Academy Museum to Present John Waters Exhibit – Film News in Brief
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will present John Waters: The Pope of Trash, an expedition dedicated to the filmmakers’s contributions to cinema.
John Waters: The Pope of Trash reveals details of how Waters’ films have redefined independent cinema, including “Pink Flamingos,” “Female Trouble,” “Desperate Living,” “Hairspray,” “Serial Mom” and “A Dirty Shame.”
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“Known for pushing the boundaries of ‘good taste,’ Waters has created a canon of high shock-value, high-entertainment movies that have cemented his position as one of the most revered independent auteurs in the history of American movies,” said co-curators Jenny He and Dara Jaffe in a statement. “A massive inspiration to other artists who rebelled against the mainstream, Waters’ renegade films are replete with muses and themes derived from obsession and celebrity culture. They lovingly draw inspiration from Herschell Gordon Lewis, Russ Meyer, Andy Warhol and Ingmar Bergman alike, and are also tributes to his hometown of Baltimore.”
John Waters: From Sept. 17th to Aug. 4, The Pope of Trash is running.
‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ First Looks Revealed
Lionsgate has shared first look images of the film adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic novel “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” In the film, 11-year-old Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) is uprooted from her life in New York City for the suburbs of New Jersey, going through the messy and tumultuous throes of puberty with new friends in a new school, relying on her mother Barbara (Rachel McAdams), who is also struggling to adjust to life outside the big city, and her grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates), who isn’t happy that they moved away and likes to remind them every chance she gets.
The film also stars Benny Safdie and is written for the screen and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, based on the book by Blume, and produced by Gracie Films’ James L. Brooks, alongside Julie Ansell, Richard Sakai, Kelly Fremon Craig, Judy Blume, Amy Lorraine Brooks, Aldric La’auli Porter and executive produced by Jonathan McCoy.
The film will open in theatres on April 28.
Baz Luhrmann to Receive the 2023 Harold Lloyd Award from 2023 Lumiere Awards
Baz Lurhmann is the recipient of The Advanced Imaging Society’s Harold Lloyd Award. The “Elvis” filmmaker will be honored during the 13th annual Lumiere Awards luncheon on Feb. 10 at The Beverly Hills Hotel.
“Whether creating turn of the century Paris in ‘Moulin Rouge!’ or the jazz era in ‘The Great Gatsby,’ Baz Luhrmann and his films have become cinematic touchstones for entire eras with their totally identifiable style, signature bold colors, vivid motion and inventive camera work,” Society president Jim Chabin said in a statement. “With ‘Elvis,’ Baz has again enthralled millions of fans with a deeply intimate and compassionate portrayal of one of our most important and beloved cultural figures, set against the back-drop of a turbulent period of change in 20th century America.”
The Harold Lloyd Lumiere Award, presented annually to directors who have used technology in their storytelling, is given each year. Denis Villeneuve and Jon Favreau were previous recipients.
Shochiku Sets Theatrical Release for ‘Last Film Show’ in Japan
Shochiku has acquired Pan Nalin’s “Last Film Show,” which is set to premiere Jan. 20 in theaters in Japan.
“We fell in love with this beautiful and inspiring story instantly,” Reiko Hakui, head of acquisition at Shochiku, said in a statemnt. “This film is not only a love letter to cinema, but also full of love towards family, friends and the pure innocence of following your dream without doubt. We are honored to introduce this wonderful gem from India to the Japanese audience.”
“Last in Show” is among the 15 films shortlisted for the 95th Academy Awards international feature film category. The coming-of-age film is represented in international markets by France’s Orange Studio, which has sold the feature to Italy (Medusa), South Korea (Entermode Corp), Germany and Austria (NeueVisionen), Spain (Karma Films), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Russia/CIS (Capella), Cineplex (Taiwan), Czech Republic (Slovakia Bohemia Motion Picture), Israel (Red Cape / Nachson) and Turkey (Filmarti). Samuel Goldwyn Films serves as the U.S. distributor.
The film is produced by Dheer Momaya, Siddharth Roy Kapur and Pan Nalin in co-production with France’s Virginie Lacombe and Eric Dupont.
American Cinematheque Announces the 2nd Annual Tribute To the Crafts Honorees
The American Cinematheque The honorees of the 2nd annual Tribute to the Crafts have been announced. They will be attending the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica on Feb. 9. Stephanie Allain (producer) and Paula Wagner (American Cinematheque board member), will host the event.
Tribute to the Crafts will be a tribute to all those who have contributed extraordinary work over the past 12 months. The evening will feature clips from each film and fifteen categories that will honor individuals. A jury of cinephiles and film historians selected the honorees from among journalists from different outlets.
Here is a listing of the Tribute to the Crafts honorees
Feature Film
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Casting: Women Talking (John Buchan and Jason Knight) – UAR
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Choreography: RRR (Prem Rakshith) – Variance Films/ Sarigama Cinemas
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Cinematography: Nope (Hoyte van Hoytema) – Universal Pictures
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Costume Design: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ruth E. Carter) – Marvel Studios
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Editing: Everything Everywhere All at Once (Paul Rogers) – A24
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Hair and Makeup: The Whale (Adrien Morot, Annemarie Bradley and Judy Chin) – A24
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Production Design/Set Decoration: Babylon (Anthony Carlino and Florencia Martin) – Paramount Pictures
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Score: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Alexandre Desplat) – Netflix
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Song: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Tems – “Lift Me Up”) – Marvel Studios
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Sound: Top Gun: Maverick (Al Nelson, Chris Burdon, James H. Mather, Mark Taylor and Mark Weingarten) – Paramount Pictures
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Stunts: The Woman King (Danny Hernandez) – TriStar Pictures and Entertainment One
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Visual & Special Effects: Avatar: The Way of Water (Daniel Barrett, Eric Saindon, Joe Letteri and Richard Baneham) – 20th Century Studios
Documentary
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Cinematography: Fire of Love (Katia and Maurice Krafft) – National Geographic Documentary Films
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Editing: Good Night Oppy (Helen Kearns and Rejh Cabrera) – Amazon Studios
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Score: Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (Terence Blanchard) – Apple Original Films
Sponsors and event partners include Astek, The Balvenie, Cast & Crew, First Entertainment Credit Union, Formosa Group, The MBS Group and National Geographic Documentary Films. Madelyn Hammond and Javier Infante from Madelyn Hammond and Associates are producing the event. Six Degrees Global manages sponsorship. Diane Salerno is the manager. Gina Wade Creative will handle event production.
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