Favourite.
Also receiving an Outstanding Lead Performance award was Frankie Faison for his brilliantly varied and devastating performance in The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, based on the true story of the resulting tragedy when police were sent to check on an elderly veteran with physical and mental health issues after his medical alert link was accidentally triggered.
Receiving the Breakthrough Performer award was Emilia Jones for her sensitive–and musical –lead role as a child of Deaf parents torn between her responsibility to her family and the possibility of a future of her own in CODA, for which actor Troy Katsur won the Outstanding Supporting Performance award for playing her funny, opinionated dad who is fearful of losing her but yearning to connect and understand her.
The award for Best Documentary Feature was presented to Flee, the stirring, mostly animated documentary by Danish filmmaker Jonas Poher Rasmussen which recounts the multi-year history from childhood until now of Amin Nawabi (a pseudonym), who with his mother and siblings became refugees fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan, through Russia, and eventually to Denmark where, despite trauma and a hidden past, there’s possibility for Nawabi of a new home and lasting love.
Winning the award for Best International Feature was Drive My Car, directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, adapted from a short story by Haruki Murakami into a gently emotional epic in which an actor/director harboring an unspoken grief and anger embarks on directing a multi-language production of Uncle Vanya in another city and gradually opens to his assigned driver, who has losses of her own.
With the awards for television the Gotham Awards for debut series are given annually to those that “enrich the landscape or push the boundaries of television.” Winning the award for Breakthrough Series (Over 40 minutes) was Squid Game, the late-breaking global sensation from Korean writer/director Hwang Dong-hyuk and Netflix that weaves themes of universal economic and social divide and aggressive capitalism with dazzling set pieces, ultra-violence, and even tender moments.
Breakthrough Series (Under 40 minutes) was awarded to Reservation Dogs, created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, which follows a group of teens living on a reservation in Oklahoma and whose petty crimes fuel dreams of escaping to a new life in California. The comedy series is a first to be majority written, directed, acted, and crewed by people of Indigenous descent.
Newly created this year was the first Gotham Award category for series acting – Outstanding Performance in a New Series. Following the Gotham Awards guidelines for gender neutral categorization, there were ten nominees. The jury chose to award two performances “equally undeniable in their craft and staying power” – to Thuso Mbedu, transcendent in the frequently silent central role of Cora in The Underground Railroad and Ethan Hawke in a possible career-best performance as abolitionist John Brown in The Good Lord Bird.
Also added as a new standalone category this year was Breakthrough Nonfiction Series. The winning series was Philly D.A., the propulsive, narratively driven, verité-shot series, created by filmmakers Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, and Nicole Salazar, that follows the first term of crusading Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, elected in 2017 determined to reform the system from within and with the goal of ending mass incarceration.
Career Tributes were also given during the ceremony to performers Kristen Stewart (presented by Julianne Moore and Pablo Larraín) and Peter Dinklage (presented by Ethan Hawke), director Jane Campion (presented by Mark Ruffalo), and the Industry Tribute to Eamonn Bowles (presented by Alex Gibney).
The inaugural Icon Tribute (presented by Kia Brooks, Deputy Director of The Gotham and Seret Scott) was awarded posthumously to poet, playwright, writer, filmmaker, director, civil rights activist, and educator Kathleen Collins and was accepted by her daughter, Nina Lorez Collins. Kathleen Collins’ most known film work is Losing Ground, one of the very first fictional features by an African-American woman filmmaker. The Icon Tribute has been created to call attention to the boldness, artistry, and impact of a filmmaker from a marginalized community whose work has not been previously recognized by the organization in its previous awards history.
An Ensemble Tribute (presented by Jeymes Samuel) was given to the cast of The Harder They Fall, including Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr., Deon Cole with Regina King and Idris Elba.
An Impact Salute (presented by Michael Bloomberg) was given to The Actors Fund in recognition of their leadership role in providing resources, care and financial support to members of the entertainment community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Founded in 1882, the nonprofit serves all professionals—and not just actors—in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance through programs that address the community’s unique and essential needs. Brian Stokes Mitchell accepted on behalf of The Actors Fund.
Additionally announced during the ceremony:
The Questlove Gotham EDU Scholarship
Questlove announced the creation of a $150,000 scholarship fund earmarked for HBCU students’ tuition and to allow participation in the Gotham EDU suite of programs and mentor support. The award is supported by iHeartMedia.
Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase
Tessa Thompson announced the winners of the third annual showcase supported by sponsoring partners Focus Features and JetBlue. The program is designed to discover and empower a diverse group of emerging filmmakers and foster multi-platform distribution of their work. Each winner receives a $10,000 grant and have their films shown for twelve months on JetBlue’s seatback entertainment systems under the “Gotham Selects” movie category and on Focus Features digital streaming platforms. Throughout 2022, winning filmmakers will also receive ongoing mentorship and workshopping opportunities from The Gotham.
The winning filmmakers and shorts were:
· Evan Bode, Thine Own Self, Syracuse University
· Jorge G. Camarena, Spaceship, American Film Institute
· Akanksha Chawla, Close Ties to Home Country, Columbia College
· Jun Hee Han, Uncle, University of California, Los Angeles
· J. Sean Smith, #Whitina, University of Southern California
The Gotham Awards ceremony was streamed on Facebook Live and on The Gotham’s YouTube channel.
For photo selects from the event, visit
https://dam.gettyimages.com/
The 31st Annual Gotham Award recipients are:
For Best Feature, presented by Dakota Johnson
The Lost Daughter
Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal
Produced by Osnat Handelsman Keren, Talia Kleinhendler, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Charles Dorfman
Released by Netflix
The Best Feature jury included Jason Mitchell, Lydia Dean Pilcher, Adele Romanski, Peter Saraf, and Cathy Yan.
For Best Documentary, presented by Devery Jacobs and Michael Greyeyes
Flee
Directed Jonas Poher Rasmussen
Produced Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen, and Charlotte De La Gournerie
Released by NEON
The Best Documentary jury included Bonni Cohen, Ramona Diaz, Kirsten Johnson, Roger Ross Williams, and Hao Wu.
For Best International Feature, presented Thandiwe Newton
Drive My Car
Directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Produced by Teruhisa Yamamoto
Released by Sideshow and Janus Films
The Best International Feature jury included Jimmie Fails, Eliza Hittman, Orion Lee, Jonathan Raymond, and Catalina Sandino Moreno.
For Outstanding Lead Performance, presented by Dan Levy
To two performers:
Olivia Colman in The Lost Daughter
Released by Netflix
and
Frankie Faison in The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
Released by Gravitas Ventures
The Outstanding Lead Performance jury included Aldis Hodge, Tamara Jenkins, Avy Kaufman, Lisa Kjerulff, and KiKi Layne.
For Outstanding Supporting Performance, presented by Daveed Diggs
Troy Kotsur in CODA
Released by Apple TV+
The Outstanding Supporting Performance jury included Michael Beach, M. Blair Breard, Blythe Danner, Rob Morgan, and Crystal Moselle.
For Breakthrough Performer, presented by Moses Ingram
Emilia Jones in CODA
Released by Apple TV+
The Breakthrough Performer jury included Matt Bomer, Yolonda Ross, Isabel Sandoval, Shari Springer Berman, and Katherine Waterston.
For Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director, presented by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
Maggie Gyllenhaal for The Lost Daughter
Released by Netflix
The Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director jury included Anne Carey, Helena Howard, Famke Janssen, John Turturro, and Phillip Youmans.
For Best Screenplay, presented by Joe Wright
Maggie Gyllenhaal for The Lost Daughter
Released by Netflix
For Breakthrough Series (Over 40 Minutes), presented by Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur
Squid Game
Executive Produced by Kim Ji-yeon and Hwang Dong-hyuk
Netflix
The Breakthrough Series (Over 40 Minutes) jury included Jasmine Batchelor, Eli Goree, Mike Harrop, Amy Koppelman, and Paul Mezey.
For Breakthrough Series (Under 40 Minutes), presented by Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur
Reservation Dogs
Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi
Executive Produced by Taika Waititi, Sterlin Harjo, and Garrett Basch
FX
The Breakthrough Series (Under 40 Minutes) jury included Adam Goldman, Anna Konkle, Jenni Konner, Victoria Mahoney, and Jonathan Majors
For Breakthrough Nonfiction Series, presented by Jung Ho-yeun
Philly D.A.
Created by Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, and Nicole Salazar
Executive Produced by Dawn Porter, Sally Jo Fifer, Lois Vossen, Ryan Chanatry, Gena Konstantinakos, Jeff Seelbach, and Patty Quillin
Topic, Independent Lens, PBS
The Breakthrough Nonfiction Series jury included Andrew Jarecki, Laura Ricciardi, Bernardo Ruiz, Elyse Steinberg, and Tracy Heather Strain.
World News
MICHAEL MCINTYRE CONFIRMS SOUTH AFRICAN DATES FOR HIS “MACNIFICENT” COMEDY TOUR
Michael McIntyre remains one of the top-selling comedy tours ever in SA and will perform September 2024, on Thursday 12th at Sunbet Arena at Times Square, Menlyn and Friday 13th at GrandWest, Cape Town.
Much has happened in the five years since his last tour and Michael will be making mirth from the madness of it all. Michael is the host of two of the BBC’s most successful entertainment shows, the BAFTA-winning Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and The Wheel, which he devised and also hosts for NBC in America. His previous tours have sold over four million tickets and broken box-office records around the world. Michael’s return to stand-up is not to be missed!
Age restriction: STRICTLY 14+. Children younger than this will not be admitted even if accompanied by an adult Tickets available at TicketPro.co.za.
Pre-sales from 10 am THURSDAY 28th March.
General Public on sale from 11am Tues 2nd April – i.e. no code required
World News
Beast of Two Worlds (Ajakaju) Movie Premiere: Where Cinema Meets Couture
On Sunday, March 25, 2024, the Nollywood industry saw a historic moment as the much-awaited debut of Beast of Two Worlds (Ajakaju) took center stage at Film House Cinemas, Circle Mall, Lekki. The film’s grand premiere, which was produced by Eniola Ajao in association with Anthill Studios, was a momentous occasion in the history of epic blockbuster movies.
Beast of Two Worlds (Ajakaju) had its much-awaited debut attracting a star-studded cast of industry professionals. A bit of star power was added to the premiere by the presence of well-known people like Toyin Abraham, Mercy Aigbe, Odunlade Adekola, Femi Adebayo, Iyabo Ojo, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Gbenga Adeyinka, Ronke Oshodi-Oke, Denrele Edun, Rukayat Lawal, Wasila Coded, Wumi Toriola, Phyna, Peju Ogunmola, Dayo Amusa, Iyabo Ojo, Antar Laniyan, and others.
Beast of Two Worlds (Ajakaju) opened with a grandiose fashion show that went above and beyond the usual moviegoing experience. The red carpet was a glistening display of avant-garde and opulent looks that added even more excitement to the evening’s festivities.
Directed by Odunlade Adekola and Adebayo Tijani, “Beast of Two Worlds” looks at the life of a desperate king facing banishment due to his three wives’ inability to produce a son, he takes a new wife from another world who promises him an heir but her arrival brings unforeseen chaos to the kingdom forcing the king to confront his fears and fight to secure his dynasty future.
The cast includes Odunlade Adekola, Eniola Ajao, Sola Sobowale, Femi Adebayo, Lateef Adedimeji, Mercy Aigbe, Bimbo Akintola, Fathia Balogun, Ibrahim Chatta, amongst others.
Beast of Two Worlds is set to show nationwide in cinemas from March 29, 2024, and distributed by Film One.
Watch the trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17aQ8ibDXVg
About Beast of Two Worlds
Beast of Two Worlds looks at the life of a desperate king facing banishment due to his three wives’ inability to produce a son, he takes a new wife from another world who promises him an heir but her arrival brings unforeseen chaos to the kingdom forcing the king to confront his fears and fight to secure his dynasty future.
World News
Electric Forest Announces Additional Artists for Sold Out 2024 Edition
New Additions Feature Seven Lions, Sara Landry, G Jones, Hiatus Kaiyote, ODD MOB & OMNOM present HYPERBEAM, Layton Giordani, Boogie T, Cannabliss, Levity, Chaos in the CBD, Emo Nite, Brandi Cyrus + Many More
Taking Place June 20-23 in Rothbury, Michigan
Limited Wristbands Back On Sale Friday, March 29
https://www.electricforest.com
Today, Electric Forest announces 40+ additional artists joining the lineup for its sold out 2024 edition. Taking place June 20-23 in Rothbury, Michigan, Electric Forest remains one of the world’s most interactive festivals, fostering an immersive atmosphere of connection and discovery upheld by the pillars of community, creation, and inclusion.
Electric Forest’s new lineup additions include melodic bass maestro Seven Lions, experimental bass veteran G Jones, high priestess of hard techno Sara Landry, and Grammy-nominated band Hiatus Kaiyote. The billing expands with techno new school selector Layton Giordani, post-punk revivalists Emo Nite,Nashville’s Brandi Cyrus, Kiwi brother-duo Chaos in the CBD, multi-instrumentalist live legend Boogie T, Chicago’s rising electronic trio Levity, and the new collaborative project of tech house sensations ODD MOB & OMNOM present HYPERBEAM.
Electric Forest’s latest additions join a stacked roster of headliners including Forest favorite Pretty Lights, the bone-rattling sounds of Excision, and Cyclops Recordings founder Subtronics. A variety of rare collaborative artist sets are also on deck, including EVERYTHING ALWAYS (Dom Dolla + John Summit), LSZEE (CloZee + LSDREAM), and Big Gigantic and NGHTMRE teaming up for their Gigantic NGHTMRE project.
Jam fans can rejoice as The String Cheese Incident returns to perform two Incidents, plus sets from fellow torchbearers of the genre The Disco Biscuits and Umphrey’s McGee. Some of the more unexpected names on the lineup include Grammy-winning singer Nelly Furtado and famed Atlanta hip-hop artist Ludacris, each bringing their iconic sounds to the forest. The list of headliners is rounded out by Belgian techno queen Charlotte de Witte, a solo set from John Summit, and performances by Black Tiger Sex Machine, Ben Böhmer, and Knock2.
This year, Electric Forest will continue its offering of elevated culinary experience add-ons. Highlights include breakfast with a side of sass at the Drag Brunch, a four course meal inspired by the Forest, seasonal produce, and mystical creatures at Forest Feast, Buena Vida, an Agave spirits interactive cocktail tasting experience, and Wig Out Pig Out, a wig wearing authentic BBQ. Additional offerings include Brie Our Guest, Champagne French Fry, The Gouda Life, Forest Food Tour, and Good Life Brunch with Chef Sarah.
Fans will also be able to purchase exclusive guided tour experiences, allowing them to explore Sherwood Forest or experience the Dream Emporium before festival gates officially open. The exclusive tours will give fans an exclusive sneak peek at the new art, installations, and surprises the Forest has to offer while learning about the artists, history, and production process of the festival directly from the Electric Forest team. Sherwood Forest tours will conclude at TheWoodlands Bar for happy hour and are extremely limited capacity.
Electric Forest also recently announced the full programming for its beloved Plug In Programs, offering fans the unique opportunity to contribute and collaborate directly with the festival’s production teams. Highlights include the Art Installation Sponsorship Program, allowing artists to bring their creations to life in the forest, The Brainery which offers educational workshops and classes, The Wish Machine which grants a wish in exchange for inspirational and charitable deeds done in the community, and the Electric Forest Radio On Air ExtraordinAIRE Program for aspiring radio personalities, show hosts, behind-the-scenes technicians, fan interviewers, and more.
Since 2011, Electric Forest has remained committed to the constant reimagination of what a festival experience can be. It’s this thoughtful and innovative approach to production and programming that has helped foster one of the world’s most dedicated festival communities. It’s a place where acceptance, safety, and self-expression are the most valuable currency, surprise and wonder hide around every corner, and no two journeys are the same.
Wristbands for Electric Forest 2024 are currently sold-out, but limited wristbands will go back on sale this Friday, March 29 at 12pm EST. More information can be found at ElectricForest.com. Add-Ons, Vehicle Passes, Early Arrival, Group Camping, Shuttles, Lockers, and more can be found here.
The complete list of Electric Forest 2024 artists is available below.
Electric Forest 2024 Lineup (A-Z)
ACRAZE
ALLEYCVT
ATLiens
AYYBO
Baggi
Barclay Crenshaw
Ben Böhmer
Black Tiger Sex Machine
Boogie T
Brandi Cyrus
Calussa
Cannabliss
Cannons
Caspa
Cassian
Chaos in the CBD
Charlotte De Witte
Chase & Status
Coco & Breezy
Cuco (DJ Set)
Dimension
Dirtwire
Dixon’s Violin
DJ Susan
DJ Tennis
DRAMA
Dumpstaphunk
Eggy
Emo Nite
Equanimous
EVERYTHING ALWAYS (Dom Dolla + John Summit)
Excision
G Jones
Gigantic NGHTMRE
Green Velvet
Hamdi
Hiatus Kaiyote
INZO
it’s murph
Jenna Shaw
JJUUJJUU
John Summit
Juelz
Kenny Beats
Kiltro
Knock2
Layton Giordani
Levity
Le Youth
Lettuce
LEVEL UP
Levity
Libianca
Little Stranger
LP Giobbi
LSZEE (CloZee + LSDREAM)
Luci
Ludacris
LYNY
Maddy O’Neal
MÆSØNIC
Major League Djz
Mascolo
Marsh
Matroda
Mau P
Michaël Brun
Mojave Grey
NEIL FRANCES
Nelly Furtado
Neoma
ODD MOB & OMNOM present HYPERBEAM
ODEN & Fatzo
Only Fire
PAPERWATER
Peach Tree Rascals
Polyrhythmics
Pretty Lights
Próxima Parada
Ranger Trucco
Rawayana
Redrum
Sammy Virji
Sara Landry
Seven Lions
Shae District
Slayyyter
Subtronics
Sultan + Shepard
Super Future
SWAYLÓ
The Disco Biscuits
The String Cheese Incident
Thought Process
Tripp St.
TSHA
Umphrey’s McGee
Unusual Demont
venbee
Vini Vici
VNSSA B2B Nala
Westend
Whyte Fang
Will Clarke
Wooli
Zen Selekta
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