Category Archives: Celebrity

Kristen Stewart to Be Honored With Visionary Award at 2024 Sundance Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala

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Kristen Stewart to Be Honored With Visionary Award at
2024 Sundance Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala: Celebrating 40 Years Presented by Chase Sapphire®
Tables and Tickets Available Now: Annual Event Recognizes Outstanding Independent Storytellers and Raises Funds to Support Nonprofit’s Year-Round Programs

Kristen-Stewart SundanceThe nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today that Academy Award–nominated actress Kristen Stewart will be honored with the Visionary Award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival’s fundraiser Opening Night Gala: Celebrating 40 Years Presented by Chase Sapphire®, which will take place on January 18, 2024, at the DeJoria Center in Utah. The annual gala enables the nonprofit to raise critical funds to support independent artists year-round through labs, grants, and public programming that nurture artists globally. The 2024 event is made possible with the generous support of Chase Sapphire®, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Acura, and Google TV. The upcoming Sundance Film Festival will take place January 18–28, 2024, in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as online from January 25–28.

Kristen Stewart will receive the Visionary Award in recognition of her work as an uncompromising artist and contributions to the field of independent film. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Princess Diana in Spencer and was the first American actress to receive a César Award for her role in Clouds of Sils Maria. Stewart’s profound work as an actor has exemplified the bold, risk-taking storytelling that Sundance has championed for many years. Throughout her impressive career, she has had 10 films screen at the Festival, including The Runaways, Adventureland, and Lizzie. She made her directorial debut with Come Swim at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. For the upcoming 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Stewart will be returning with Love Me, premiering in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section and the recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, and Love Lies Bleeding, premiering in the Midnight section.

“We are thrilled to honor the immensely talented Kristen Stewart at our Opening Night Gala,” said Joana Vicente, Sundance Institute CEO. “Kristen’s captivating performances across a wide, diverse body of work make her a truly unique talent. With over 10 Sundance films under her belt, she has always remained committed to the art of independent cinema. We are excited to welcome her back to the Festival and can’t wait to see what she has in store for our 40th year.”

“Sundance’s purity, lack of fussy pretension, and its commitment to supporting independence in an industry that doesn’t always value the radical or the sidelined is what makes it by far the homiest place for me to go see, discuss, and present films,” said Kristen Stewart. “Truly honored to be acknowledged by this beloved institution.”

As previously announced, Christopher Nolan will be honored with the inaugural Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award, recognizing an artist’s unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of independent film. The annual Vanguard Awards, presented by Acura, honor artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence in both nonfiction and fiction. The Vanguard Award for Fiction will be presented to Celine Song, director and writer of Past Lives, and the Vanguard Award for Nonfiction will go to Maite Alberdi, director of The Eternal Memory. Award-winning journalist and producer Pat Mitchell will receive the Vanguard Award for Philanthropy in recognition of her exemplary commitment to the Institute’s support and to philanthropy for social impact. For more information about tables and tickets, please visit festival.sundance.org/opening-night-gala or contact openingnight@sundance.org.

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Bradley Cooper To Receive Outstanding Performer of the Year Award At SBIFF

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Bradley-Cooper-SBIFFBradley Cooper will receive the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 39th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Cooper will be honored on Thursday, February 8, 2024 for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in MAESTRO from Netflix.

Bradley Cooper, born in Philadelphia, is an acclaimed actor, filmmaker, writer, and producer. A nine-time Oscar nominee, Grammy winner, and Tony nominee, Cooper’s directorial debut A STAR IS BORN, which he co-wrote, produced, starred and directed garnered 8 Oscar nominations. Following the success of his producorial work, Cooper started his production company Lea Pictures in 2020, which includes his much-anticipated film MAESTRO.

“Nine-time Oscar® nominee Bradley Cooper has proven to be an actor of incredible range and versatility. What has impressed me the most is that he has grown to be one of the most indelible directing voices . He’s a renaissance man – an outstanding performer indeed!” SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling noted.

MAESTRO is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, MAESTRO at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.
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Mark Ruffalo To Be Honored With American Riviera Award At 39th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

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Mark Ruffalo will be honored with the American Riviera Award at the 39th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Ruffalo will receive the award on Sunday, February 11, 2024 at an in-person conversation about his career, leading up to this year’s performance as Ducan Wedderburn in the upcoming Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things.”

Emmy winner and three-time Academy Award® – nominee Mark Ruffalo is one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors. Ruffalo will next be seen in Yorgos Lanthimos and Searchlight Pictures’ “Poor Things” and Bong Joon Ho’s “Mickey 17.” Ruffalo was nominated for Academy Awards for his roles in “Spotlight,” “Foxcatcher” and “The Kids are Alright.” He won the Emmy and the Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of twin brothers in “I Know This Much is True,” and also won a Screen Actors Guild for his role in Larry Kramer’s “The Normal Heart.”

Ruffalo’s commitment extends beyond the silver screen, as exemplified in his lead role in “Dark Waters,” a film which leveraged the power of storytelling to shed light on the urgent need for environmental protections. His advocacy for clean energy and environmental and social justice aligns seamlessly with the stories and characters he brings to life on screen.
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Lily Gladstone, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Greta Lee, Charles Melton being honored at 2024 SBIFF

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The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honored has announce the first group of recipients to receive the Virtuosos Award, an honor created to recognize a select group of talent whose noteworthy performances in films this season have elevated them into the national cinematic dialogue.

Lily Gladstone, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Greta Lee, and Charles Melton will discuss their work and receive their awards in-person on Saturday, February 10 during the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The evening will be moderated for the 14th year by Dave Karger, Turner Classic Movies host and Entertainment Weekly awards correspondent. The second group of Virtuosos Awards recipients will be announced next month by the festival.

“Our first four Virtuosos honorees are among the most interesting and exciting performers working today, and they all play unforgettable roles in some of the year’s best films. I’m so excited at the prospect of chatting with each of them in Santa Barbara in January” remarked Dave Karger.

The last four year’s Virtuosos honorees were Austin Butler, Kerry Condon, Danielle Deadwyler, Nina Hoss, Stephanie Hsu, Jeremy Pope, Ke Huy Quan, Jeremy Strong, Caitriona Balfe, Ariana DeBose, Jamie Dornan, Alana Haim, Ciarán Hinds, Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Simon Rex, Saniyya Sidney, Riz Ahmed, Maria Bakalova, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Andra Day, Sidney Flanigan, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Zendaya, Awkwafina, Taron Egerton, Cynthia Erivo, Beanie Feldstein, Aldis Hodge, George MacKay, Florence Pugh, and Taylor Russell.

The 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place LIVE February 7 – February 17, 2024.
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Ryan Gosling To Receive SBIFF’s 16th Annual Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence In Film

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The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honored to announce that Ryan Gosling will be receiving the 16th annual Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence in Film. Gosling’s incredible range as a performer can currently be seen in this year’s critically acclaimed cinematic standout, BARBIE. The prestigious award, which benefits Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s year-round educational programs, will be presented on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at a Black-Tie dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. This marks the second time since the passing of screen legend Kirk Douglas that the honor will be awarded.

“Ryan Gosling has long been both a dramatic and comedic force in front of the camera. This year, thanks to his universally hailed, triumphant performance as Ken in BARBIE – a film that truly demanded the attention of critics and moviegoers around the world – he has become a true cinematic powerhouse,” stated Executive Director, Roger Durling.

Seen as one of the most exciting actors of this generation, Gosling is a two-time Academy Award nominee for his work in “Half Nelson” and “La La Land,” and a four-time Golden Globe nominee and one-time winner for his role as Sebastian in “La La Land.” Over the course of his decades-spanning career, Gosling has additionally garnered numerous accolades, including winning a Film Independent Spirit Award, a National Board of Review Award and more, as well as nominations from BAFTA and the Screen Actors Guild.
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The Union Solidarity Coalition (TUSC) Announces New York Edition Of Solidarity Night! Fundraising Event For TV And Film Crews

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The Union Solidarity Coalition (TUSC) announced plans today for the New York Edition of Solidarity Night!, an emergency fundraiser for Film & TV crew in partnership with MPTF and Free The Work. The night will feature performances by Ramy Youssef and Ilana Glazer, alongside special guests Ben Stiller and Jeremy O. Harris, surprise guests, dancing, a celebrity raffle, food & beverages. The event will be held in Brooklyn at an exclusive location on Friday, November 17th.

All proceeds from Solidarity Night! will go to MPTF, benefitting Film & TV crew members, support staff and PAs who were affected during the strikes. A host committee including Rose Byrne, Tom Holland, Zoe Kazan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeremy Allen White, Cynthia Nixon, Abbi Jacobson, Daniel Radcliffe, Jenny Slate and many more will welcome one and all at a mixer to underscore TUSC’s mission of inter-union solidarity in the TV and film industry, creating a space for writers, directors, actors and crew to interact in a casual space where entertainment takes on a different meaning than just a Hollywood system in desperate need of reworking. Members of IATSE, LiUNA and the Teamsters can attend the event free of charge. Tickets are first come, first serve.

TUSC hosted The Los Angeles edition back in July, which was hosted by Paul Scheer, Andrea Savage, Zoe Lister-Jones, Natasha Lyonne and Patton Oswalt, a live performance by cult band Fishbone, DJ sets, exclusive tees by artist Brendan Donnelly and more. To date TUSC has raised over $1 million dollars. Their focus is to raise emergency funds for affected TV & Film Crews.

TUSC was founded by a group of writer-directors who were moved to support TV & Film crews suddenly out of work while the WGA and SAG-AFTRA negotiated with the AMPTP for fair deals. Over 200 members decided to take action and begin using their voices and networks to create a model for unity in action. They established a dedicated emergency fund at the Motion Picture & Television Fund, where social workers stand by to help crew who are facing economic hardships and mental health challenges. Free The Work is TUSC’s fiscal guardian, managing fundraising from events like SOLIDARITY NIGHT and celebrity auctions.

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“Fool’s Paradise” Trailer: Charlie Day’s Directorial Debut Features All-Star Cast

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Fools-Paradise-Trailer-Charlie-Day-Directorial-Debut-Features-All-Star-CastWritten and directed by Charlie Day, the trailer gives audiences a glimpse of the star-studded film. Watch the film’s new official trailer below, which just recently debuted.

According to the official synopsis, the film is a satirical comedy, about a down-on-his-luck publicist who discovers a recently released mental health patient who looks just like a misbehaving movie star. The publicist subs him into a film, creating a new star. But fame and fortune are not all they are cracked up to be.

Along with Day, the film also stars Ken Jeong, Ray Liotta, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Common, Jason Sudeikis, Edie Falco, and John Malkovich.

Charlie Day is recently with the ensemble voice cast of the massive blockbuster hit “Super Mario Bros Movie”.

Fool’s Paradise is set for theatrical release on May 12, 2023 by Roadside Attractions.

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2023 Sundance Film Festival Awards Announced

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2023 Sundance Film Festival Awards Announced2023 Sundance Film Festival Awards AnnouncedThe Sundance Film Festival, a program of the nonprofit Sundance Institute, returned back in person and across the country online for 2023. Whether you gathered in theaters or are joining us from home, the Festival offers the opportunity to be a part of the discovery of stories and artists that will inspire and entertain us for years to come. The 2023 Sundance Film Festival jurors and audiences have voted with the awards announced today during an event at The Ray Theatre in Park City and updated on Sundance Film Festival’s official social accounts. The award-winning films will screen in person and via the online Festival platform on Saturday, January 28, and Sunday, January 29. Tickets for all award-screening films are available beginning at 1:00 p.m. MT today.

The jury and audience-awarded prizes amplify the fearless and dynamic stories across sections, with Grand Jury Prizes awarded to A Thousand and One (U.S. Dramatic), Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (U.S. Documentary), Scrapper (World Cinema Dramatic), and The Eternal Memory (World Cinema Documentary), and the NEXT Innovator Award presented by Adobe was awarded to KOKOMO CITY.

Voted on by the audience, Radical was granted the Festival Favorite Award. Audience Awards for films in competition were presented by Acura to The Persian Version (U.S. Dramatic) and Beyond Utopia (U.S. Documentary), and presented by United Airlines to Shayda (World Cinema Dramatic) and 20 Days in Mariupol (World Cinema Documentary). KOKOMO CITY won the audience award for NEXT.

“This year’s Festival has been an extraordinary experience,” said Joana Vicente, Sundance Institute CEO. “The artists that comprise the 2023 Sundance Film Festival have demonstrated a sense of urgency and dedication to excellence in independent film. Today’s award winners highlight our programs’ most impressive achievements in the current moment of cinematic arts. I hope you will join me in congratulating our winners, as well as thanking all artists across sections for sharing their stories with the Sundance community.”

“In addition to acknowledging our artists, I want to thank this year’s jurors for their time and thoughtful consideration,” added Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming. “Their efforts help contextualize our artists’ work beyond the Festival program and elevate their stories to new audiences around the globe. The winners themselves represent a diverse mix of bold storytelling, thought-provoking reflections, and critical representations of our world today.”
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Angela Bassett To Receive 38th Annual SBIFF Montecito Award

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Angela Bassett To Receive 38th Annual SBIFF Montecito AwardAngela Bassett To Receive 38th Annual SBIFF Montecito AwardAngela Bassett will be honored with the Montecito Award at the 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Bassett will receive the award on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 at an in-person conversation about her career leading up to this year’s performance in Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER directed by Ryan Coogler from Disney Studios.

“Ms. Bassett has had an illustrious career as an actor, director and producer and in WAKANDA FOREVER reminds us why she’s so greatly revered. She’s regal, fierce and commanding as Queen Ramonda. We bow down.” SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling stated.

Angela Bassett is an actress, director, and executive producer known for captivating, emotionally-tinged performances full of dignity in treasured films such as MALCOLM X, BOYZ IN THE HOOD, WAITING TO EXHALE, HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK, and of course, WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?, for which she received an Academy Award nomination. She has since made star-turns in the historic BLACK PANTHER, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE-FALLOUT, BUMBLEBEE from Paramount, as well as the television hits 9-1-1, and MASTER OF NONE. Other recent projects include Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award-winning animated feature SOUL, for which she lent her melodious voice for the character, Dorothea Williams; feature films OTHERHOOD and GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE from Netflix; and THE FLOOD from National Geographic, for which she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Narrator. Further, she was nominated for two Emmys, including Outstanding Narrator for the IMAGINEERING STORY: THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW. Bassett recently wrapped production on the Netflix Originals feature film, DAMSEL, opposite Millie Bobby Brown.

The Montecito Award is named after one of the most beautiful and stylish areas in Santa Barbara. Past recipients include Penélope Cruz, Amanda Seyfried, Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts and Javier Bardem.
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Cate Blanchett To Receive Honor At Palm Springs Film Festival

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Focus Features

The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Cate Blanchett is set to receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award.

“Cate Blanchett is truly one of the best actresses of this generation, whose performances are always extraordinary no matter the role. In her latest film Tár, Cate perfectly embodies Lydia Tár as an orchestra conductor at the height of her career whose life begins to unravel,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. ” There is no one better suited for this role and it is our honor to present the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress, to Cate Blanchett.”

Two-time Oscar winner Blanchett will receive the honor during a ceremony at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 5, 2023.

Her film Tar saw its initial theatrical release Oct. 7 through Focus Features.

Blanchett was honored at the festival previously with the Desert Palm Achievement Award: Actress (2016) for Carol and Truth, Career Achievement Award and Ensemble Performance Award Babel (2007).

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