The controversy continues on whether the nomination should be based on outstanding performance and not on gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. But politics, especially those in recent days, have been darkening the spectrum of opportunities for all.
Hashtag #OscarsSoWhite
The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite continues, even after the Best Picture snafu of the Awards ceremony in 2016, as people of color still find themselves the second most unrepresented community in the Entertainment Industry.
The Academy continues addressing the gaps in race and gender equality and has increased its diversity invitations accordingly.
Hashtag #AcademysMembership
While the Academy® wisely and urgently opened its enrollment to more women and minorities - including the LGBTQ community - all members will have new responsibilities.
The new Academy Members from the underrepresented communities could make a difference from here forward.
Each year new talented voices are rising. The Academy has drafted new rules in the wake of the continuing rape, sexual assault, and harassment scandals that each day expose those who have made a life and lifestyle of predatorial sexual behavior. The members now understand that membership is a privilege with responsibilities.
The Hollywood Sex Scandal is also going to be a factor. Many contenders who may have been nominated are off the charts. The replacement of Kevin Spacey in “All the Money of the World” indicates that the ceremony will turn out differently. The nominees and the winners may not go to be “The Usual Suspects.”
“Call Me by Your Name” is one of the front-runners for Best Picture and is expected to be well-represented come January. The LGBTQ community is facing its shake-up regarding an authentic representation.
Luca Guadagnino ("I Am Love / Sono il amore"), Italy.
Photo by Jose Hermosillo COPYRIGHTS FestivalinLA 2017
Is what’s good for the community suitable for all within the community? As more gay and transgender actors, actresses, directors, and producers represent themselves in their movies, will a gay film with non-gay actors fair well within the community, or will backlash derail the expected multiple nominations of this coming-of-age queer cinema?
This year, many excellent LGBTQ movies are up for nominations in almost every category - Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Documentary, and Foreign Language film. Even in the Animated Shorts category, the Academy pre-selected the viral sensation “In a Heartbeat,” written and directed by Esteban Bravo and Beth David. The story of a boy falling for another boy, masterfully told in four minutes, has reached more than 33 million views Worldwide.
In recent years, the mainstream audience has been exposed to more diverse films, yet further work is needed to create a global audience that is open-minded, appreciative, and tolerant of alternative lifestyles in cinema.
Studios are now producing bolder and more “inclusive” films.
Actor Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water.
Photo by Jose Hermosillo COPYRIGHTS FestivalinLA 2017
Actor Timothée Chalament
Photo by Jose Hermosillo COPYRIGHTS FestivalinLA 2017
Timothée Chalament is exceptionally sublime - his natural performance evolves into a wide range of emotions. For playing Eliot so right, he has the strong possibility not only to be nominated but to win the Oscar for Best Actor - competing, neck to neck, with the great Gary Oldman, the lead actor of “The Darkest Hour.”
Actor Armie Hammer
Photo by Jose Hermosillo COPYRIGHTS FestivalinLA 2017
Armie Hammer is terrific in the supporting role-playing Chalament’s older counterpart, Oliver. Eliot’s intellectual Jewish father, Michael Stuhlbarg, is brilliant.
Hashtag #OscarsSoForeign
More recently, foreign LGBTQ movies are captivated audiences around the world. Those films combine daring stories with controversial topics and arresting imagery. The Academy recognized the talent and efforts of global filmmakers. A record of 92 countries submitted their projects for consideration. The Academy already shortlisted 9 semifinalists to nominate five - January 23rd, 2018.
The French submission “BPM (Beats per Minute)” exposes a “Youth in Revolt” and highlights the first ACT UP Paris group born out of the government’s lack of response to the AIDS/HIV crisis.
The group became known for pushing the boundaries to embarrass, shock, and gain media attention, forcing the Mitterrand government and pharmaceutical companies to recognize their rights to health coverage.
The group fought to be accepted and treated with respect. They clashed with the power structure and other members of society. The story, set during the 1980s, fell into anarchy as the AIDS/HIV crisis ballooned worldwide.
“Tom of Finland” chronicles six decades of the life of the Iconic graphic designer. His work influenced and revolutionized the gay rights movement as they felt liberated from the brutal repression of the conservative governments. As Harvey Milk brought gay politics into the mainstream, Tom did the same with his daring drawings that empowered many in Finland, California, and worldwide.
“Thelma” is an exquisitely crafted psychological thriller from Norway. The intense coming-of-age story is about a young girl who falls in love with another girl while discovering her telekinetic powers.
Director Joachim Trier, "Thelma," Norway.
Photo by Jose Hermosillo. COPYRIGHTS FestivalinLA, 2017.
Thelma becomes unstable when she has to confront doctors, her parents, her passions, and her sexuality. Her conservative parents are holding an enormous amount of resentment for something terrible from their past. Her world falls apart as she tries to adjust her emotions and control her powers.
“The Wound,” winner of the OUTFEST 2017 for Best International Feature, is an emotionally poignant work of art. The arresting South African film vividly examines manhood initiation rituals in a marginalized tribe.
Director John Trengove “The Wound” South Africa.
Photo by Jose Hermosillo. Copyright FestivalinLA 2017.
Controversial and piercing, “The Wound” ignites the debate over male sexual identity in a millenarian culture where taboos and personal experiences are kept secret.
Hashtag the #OscarsSoFabulous for your consideration,
BEST PICTURE: “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST DIRECTOR: Luca Guadagnino, “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST ACTRESS: Daniela Vega, “A Fantastic Woman”
BEST ACTRESS: Emma Stone, “Battle of the Sexes”
BEST ACTOR: Timothée Chalament, “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST ACTOR: Harris Dickinson, “Beach Rats”
BEST ACTOR: Nahuel Perez Biscayart, “BPM (Beats Per Minute)”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Andrea Riseborough, “Battle of the Sexes” BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Michael Stuhlbarg, “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Armie Hammer, “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Josh Gad, “Beauty and the Beast”
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: “Call Me by Your Name” BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST SONG: The Mystery of Love, “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST SONG: Visions of Gideon, “Call Me by Your Name”
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM: “Strong Island”
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: “In a Heartbeat”
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
“A Fantastic Woman,” Chile (Shortlisted),
“The Wound” from South Africa (Shortlisted), Out of the competition:
Left my neighborhood theater in Palm Desert, California, in tears today. There were just 5 other people at the first showing at 10:15 AM. But this was not the reason.
The beautiful reason was that your film, “The Shape of Water,” touched me in so many ways, Guillermo Del Toro. Like you and I had collaborated together?
First, I am a big fan of the Creature From “The Black Lagoon” 1950s films. I always thought it was a love story of the Creature and the girl. The girls in the movie felt his humanity, though sometimes they would scream.
Even Marilyn Monroe says in “The Seven Year Itch” film that she felt sorry for the Creature. Wasn’t Marilyn saying, “Oh, that poor Creature, he just wants to be loved, when she and Tom Ewell walked out of the movie theater in New York City? Those Black Lagoon films are favorites of mine.
Second, how and why did you select 2 songs that I, as a professional singer, sing?
The song “You’ll Never Know” was first heard Alice Faye sing in the film “Hello Frisco Hello” when shown on television. Then you knocked me out by having the lead actress play the Glen Miller LP record of “I Know Why, And So Do You,” which I first heard in “Sun Valley Serenade.” This film also was shown on television, plus I own the DVD film and have a CD of the Glen Miller Orchestra containing that song. I learned the song then too.
Both these songs still bring tears to my eyes when I sing or hear them.
Your film was magnificent, and I am very selective in attending movies, as I do not often go, like I did in Los Angeles, Ca.
After the credits, I immediately phoned my good friend, Jose Alberto Hermosillo, a great writer and film critic, to tell him of my enjoyment and where I could write and pass this on.
I wish I could sit and talk about how you came up with this. It is some.
Another tidbit is that one of my close friends teaches sign language here, where I reside. I told him about your film and that it’s a must-see. Thank you, thank you.
A new record of 92 hopefull countries submitted a film for the 90th Academy Awards consideration in the Foreign Language Film category - including six nations presenting a movie for the first time, Honduras, Haiti, Laos, Mozambique, Senegal, and Syria.
From the long list of Foreign Language submissions announced last month, only nine films advance in the Oscar® race, the five films will be nominated later next month.
***
Chile, “A Fantastic Woman,” Sebastián Lelio, director. Germany, “In the Fade,” Fatih Akin, director. Hungary, “On Body and Soul,” Ildikó Enyedi, director. Israel, “Foxtrot,” Samuel Maoz, director. Lebanon, “The Insult,” Ziad Doueiri, director. Russia, “Loveless,” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director. Senegal, “Félicité,” Alain Gomis, director. South Africa, “The Wound,” John Trengove, director. Sweden, “The Square,” Ruben Östlund, director.
The nominations for the 90th Academy Awards® will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018. And the Awards are going to be on March 4th, 2018 at 3:30 M. Watch the Oscars.
Director Sebastián Lelio, “A Fantastic Woman.” Chile.
Director Andrey Zvyagintsev, “Loveless,” Russia.
Director John Trengove, “The Wound,” South Africa.
The Best Film Festival Posters of 2017 www.FestivalinLA.com
Festival in LA has selected the 2017 best Film Festival Posters worldwide. Those posters reflect the festival’s theme and energy and communicate the message with movement, action, forms, shapes, and colors. This year, the prestigious French Riviera festival took slot number one with the extraordinary image of Claudia Cardinale dancing during one of her visits there. Cannes is back to the classics, and we love that. The other posters are diverse, from film festivals around the globe, Moscow, Shanghai, Sitges, Durango, San Diego Latino, Morbido CDMX, Berlin, and the Israel Film Festival of Los Angeles. Locarno, the World’s most miniature film festival poster, has been downsized to a gorgeous postal stamp. Congratulations to all the creative artists who created those fantastic posters for film festivals around the World.
