A column chronicling conversations and events on the awards circuit.
We are getting down to the wire and this weekend could do much to clarify the true state of the Oscar race. By the time the Super Bowl rolls around on Sunday we will have the results of Friday’s delayed Critics Choice Awards (ballots were in on January 10 before the ceremony was postponed twice due to the wildfires); the all-important PGA awards; the DGA awards and even the Annie Awards in a particularly strong year for feature animation. And after all this, the Oscar ballots go live and voting begins for just one week on Tuesday, February 11, closing February 18. That’s a very tight window between nominations and a final verdict.
OSCAR VOTING ON SPEED DIAL
I am not sure why the Academy needs 11 days to count the digital votes. SAG, for instance, closes balloting just two days before their show and they have 13 times the number of voters as AMPAS (I am but one). I am told it is to help ABC have more promo time and not be encumbered by having voting still going on. Last year there were complaints by rival consultants that the Oscars promos were favoring Barbie, with one even featuring Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel. Insiders tell me the Academy feels most voters have already seen the movies, so closing early will help ABC and not harm the turnout. Hmmmm. Not so sure.
I did a Deadline screening for Emilia Pérez Wednesday night at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theatre and when I asked the crowd who was seeing the movie for the first time, 98% of the hands went up. The Academy had smartly extended the nomination voting by a week due to the wildfires and I have talked to veteran consultants who believe there are still many members preoccupied by all the tragedy, in some cases losing everything. Do they even realize starting Tuesday they have just a few days to vote? It would be interesting to see how depressed the turnout will be, but AMPAS doesn’t reveal numbers.
Jason Segel, CEO of the American Film Institute Bob Gazzale and Harrison Ford
AFI SPREADS THE LOVE OF COMMUNITY
Returning to a blessed tradition and delayed a month due to the wildfires tragedy that stopped the season in its tracks, the AFI Awards, honoring the Top 10 Movies and Television programs as chosen by a specially-selected jury, was back in style Thursday afternoon. It was a little later on the calendar than usual but no less the stellar event that is a highlight of every Oscar season.
Of course, AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale opened the proceedings acknowledging the fires and their toll, and noting he had just been informed there was an L.A. firefighter in attendance. That simple announcement was greeted by a massive standing ovation.
Kristen Bell, Firefighter Larson photo Pete Hammond Deadline
Firefighter Larson was seated at a Netflix table for the series, Nobody Wants This which stars Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, the latter of whom lost everything when his house burned to the ground. Bell seemed to be looking after Larson, even to the point that afterwards I heard her assure him his car would be up at the valet very soon. It was a great way to start the presentation that Gazzale explained per usual would have no winners or losers, no envelopes to open, no acceptance speeches. It is always the way of this feel good lunch.
“It’s about community, it’s about camaraderie – never about competition,” Gazzale said before setting off another massive standing ovation when he introduced the “only recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award” in the room this day, Harrison Ford, who was there at the table of Apple TV+’s honoree Shrinking, in which he co-stars.
Ayo Edebiri, Ariana Grande, Colman Domingo and Cynthia Erivo attend the AFI Awards (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI)
WICKEDLY HUGE APPLAUSE
The business of the day however was to present the jury’s rationale and clips for each of the honorees, and those sequences were especially well chosen this year. But if you wanted to gauge popularity and declare the “winner” Gazzale says this day is not about, then easily the biggest applause followed the final clip, the ending of Wicked with Cynthia Erivo’s soaring “Defying Gravity” filling the room and getting the crowd to go crazy. Perhaps it helped that Erivo and her co-star were in the room at the Wicked table.
I caught up with director Jon M. Chu afterwards and told him he won the unofficial prize of the day in terms of applause, something backed up unequivocally by Disney’s David Greenbaum who was chatting with him. To demonstrate the camraderie in the room, Greenbaum was actually there rooting on Searchlight’s two entries into the Top 10 Movies, A Complete Unknown and A Real Pain.
James Mangold, Complete Unknown’s director, producer, co-writer told me he had literally just flown in from Tokyo promoting the film and came straight to the Beverly Hills Four Seasons where the luncheon is always held. He was a first-timer. He’s looking forward to this weekend’s big award shows including the PGA and DGA which are inexplicably scheduled against each other Saturday night for the first time in memory.
“Well I have to go to DGA,” the directing nominee told me. “But maybe I can get to PGA too if it ends early enough,” he said.
Good luck with that (!)
Ralph Fiennes, Edward Berger Pete Hammond/Deadline
TIME FOR RADICAL CHANGE, AMPAS
Speaking of the DGA, another nominee there, Conclave’s Edward Berger was at the Focus Features table sitting next to star Ralph Fiennes. I lamented that despite eight nominations for his film, the directors branch passed him over again (same thing happened two years ago with his Oscar and BAFTA-winning All Quiet On The Western Front). The Oscars have ten nominees for Best Picture but only five for Best Director, indicating five of those films apparently directed themselves. This is something that should be fixed, but never seems to be. For the Critics Choice Awards which also nominates ten Best Pictures, and where I serve as Film Branch President, we upped the number of directing nominees to eight this year to try and help the problem.
Berger agreed that was a fair number, and he said because it is known the Academy only allows half the number of their Best Picture nominees to have a shot at Best Director, that it may be having the effect of some directors squeezing out producing credits just in case they miss in the directing category. Not Berger. He left that honor to his actual producers Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Michael A. Jackman. Thus, he has no personal Oscar nomination for the magnificent film he made.
Sean Baker and Samantha Quan Pete Hammond/Deadline
Sean Baker, there for his first AFI Lunch sitting at the NEON table, is one of the lucky five who did get a Directing Oscar nomination, along with Best Picture, Original Screenplay and Film Editing, making him the top individual in terms of the number of personal nominations this year. He agrees it is unfortunate there are only five directing nominees for ten Best Pictures. He made a point that in the Academy’s earlier days it was the producers who had the power — people like David O’Selznick, Sam Spiegel etc. — so even when there were originally ten nominees, the Academy felt five director slots were enough. Times have definitely changed. It is time for a bold move by the Academy.
INDUSTRY LEADERS TOAST THE BEST OF THE BEST
Those who might help could include the myriad of powerful executives in the room today, including Universal’s Donna Langley, Warner Bros.’ David Zaslav, Mike DeLuca and Pam Abdy, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, NEON’s Tom Quinn, Focus Features’ Peter Kujawski and Jason Cassidy, Searchlight’s Matthew Greenfield and Disney’s Alan Bergman and Dana Walden.
I caught up with Disney Co-Chairman Walden to congratulate her on receiving this year’s prestigious Milestone Award from the Producers Guild, which will be presented Saturday night. She’s still working on her speech and is excited to be bringing her 88-year-old mom to the ceremony. We once worked together on the original Arsenio show at Paramount back in the day. So nice to see her succeed the way she has.
Dana Walden, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment and Jeremy Allen White (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for AFI)
Another top executive I ran into was FX’s John Landgraf, who crossed Burton Way with his team at the same time I did. We think alike. There is lots of street parking on Doheny and so no long wait at the valet even if your shows did get 93 Emmy nominations and 36 wins last season.
“If we get hit by a car, you will have quite a story, ” joked the FX Networks Chairman.
Ted Sarandos, CEO, Netflix and Jacques Audiard (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI)
Table hopping, among those I talked to was Denis Villeneuve who now has two AFI honors and two Best Picture nominations for Dune and Dune: Part Two. Will the third time be the charm? I asked him. “I’m working on it now,” he smiled.
Emilia Pérez‘s director Jacques Audiard and many of his craftspeople were there and the nature of this event really seemed to lift his spirits, as did that Q&A at the Linwood Dunn Academy theatre Wednesday night in Hollywood that I did for Deadline that had a most enthusiastic crowd. There is no reason the much-lauded film and its artists should be penalized for the actions of one. If anything, AFI recognizes movies that stand the test of time, not just the social media posts of the moment.
George Stevens Jr.
A MOMENT FOR DAVID LYNCH
It seemed entirely appropriate that 92-year-old AFI founder George Stevens Jr. was on hand to give the annual benediction at the end of the luncheon. It opened with a remembrance of the late great David Lynch, a former AFI Conservatory Student, and closed with another one. “Let’s remember the remarkable legacy of cinematic creativity that David left for us – the mystical beauty we found in living his dreams,” Stevens said as the screen showed a photo of Lynch on his first day at AFI in 1970. “And as we leave this ceremony with David in our hearts, let us dedicate ourselves to restoring our devastated movie capital – and to making certain that ‘the movies’ in all their forms – not be afraid of grace and beauty and rise to new heights to entertain and enlighten the world.”
Below are the chosen films and television programs that made the list this year for AFI.
AFI AWARDS 2024 OFFICIAL RATIONALES:
AFI MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR
ANORA fractures the modern fairy tale with an explosion of originality. Sean Baker continues his pursuit of the untold stories of America, driven forward with force by Mikey Madison’s Brooklyn sex worker. This breakout performance shatters stereotype in a complex embodiment of hilarity and heartbreak while providing a crisp look at the modern world’s obsession with money, class and power – and the elusive nature of happily ever after.
THE BRUTALIST forges an upside-down American dream on the layered foundations of love, class and the darkest pains of the past. Brady Corbet’s opus stands as a monument to the power of the art form – brilliantly manifesting the age-old clash between artistic expression and the greed inherent in capitalism. At the cornerstone of this epic tale are tour-de-force performances from Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, who demand audiences answer the question: is the destination worth the journey?
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN enters the American cinematic songbook through the mind and music of Bob Dylan. At the heart and soul of James Mangold’s time capsule stands Timothée Chalamet, whose embodiment of Dylan’s superhuman genius – and his human frailties – brings electric life to an iconic enigma. Explosive inner conflicts are grounded in the masterful supporting performances of Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro and Elle Fanning, each of whom answer the question with their eyes – “How does it feel…to be on your own?”
CONCLAVE sends convention up in smoke in this pulse-pounding papal thriller. Edward Berger’s deft direction proves taut, smart and subversive, as Roman whispers drive this robe and dagger drama forward with force. Rare is the film that endlessly entertains while posing thorny theological questions about faith and doubt – delivered in powerhouse performances from the holy alliance of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.
DUNE: PART TWO unleashes all the powers of the art form to fulfill the prophecy of its predecessor. Denis Villeneuve’s peerless vision for the epic big screen provides an unparalleled immersive experience where audiences are first-hand witness to both pulse-pounding action and spell-binding artistry. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya lead the army of artists who imagine these worlds beyond spectacle and, perhaps most daringly, touch the heart of what is human.
EMILIA PÉREZ smashes the convention of the cinematic crime saga – with song and dance, murder and mayhem, and a thoughtful examination of gender and identity. Defying genre with every fresh step, Jacques Audiard’s stylishly provocative thriller continually explodes its narrative with powder keg performances from Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez – a true triple threat of today’s top talent.
NICKEL BOYS opens our eyes to America – both its capacity for cruelty and its strength and perseverance in the face of adversity. Adapting the acclaimed novel by Colson Whitehead with infinite intimacy, RaMell Ross shines a lyrical light on atrocities in the all-too-recent past. Experiencing the narrative through a floating, first-person lens proves a cinematic magic trick that both breaks and then remakes the rules of the art form – ultimately, illuminating the poetic power of movies as engines of empathy.
A REAL PAIN is a true joy – finding the power of family and friendship amongst the ruins of an inhuman past. Jesse Eisenberg presents this odd couple odyssey as a comic-tragic Kvetch-22, an emotionally impossible journey that finds its way forward through the wildly oscillating moods and manners of Kieran Culkin’s hilariously charismatic performance. Audiences will laugh aloud – and never forget.
SING SING sings a song of Shakespeare within the kingdom of incarceration – proving the capacity of creativity to restore and inspire those who suffer “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Greg Kwedar unlocks the talents of an extraordinary cast, led by Colman Domingo and an unprecedented ensemble of professionals and ex-prisoners who remind audiences, most powerfully, that it is art that will set you free.
WICKED ~PART I~ soars into the stratosphere of cinema history – a modern classic born from an evergreen concoction of cultural landmarks. The screen has rarely seen – or heard – towering performances like those delivered by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, leaving audiences Oz-struck across generations. And with Jon M. Chu the wizard behind the curtain, a brilliant creative ensemble creates an immersive world where one fights for what is right while encouraging us to believe we all can fly beyond the rainbow.
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY graduates into its third year raising the curve for contemporary comedy. Quinta Brunson’s endearing series unites the most familial and familiar of quick-witted characters and also stands tall as a timely monument to public school teachers and their personal devotion to a brighter future.
THE BEAR earns another AFI star in a season marked by an ever-simmering, often scorching tension between families, finances and fine dining. As temperatures rise in the pursuit of perfection, Christopher Storer’s masterful series calls upon the talents of an extraordinary front and back-of house ensemble to prove the show’s place in the pantheon as a “non-negotiable.”
HACKS raises the curtain on its third year with an audacious ambition – to bring new challenges, new life and new laughter to comedic characters that had fully-evolved in their journey to success. The results are triumphant. Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky have created a combustible alchemy in the relationship between Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, who prove yet again that they’re stronger together, in spite of themselves.
A MAN ON THE INSIDE retires old notions about the elderly by injecting a mature mystery into the everyday of a senior living community. Ted Danson proves the value of vintage, bringing an easy, intoxicating charm to Michael Schur’s delightful caper – a wholesome whodunit both light-hearted and life-affirming.
MR. & MRS. SMITH is a killer romance. With domesticity as a false front for secrets and lies, Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover’s globe-trotting thriller celebrates the pulse-pounding similarities between murder and couples therapy. The chemistry between its stars – Glover and Maya Erskine – proves explosive and as the smoke clears, demands we ask how well we know those closest to us.
NOBODY WANTS THIS is just what the world needs most – a smart, clever, funny romantic comedy that serves as an optimistic inspiration for divided times. Erin Foster’s light-hearted love story imagines “a rabbi and an agnostic walk into a bar,” and what follows lifts audiences’ hearts with the undeniably effervescent chemistry of Kristen Bell and Adam Brody. Which begs a toast – “L’Chaim!”
THE PENGUIN elevates pulp comics to prestige drama. Lauren LeFranc’s layered storytelling frames gritty Gotham in shadow, a lawless landscape with mob families battling for power and redemption. Colin Farrell dominates the dark through the sheer power of presence, and with Cristin Milioti as his underworld rival, together they bring both fire and ice to the canon of gangster classics.
SHŌGUN commands an epic vision that sails beyond the boundaries of television. Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks breathe new life into the classic novel from James Clavell – expanding upon its subtleties with rich cultural authenticity. Standing tall at its center is Hiroyuki Sanada – around whose rising sun orbits a stellar ensemble that evokes emotion transcending the barriers of language as they question what it means to seize, wield and hold power.
SHRINKING delves into the complexities of everyday with a fearless smile. Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein’s series provides a couch for audiences to lie and laugh upon – encouraging self-reflection, inspiring discovery and, ultimately, embracing moments of unexpected joy. At the foundation of a brilliant acting ensemble stands Harrison Ford, who transcends his own blockbuster iconography to show it is his heart that has earned his place as an American icon.
TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY shines a blinding light on unknown terrors in the dark – and illuminates a cultural chasm that divides us. Issa López’s heart-pounding mystery makes masterful use of the unseen to immerse audiences in an other-worldly environment that haunts from within. Standing stalwart among the shadows are Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, whose powerhouse performances uncover the unembodied power of greed and its corrosion of the spirit, the soil and the soul.
AFI SPECIAL AWARD
BABY REINDEER proves unrelenting in its exploration of what is kind and what is crazy – and does so as one of the year’s most uncompromising entertainments. Richard Gadd’s searing autobiographical series masks the darkest of pain with the most uncomfortable of comedy, and his brilliant performance – alongside Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau – underscores the pathos by illuminating universally authentic emotions.
