2021 Cinema Unbound Awards Honorees

The Cinema Unbound Awards is an annual celebration presented by the Northwest Film Center, honoring boundary-breaking multimedia storytellers working at the intersection of art and cinema. This year the awards took place virtually on March 4. 

The Cinema Unbound Awards statement: "We honor artists and nonconformists who are not content to be contained but instead expand the notion of what’s possible. The Cinema Unbound honorees defy expectations and refuse to embrace labels using their creative vision to inspire and push us to look at what is beyond the norm. The Cinema Unbound Awards represents the Portland Art Museum & Northwest Film Center’s embrace of artistic exploration and commitment to equity and inclusion."

This year the Cinema Unbound Awards honored Steve McQueen, Garrett Bradley, Mollye Asher, Gus Van Sant and Alex Bulkley. Presenters of the awards were Chloe Zallo, Guiilermo del Toro, Rajendra Roy, Mollye Asher, Charles Burnett, among others. Event partners of the event were Gucci and Netflix. 

“The Cinema Unbound Awards celebrate those who are not content to be contained,” says Amy Dotson, Northwest Film Center Director and Portland Art Museum Curator of Film & New Media. “We honor these multi-media misfits and nonconformists who expand the notion of what’s possible; these unbound storytellers who defy expectation by refusing to embrace what is for what might be. They inspire us not just by simply coloring outside the lines, but by redrawing the lines entirely, creating a more interesting, inclusive and inspiring space where cinema and art collide.”

Alex Bulkley. Courtesy: Cinema Unbound Awards

"The Cinema Unbound Award is a particular and personal honor because it truly reflects that same spirit that was taught to me to instill in the work that I do."

Guillermo del Toro said: "Normally the role of producer comes with this preconception that the producer has to be tough, has to be rough, has to be brutal. But Alex is nothing but gentle, and thoughtful, and a champion of the arts and a champion of the artist. He is a perfect example of keeping cinema unbound from reality while bound to reality.”

Garret Bradley. Courtesy: Cinema Unbound Awards
"I see it really as a celebration of the gray area of intersectionality of a place where practice, and function, and ideas, geographies, spaces, things that might seem to even be in contradiction with one another can be in dialogue, to help us gain new understandings of ourselves and to pave the path for a more transparent and just and loving world.”

Mollye Asher. Courtesy: Cinema Unbound Awards
"As an indie producer, you often have to think outside the box because the industry isn't constructed to fit anything other than what's been done before. But when you're working with partners like Chloe and Josh, that necessity to think outside of the box becomes a choice."

Chloe Zhao, who recently won for Best Director for Nomadland a Golden Globe Award and a Critics Choice Award, said: "It's in those darkest times that I think the character of a great producer really shows. And Mollye has shown that over and over and over in the times I've worked with her."

Steve McQueen. Courtesy: Cinema Unbound Awards

"I've always tried to look at places where maybe it would be uncomfortable, but having to go there, because that's what we as artists do. We try to, sort of get driven on to reflect who we are as human beings.”

Gus Van Sant. Courtesy: Cinema Unbound Awards.

For more on the awards, visit: https://cinemaunbound.org/. 

Golden Globes Awards Make History With Many Firsts

Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo at the 78th Golden Globes Awards. Photo: Rich Polk/NBC

This year's 78th Golden Globes Awards made history by nominating the first ever Bulgarian actress, Maria Bakalova, for her role in Borat 2, as well as giving the Best Director Award to Chloe Zhao, the first ever Asian female and second woman in the Golden Globes history, to receive this award. A lot of Black actors and actresses received awards as well for various films and a promise was made by the HFPA on stage to include more Black journalists in the association. A recognition for her historic nomination was also given to Maria Bakalova who marked the first ever Golden Globes nomination for Bulgaria. She was also thanked for her bravery, talent and work by Rosamund Pike and Sasha Cohen in their acceptance speeches.

Maria Bakalova dressed in Armani. Credit: Maria Bakalova Instagram

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted the first-ever bi-coastal show with Fey at New York's famed Rainbow Room and Poehler at the iconic Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Kerry Washington,Ted Danson, Brie Larson and Laverne Cox paid tribute to 2021 Cecil B. deMille Award honoree, Jane Fonda. 

Hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Photo: NBC

Jane Fonda gave a remarkable speech after she received her award: "...You know, we are a community of storytellers, aren't we? And in turbulent, crisis-torn times like these, storytelling has always been essential. You see, stories have a way to ... they can change our hearts and our minds. They can help us see each other in a new light. To have empathy. To recognize that, for all our diversity, we are humans first, right? ..."

Jane Fonda. Photo credit: Golden Globes, HFPA

Wanda Sykes, Marisa Tomei and Lin-Manuel Miranda participated in a tribute to Noman Lear, who was honored with the 2021 Carol Burnett Award. Satchel & Jackson Leeserved as this year’s Golden Globe Ambassadors, and supported the charities Callen-Lorde NYC and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America as part of their role. 

In addition to celebrating the best in film and television, the telecast highlighted Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization and its COVID-19 Relief Fund, as well as CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), which is dedicated to saving lives and strengthening marginalized communities affected by or vulnerable to crisis. In appreciation of their courage and sacrifice to provide care, support, and public service for their communities throughout the pandemic, frontline and essential workers, including food bank workers, attended the event. 

This year’s presenters who appeared from multiple locations around the world included Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Anthony Anderson, Awkwafina, Kevin Bacon, Angela Bassett, Sterling K. Brown, Jamie Lee Curtis, Laura Dern, Michael Douglas, Ava DuVernay, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Gal Gadot, Tiffany Haddish, Salma Hayek, Bryce Dallas Howard, Kate Hudson, Jeanise Jones, Christopher Meloni, Tracy Morgan, Annie Mumolo, Sandra Oh, Sarah Paulson, Rosie Perez, Joaquin Phoenix, Margot Robbie, Kyra Sedgwick, Amanda Seyfried, Christian Slater, Ben Stiller, Kenan Thompson, Susan Kelechi Watson, Kristen Wiig, Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The stars were dressed in various high-end fashion designers. For example:

- Maria Bakalova was dressed in a beautiful red Gergio Armani dress;

- Kate Hudson wore a Louis Vuitton dress;

- Jodie Foster wore Prada pajamas;

- Peter Morgan wore a Prada suit;

- Catherine Zeta-Jones wore a Dolce & Gabanna dress;

- Awkwafina wore Gucci;

- Renee Zellweger wore Armani Prive and Jimmy Choo shoes;

Amanda Seyfried in Oscar De La Renta. Credit: Marcus Mam.

Julia Garner dressed in Prada. Credit: Hung Vaango.

Tahar Rahim dressed in Louis Vuitton. Credit: Naj Jamai 

Among many other amazing designers....

Golden Globes winners:

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA NOMADLAND 

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA ANDRA DAY 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA CHADWICK BOSEMAN MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM 

 

BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY - BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY - ROSAMUND PIKE 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY - SACHA BARON COHEN 

 

BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED - SOUL 

BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE - MINARI (USA) 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE - JODIE FOSTER 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE - DANIEL KALUUYA 

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE - CHLOÉ ZHAO, NOMADLAND 

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE - AARON SORKIN, TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7  

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE - TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS, JON BATISTE , SOUL 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE - “IO SÌ (SEEN)” THE LIFE AHEAD 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA - THE CROWN 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA - EMMA CORRIN 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA - JOSH O'CONNOR 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY - SCHITT'S CREEK 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY - CATHERINE O'HARA 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY - JASON SUDEIKIS 

BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION - THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION - ANYA TAYLOR-JOY 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION - MARK RUFFALO 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE - GILLIAN ANDERSON

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE - JOHN BOYEGA 

Golden Globes Awards Recognizes First Time Nominees and More

The new set design for this year’s Golden Globes Awards featuring New York’s Rainbow Room and Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton, both sets designed by Brian Stonestreet. Credit: Golden Globe Awards

The Golden Globes are fast approaching and so is the anticipation of who will win this year. The 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards® will air live on NBC coast-to-coast on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021 at 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST on NBC.

The HFPA recently hosted a virtual First Time Nominees Event featuring Amanda Seyfried, Andra Day, Elle Fanning, Leslie Odom Jr., Maria Bakalova, Vanessa Kirby, Josh O’Connor, Nicholas Hoult and more. The nominees had a chance to share how they feel about their nominations and what they will wear the night of the big event. 

 “It’s my first award show and I will dress up!” Bakalova said. “I really feel honored to be nominated… I will celebrate it the way it should be celebrated - with a dress, with champagne, and it will be amazing.” Photo Credit: HFPA

“What an amazing way to experience this moment with everybody in my life, even my dog.” Seyfried said. “It’s a once in a lifetime thing and I’m going to get to be with all of them…. I’m not putting my four-year-old to bed early that night. She can stay up as late as she wants!” Photo Credit: HFPA

Andra Day and Leslie Odom Jr., who are not only first-time nominees, but also double-nominees for acting and Best Original Song, shared their similar experiences in finding out about their respective nominations. 

“I was a little delirious because the announcements come in pretty early in the morning, and as Leslie knows, we're musicians so we keep weird hours! But I heard it, and I cried, I did cry.” Day said. “I was just grateful. It makes you think of everything you put into this movie and it made me think of Billie Holiday and being grateful to her.” 

 “I was also asleep!” Odom Jr. said. “It was a really exciting morning because so much of my life was represented. I did my final performance of Hamilton four years ago… and then One Night in Miami is the most recent thing so it was this weird, wonderful confluence mashup of all the hard work and dedication over all these years.”

Nominees also chatted about the different ways they’ll be viewing the ceremony this year, rather than being in-person at the Beverly Hilton. Vanessa Kirby shared she would be watching the show with her sister. “She’s been on lockdown with me for a whole year, and she’s not getting away from me on Sunday at 3:30am!” Kirby said.

First time nominees include: 

Amanda Seyfried (Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, “Mank”) 

Andra Day (Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama; Best Original Song, “The United States Vs. Billie Holiday”) 

Dernst Emile II (Best Original Song, “Fight for You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah”) 

Elle Fanning (Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy, “The Great”) 

Florian Zeller (Best Screenplay, “The Father”) 

Helena Zengel (Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, “News of the World”) 

Jane Levy (Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”) 

Jon Batiste (Best Original Score, “Sould”) 

Josh O'Connor (Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama, “The Crown”) 

Laura Pausini (Best Original Song, “Io sì/ Seen” from “The Life Ahead”) 

Leslie Odom Jr. (Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture; Best Original Song, “One Night in Miami”) 

Maria Bakalova (Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”) 

Niccolo Agliardi (Best Original Song “Io sì/ Seen” from “The Life Ahead”) 

Nicholas Hoult (Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy, “The Great”) 

Sam Ashworth (Best Original Song, “Speak Now” from “”One Night In Miami”) 

Tahar Rahim (Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama “The Mauritanian”) 

Tiara Thomas (Best Original Song, “Fight For You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah”) 

Vanessa Kirby (Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama, “Pieces of a Woman”)

The Presenters at this year ceremony include:

Angela Bassett (Golden Globe Award winner)

Laura Dern (five-time Golden Globe Award winner and eight-time nominee)

Salma Hayek (Golden Globe Award winner and two-time nominee)

Jamie Lee Curtis (two-time Golden Globe Award winner and seven-time nominee) 

Anthony Anderson, Awkwafina, Kevin Bacon, Sterling K. Brown, Bryce Dallas Howard, Michael Douglas, Cynthia Erivo, Tiffany Haddish, Kate Hudson, Christopher Meloni, Annie Mumolo, Rosie Perez, Joaquin Phoenix, Margot Robbie, Kyra Sedgwick, Christian Slater, Kenan Thompson, Susan Kelechi Watson, Kristen Wiig, Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones. 

During this Sunday’s celebration, special tributes will be given to Jane Fonda and Norman Lear. Kerry Washington, Ted Danson, Brie Larson and Laverne Cox will pay tribute to Fonda; while Wanda Sykes, Marisa Tomei and Lin-Manuel Miranda will participate in Lear’s tribute package. 

Norman Lear and Jane Fonda. Photo credit: HFPA

The 78th Annual Golden Globe® Awards, hosted by Tina Fey from the Rainbow Room in New York and Amy Poehler from The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, will air LIVE coast to coast on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021 from 5-8 p.m. PT/8-11 p.m. ET on NBC and will be available to stream the next day on Peacock.

A WRITER'S ODYSSEY - A THRILLING SCI-FI RIDE

 

It is rare to find a captivating sci-fi film that takes you in a thrilling ride both into fantasy and reality. I found the new film, WRITER'S ODYSSEY, released by CMC Pictures, to be just that and more. I was captivated by the depth and mastery of the storyline, the visuals, the effects, the acting and the fairytale  adventure. In fact, I was hesitant to move away from my screen, deeply engaged in the film and the story. This has been a rare occurrence for me when it comes to films. 

I was pleasantly surprised and amazed by the theme of the film. A loving father willing to die in order to find his daughter - a story of love and family blended into a chilling adventure. I found the film to be both emotional and entertaining. The brilliant plot, the visuals and the storyline, combined with the superb acting, stunts and effects, put this film into an A-list and a Must-See category for me. This is the first film in Chinese that I had the chance to see and review. I definitely want to see more films made by Chinese filmmakers on such a brilliant level! 

A WRITER'S ODYSSEY tells the story of Kongwen Lu (Dong Zijian, ASH IS PUREST WHITE), the author of a fantasy novel series following a heroic teenager on a quest to confront Redmane. Through a strange twist of fate, the fantasy world of the novel begins to impact life in the real world, leading Guan Ning (Lei Jiayin, THE LONGEST DAY IN CHANG'AN, BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES), to accept a mission to kill the author. A WRITER'S ODYSSEY is directed by Lu Yang (BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES) and also stars Yang Mi, Yu Hewei, Guo Jingfei and Tong Liya. 

A WRITER'S ODYSSEY is out now in theaters and at the Vineland Drive-In in Los Angeles, CA and West Wind Drive-In in San Jose, CA, including newly opened theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area. The film will open in select New York City theaters beginning March 5, 2021. For more information and a list of theaters, please visit: www.CMC-Pictures.com/A-Writers-Odyssey.

 

A WRITER'S ODYSSEY Social Media Channels:

www.Facebook.com/AWriterOdyssey 

www.Twitter.com/AWritersOdyssey 

www.Instagram.com/AWritersOdyssey 

#AWritersOdyssey

INSIDE LOOK AT SUPERVILLAIN: THE MAKING OF TEKASHI 6IX9INE DOCU-SERIES

We live in an age where the line between celebrities and influencers blurs in one thanks to social media platforms, making it easier for anyone to reach the status fame quo. For some who want to have a voice and change the world, it is a great way to do so, but for others it may be a dangerous slope to "Villainhood Ville."

In the three-part series, director Karam Gill (Ice Cold, G-Funk) examines manufactured celebrity through the lens of 6ix9ine’s controversial artistry, personal demons and mastery of social media, as a reflection of our times and the complicity of culture today. It traces how New York City deli clerk Daniel Hernandez manufactured himself into viral hip hop sensation Tekashi 6ix9ine, the ruthless, tattooed face of Gen Z and hip hop’s prince of trolls. Based on Witt’s Rolling Stone feature, “Tekashi 6ix9ine: The Rise and Fall of a Hip-Hop Supervillain,” the series features an exclusive post-prison interview with 6ix9ine following his release last year. Through the narrative spine of Tekashi 6ix9ine’s controversial artistry and personal demons, this complicated story is in many ways the truest reflection of current times as it unpacks the life-shattering results of influence, impact of social media and the disturbing possibilities of a deeply connected world. 

SUPERVILLAIN is produced by Imagine Documentaries, Rolling Stone and Lightbox. Brian Grazer executive produces with Justin Wilkes and Sara Bernstein of Imagine Documentaries, Gus Wenner of Rolling Stone, Jonathan Chinn and Simon Chinn of Lightbox, journalist Stephen Witt and Peter J. Scalettar. The series is narrated by Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian). 

In my phone conversation with Keram Gill, he had a lot to say about his new film:

They were looking for someone with a unique point of view but I originally turned down the project. I was apprehensive about making a film on someone who plays such a toxic part in our culture. Then I saw a lot of things happening around our culture, celebrity and pop. A lot of the figures were manufacturing themselves. A lot of these personas were toxic and created alternative realities for themselves. Tekashi is a symptom of our culture. I was interested to propel a larger conversation. It is a cultural film that takes a look how this society manufactures people and causes damage. 

 

As long as we have known, fame has been highly debated and talked about. People are doing crazy things for fame. The difference with this project is for the first time in human history we live in a time where there are no gatekeepers to ascending to fame in these industries. That is the larger thing I’m talking about - a society that is democratized people to create celebrities and also to create monsters. We have seen that in the last four years in American politics. 

My take as a creative person is to think of something bold and different. There are so many great stories but in today's age you have to take risks. In this story, the character was so bizarre that it lead to а creative style. The approach visually was to take place in a manufactured lab. The action figure is put together with а camera movement and surgical nature. It's meant to take into effect how Tekashi came to be. He was very specific and calculated. If he is a manufactured celebrity, let's manufacture and show you how across the culture we went into popularity in this abstract laboratory of sort. 

The idea is that the social media platform democratized fame. Everyone is a celebrity - it is the rule of social media. The social media is now the enabler place where anyone can create what their reality would be. If you want to be an activist and the voice for change and be a hero you can do that; be the instigator. Social media has taken away the gatekeepers and allowed anyone like Tekashi to rise. 

I hope what people take away is to realize that we live in this manufactured celebrity culture. Authenticity is beautiful and appreciating that people who are authentic and real is key. Being able to spot that is to appreciate artists and people that are authentic. 

There has been a lot of conversation and attention on the project. It's important to remember this is not a project whether Tekashi is a good or a bad person. This is not a debate. The point of this project is to take a look at how someone can transform in today's social media from an innocent little boy to a toxic monster and what it tells us as society. 

SUPERVILLAIN: THE MAKING OF TEKASHI 6IX9INE, profiling hip-hop artist Tekashi 6ix9ine’s epic rise to notoriety and spectacular fall to convicted criminal, premiered on February 21 on SHOWTIME. New episodes will debut on-air every Sunday through March 7. The entire series will release for on-demand streaming or download on SHOWTIME and across all SHOWTIME partner platforms on February 21. 

Hopeless Romantic In Review

This Valentine's Day I had the opportunity to watch the comedy Hopeless Romantic directed by six women from the East Coast of Canada, Deanne Foley, Martine Blue, Stephanie Clattenburg, Latonia Hartery, Ruth Lawrence and Megan Wennberg. Lynda Boyd (We Were Wolves, Republic of Doyle) stars as Anna, a recently widowed cardiologist facing romantic challenges. While attending a wedding, Anna discovers she is not alone and bonds with six other women as they each share their unique stories of navigating the complex world of relationships.

This sweet take on women and relationships is entertained not only in the way the women told their stories to one another but also in the truth behind these comic scenes. Often as women we need love, we search for it outside of ourselves only to be disappointed and discouraged at the end. Here, six women tell their stories of finding love that resonates with each of us through stories of loss, grief, divorce, sexual assault, ghosting, and more. At the end, the truth is we can find the love that we need in our own selves, our strength as women and our female friendships, and maybe if we are lucky, the right one might show up at our doorstep by surprise one day.

I recommend this light and very funny female-oriented and empowering comedy 100 percent!

In addition to the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival Hopeless Romantic played the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, and was nominated for Best Feature Film at the Screen Nova Scotia Awards. Kathryn MacLellan won the Best Supporting Actress award at the Screen Nova Scotia Awards for her role in the film. The film was produced by Latonia Hartery, Jay Dahl and Bill Niven, and was shot by award winning cinematographer Jeffery Wheaton. 

Game Theory released Hopeless Romantic on February 12 on all digital platforms including iTunes/Apple TV, Vimeo On Demand and Amazon Prime Direct.

A Look Back to Sex and The City - What Was Wrong With Carrie and the Girls Then?

Courtesy: IMDB.com

As someone who grew up watching the iconic show and later on a move sequel, I decided to take another, more mature and objective look at Sex and The City, and what the fuss was all about back then. Perhaps there was a reason to it - my new look and perspective on the show dawned upon me. I saw the mistakes, the outdated concepts, materialism, selfishness, insecure women willing to do anything to get attention and love, and shoes. There was so much wrong with Carrie Bradshaw and her friends - they were idolized not just for their close friendship, which was the strong theme of the show, but as desperate, horny, materialistic, lost and egocentric middle-aged women.  Millions of girls and women around the globe were watching them on TV, growing up with them, day after day, looking up to them, only to be fed with these broken concepts of female empowerment. I was one of them. So why was everyone looking up to them then? Did we miss the wrong picture from the start? Or was the American way of female empowerment not only portrayed but enforced as such through these women? 

I remember sitting on the couch at my university dorm with my girlfriends binge watching the Sex and the City episodes. We were excited, happy, thrilled and looking forward to the movie sequel. We sat and laughed, while eating popcorn, mesmerized by the lifestyle of these women. While we were bonding we consumed the images that went so deep in our subconscious that we wanted to be just like them. In some weird way, they became our role models. We wanted their lifestyles. Back then we didn't have the knowledge and experience to really see the flaws we were imitating and we missed the whole point of what was wrong with these women seeing only what we wanted on the surface. Instead of trying to be like them, we should have tried to be against them. But if they were so popular and so loved, we wanted to be just like them. That's where the core values of being a woman were missed. We mimicked the insecure, materialistic, egocentric, hypocritical and ignorant Carrie who was simply a lost little girl who didn't know much about life other than sex and shoes, while stuck in a middle-aged woman's body. 

For young women and girls watching this show, there is a very wrong concept embedded that may have caused more damage than good - the concept of the "free woman" or perhaps what that looks like. In Sex and the City the free woman is promiscuous, egocentric, self-centered, insecure, entitled, ignorant and quite "bitchy." Is that the image that America wants to portray now? I believe the show would have been a total failure if it had launched in this day and age, and maybe it worked for a reason back then. So we can work against stereotyping female characters as such and idolizing them as such. Now that the series is up for another season, I hope that we will see Carrie and her friends better, matured and as really confident, educated, strong and less self-centered women, who do not rely on sex, shoes, money and men to feel good about themselves. 

After I rewatched Sex and The City 1 and 2, I was also appalled by the way these women approached a different culture, their ignorance and superiority towards the foreign countries they visited, their constant complaining for small issues, unable to see the beauty outside their small minds, as well as a depiction of the "typical ignorant American." Why didn't I see that back then as an immigrant who dreamed of living the American dream? These women was what was really wrong with America and what needed to be fixed. 

It takes years of living, experiencing, awakening and educating to see all the flaws that existed with Carrie Bradshaw and the gang. As now an ex-fan of the sitcom and characters, I had to rethink the image I was admiring back then and reflect on what really matters now - the need to show better female characters on the screen in a way that is way more diverse, educated, self-aware and less materialistic. My personal view based on interviews I have read and my own professional opinion is that part of the reason why Kim Cattrall, the actress who plays Samantha, didn't want to come back on the new installment of the series is that she didn't want to be part of a show that continues to portray women in such a distorted way, because it simply doesn't work anymore. 

There is a need to reinvent Carrie in a new way - a way that works now. Enough with the princess, weak, horny and self-centered images of spoiled, rich, white women who need sex, money and men for their survival. This is not what female empowerment looks like now or ever. I am in hopes for a better and more improved season of the new chapter of Carrie and Sex and the City in 2021, a world that is more self-aware, spiritual, diverse, compassionate and less self-absorbed and materialistic. These are the women we need to see and be like on the screen! 

SAG Nominees Announced - Another Big Nomination for Maria Bakalova

Photo Courtesy: @mariabakalovaofficial

This week has been one of major wins and history in the making for Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova. Following her big Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in Motion Picture for Comedy/Musical, she just received another one from the Screen Actor Guild Awards, nominated for Best Supporting Actress by her fellow actors. She is competing for the win with Glenn Close, Olivia Colman, Helena Zengel and You-Jung Youn. Maria has proven to be a favorite not just among critics and audiences but also among the stars. Her major breakthrough is a historical achievement for Bulgarians and Eastern Europeans, opening the door for more bright talent to come and shine in Hollywood. 

                                                        Video Courtesy of SAG Awards                                                                             

Nominees for the 27th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® honoring outstanding individual, cast and ensemble performances for 2020 were announced on February 4 by Lily Collins (Emily in Paris, MANK) and Daveed Diggs (Snowpiercer, BLINDSPOTTING, The Good Lord Bird) via Instagram Live. The nominees for outstanding action performances by film and television stunt ensembles were announced this morning by Jason George (Station 19) and Elizabeth McLaughlin (Grand Hotel) who were introduced by SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. The 27th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be simulcast on TNT and TBS on Sunday, April 4, 2021, at 9 p.m. (ET) / 6 p.m. (PT). An encore will air on TNT at 11 p.m. (ET) / 8 p.m. (PT).

For a full list of the nominees, visit sagawards.org. 

About the 27th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® The 27th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, presented by SAG-AFTRA with Screen Actors Guild Awards, LLC will be produced by Avalon Harbor Entertainment, Inc. and Hazy Mills Productions and will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, April 4, 2021, at 9 p.m. (ET) / 6 p.m. (PT). For more information about the SAG Awards®, SAGAFTRA, TNT and TBS, visit sagawards.org/about.

Actress Maria Bakalova Scores Historic Golden Globe Nomination for Bulgaria

Maria Bakalova 
Credit: @mariabakalovaofficial

Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova made history for Bulgaria and Eastern Europe. She scored a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical/Comedy, which is first not only for her but for Bulgaria as well. She is competing against major names from the Hollywood scene such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Kate Hudson, Rosamund Pike and Anya Taylor-Joy. Bakalova is opening the door for other Eastern European talents and her homeland Bulgaria. She played Tutar in the sequel "Borat 2" along Sasha Baron Cohen. Bakalova also scored numerous other awards and nominations for her role from critics across America, including the New York Film Critics, for her role as Tutar. She is even nominated for a SAG award and that much closer to an Oscar nomination. Her breakthrough performance is both historical and legendary. She was born in Bourgas, Bulgaria, and can be seen in the Bulgarian film "The Father," which gave her a major push in her Bulgarian acting career. "The Father" is the Bulgarian film selected to compete in the Oscar race for Best International Film. 

Credit: Golden Globes

The 78th Golden Globe nominations were announced on Feb. 3 by six-time Golden Globe Award winner, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Golden Globe winner, Taraji P. Henson, on behalf of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Parker and Henson appeared live on NBC News “Today,” to reveal a select number of categories including Best Motion Picture, Best Television Series, Best Performance by an Actress, Best Performance by an Actor, Best Director, and more. E! News and GoldenGlobes.com streamed the full list of categories. Award-winning comedy icons Tina Fey and Amy Poehler return for their fourth time to host the ceremony, celebrating the best in film and television. The first-ever bicoastal telecast will feature Fey at New York's famed Rainbow Room and Poehler at the iconic Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Nominees will join throughout the evening's three-hour show from locations across the world. The Golden Globes airs live on NBC coast to coast Sunday, February 28, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST.

E!’s two-hour Golden Globe Awards Pre-Show Special will begin at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT Giuliana Rancic showcases can’t miss fashion, social moments and talks to nominees and presenters of the 78th Golden Globe Awards live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. The first-ever bicoastal telecast will feature Fey at New York's famed Rainbow Room and Poehler at the iconic Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Nominees will join throughout the evening's three-hour show from locations across the world. The Golden Globes airs live on NBC coast to coast Sunday, February 28, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST.

A full list of the nominees announcement below:

"Silence & Darkness"

The new thriller/drama Silence & Darkness is the perfect getaway movie if you are looking to snuggle, cozy up and enjoy a mindless and restful evening. Though I enjoyed the film and the theme, what it lacked was a well-developed plot, character development and a storyline. The story moved way too slow for a thriller and lost my interest because of that at times. I stuck around till the end of the film for the great acting of the two sisters played by Mina Walkin and Joan Glockin, as well as the incredibly beautiful forest setting. If anything, it made me dream away to the beautiful land of Vermont and its breathtaking scenery. I adored the wooden, huge, gorgeous house where the setting took place. I was looking at my dream house and my dream setting but in a sick, twisted plot that never fully developed. I waited to see if it will all make better sense at the end, but only left me asking more questions and unsettled with answers. I would like to see a follow up movie that would show the back stories of the characters and their lives better, than the way the film left them hanging at the end. 

Even though Silence & Darkness was a nice try, the film was just not there just yet. It needed a much faster story paste, better character development, more mystery, excitement and a backstory. It was just all too boring to follow the way it was done. A lot of questions were still not answered by the end of the film leaving the viewer unsatisfied. I loved the fact that two blind and deaf sisters had an unbreakable bond and were inseparable, but the father figure (played by Jordan Lage) remained a confusing and not well-developed character throughout the story. His dark and sinister, sick nature and motives were intertwined with his "sick ways" to show his love for his daughters. He was a multi-dimensional character that could have been explored more, as well as his past that lead to him becoming that way. I found the communication between the sisters to be hard to follow as well. Something was missing in connecting the dots between the characters and their motives. I wanted to see a thriller that is exciting, unpredictable and grabbed me by the throat. Instead, it was predictable, unexciting and dragging an undeveloped story. Thanks to the amazing work of the cinematographer I stuck to the end to see those glorious sunsets, green forests and peaceful bliss of my dreamland Vermont. 

About Silence & Darkness:

After the death of their mother, blind and deaf sisters Anna and Beth live happily in a secluded small town with Father. However, when a neighbor stops by, Anna and Beth begin to question Father’s medical diagnoses and start to realize his intentions are more sinister than they could have imagined. 

The film is written and directed by Barak Barkan. It is his debut film. 

The film is available on VOD/Digital in the U.S. and Canada on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, as well as Direct TV, Dish Network, Vubiquity, and Deluxe Canada. 

"Agnes Joy" Film Review

What I love about some films this year is that they seem to have more in depth storytelling, relatability and a very strong character development with characters we can relate to. Agnes Joy is no exception to that. The film is Iceland's official selection for Best International Feature Film for the 93rd Academy Awards©. 

Agnes Joy shows a complex family dynamics that seems to revolve around a boring, unfulfilled and stagnant life. It is a reality that some of us know painfully well. Every character in the film experiences a reality of their own that they want to change so they look outside themselves for someone to save them. It is refreshing for me to see a family dynamic story told in a simple, straight forward way with an exceptional narrative. I also loved the fact that this was the first film from Iceland that I was fortunate to see. I liked that the film didn't focus on Iceland as a tourist destination as some would expect but rather a place like any other with complex lives that need repair and hope even amidst nature's beauty.

Agnes Joy

Rannveig is a mother, wife, daughter and in serious need for change. She is experiencing burnout in all aspects of her everyday life. She is stuck with a job she hates and a slow dying marriage. She also constantly fights her rebellious daughter Agnes the same way she fights her own mother. When a new neighbor arrives, Rannveig has to confront new challenges in her relationships as her daughter fights to get back her independence, while making terrible choices. Agnes Joy was directed by Silja Hauksdóttir and written by Hauksdóttir, Rannveig Jónsdóttir and Jóhanna Fridrika Sæmundsdóttir.

Growing up in a different culture, with a controlling mother and an absent-minded father, is something I know way too well as I have dealt with it my entire life. It is a prison of control that leaks through all aspects and areas of your life, limiting the way you see yourself, the world and others. It gets passed on from one generation to another, a parent to a child, until someone is brave enough to break the chain. It is also a narrative that is not commonly seen on such a level and intimacy as in Agnes Joy. The inner turmoil that each character faces is portrayed through many layers and emotions visibly seen in their faces and body language. 

Making this film that reflects reality in some way, gives women suffering in silence a voice, helping them feel seen and their story being told. The plot of the film is so complex and yet so simple that the intertwined faiths and realities of the characters seem to connect and come to one conclusion - letting go. Letting go of control is not an easy task. At the end of the day, only one person can save you and that is yourself. 

Rannveig

I wish more films show family dynamics in such nature and in such detail as it is refreshing to see real and relatable stories and characters come to life on the big screen. The storytelling, character development and acting was superb! The only criticism I have is the way the cinematography was done as I found it a bit dull, one dimensional and plain at times. I wanted to see more in the use of the camera lens when showing the complexity in Iceland's culture, nature, homes, colors and how they connect with one another.  

I wish Agnes Joy luck in their Oscars nomination!

Rating: 4 out of 5

"Wander Darkly" Film Review

This year we all have been wondering in the darkness of getting through a pandemic, uncertainty and fear. The journey has not been easy but I believe what will get us through it are faith, hope and love. In that same manner, the recent film Wander Darkly, explores the darkness of the human mind filled with fear, jealousy, anger and loss. Even though the film is about romantic love and loss, while finding it through pain and darkness, I can see many of its concepts relate to today's new norm we all live in.

The concept of the film revolves around a traumatic accident, which leaves an unmarried couple, Adrienne (Sienna Miller) and Matteo (Diego Luna), in a surreal state of being that takes them on a disorienting journey through the duality of their shared moments.  By reliving memories from the beginning of their romantic journey while navigating the overwhelming truths of their present, they must rediscover the love that truly binds them together. It is an emotionally moving story about a couple who must reflect on their past in order to face their uncertain future. The film is written and directed by Tara Miele.

  

I found myself crying by the end of the film. The superb acting, familiar concept of loss and love, the trauma, and hope that revolve as occurring themes throughout the movie, can leave you on a roller coaster ride full of emotions. I believe that the film has come out at the right time when all of us are in our own journey in finding the light at the end of this dark tunnel. I couldn't help but empathize with the main characters, especially Adrienne who as a woman, girlfriend and mother represents so many of us and our own life struggles. 

What I also found fascinating about the film was the setting and the decor, intentionally chosen to be part of the story. Each element, whether a table, a chair or curtains, had a meaning and was a part of the character's story, providing an answer in solving the puzzle of the complexity of the characters. 

After speaking with Set Decorator Adrienne Garcia at the CherryPicks Roundtable Online Discussion, I found out that she worked really hard to dive in the psychic of the main characters and make sure that each element gave out a clue to their culture, feelings, believes and backstory. The cinematography is done in a way that follows the "unreliable narrator's" mind in a precise way as if we follow her quest for the truth amidst uncertainty, lack of clarity and blurred vision. So watch out for those set decor clues when you attempt to figure out the mystery in the film. It is a spiritual journey that ends in a hopeful way. 

CherryPicks Roundtable Discussion with Set Decorator Adrienne Garcia

The message that I took away from the film was "Love One Another" and "Forgive" because you never know when a loved one can be taken away from you unexpectedly. Wander Darkly is available In Select Theaters and On Demand starting December 11. 

SCORE: 5 out of 5

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Female Voices Rock Film Festival - a Window to the Woman's Soul

In a world where women are constantly told to be silent and bury their voices, the Female Voices Rock Film Festival gives them a voice. The festival took place online on December 4-10 and it opened the female conversation that we should have been having long ago. There were over 70 short films selected out of a thousand submissions, in different categories ranging from web series, documentary, drama to comedy, and more. 

 "Hosting this year's festival virtually opens up a great door of opportunity for our filmmakers to expand their audiences, creating an even larger platform to uplift these diverse voices," says Female Voices Rock Founder and Executive Director Catherine Delaloye. "With the hardships that 2020 brought us, we wanted to carry forward with the festival to create the necessary space for creatives of all backgrounds, ages, races, and at different points in their careers, to share their stories, and dedicate this year's festival to keeping us all connected during these times."

In the current film climate, there is an over-saturation of the same type of films, the same type of perspectives and stories with a lack of diverse voices. With the Female Voices Rock Film Festival, I finally had a fresh breath of air - the women stories told reflect so many of our own. I wish that we can see more films like that on the big and little screen. Regardless of which part from the world the film was, they all resonated with me on some level and I am sure they did for most women. The festival opened a united dialogue that we as women must have because the stronger our voices and our stories, the more we can claim our place in the world. This festival was the start of the dialogue for me. 

As women we are often told who we should be, what we should do, how we should act and what our place in the world is. It is about time we say enough is enough. The Female Voices Rock Film Festival is a way to change that. 

In addition to the featured short films, there were LIVE panels and discussions about important topics related to women in film. Some of the panels included: "Building a Career in Animation," "Creating Responsible Content and Shifting the Narrative," "Stuntwomen - In Action," among many others. In those discussions the female panelists gave an overview of their career path, experiences, as well as advice to other women who are or want to be in the movie industry. 

My biggest take away points from the festival were:

"Every dream has a price."

"Getting lost is part of the journey."

"I thought I looked the way that I felt on the inside."

"The Indigenous women were the first females who were able to vote in their tribes in the US."

In the discussion "Creating Responsible Content and Shifting the Narrative," TV Producer Heather Rae talked about the importance of diversity in film and storytelling and how "white privileged men" are the ones in control about who tells the narrative that we should be telling instead. Rae's work of finding those untold stories and aiming to preserve her Indigenous heritage in film, leads the way for other women to make a change. Now is the time to tell our own stories through our own lens instead of relying on the "white male's lens." Rae also talked about how democracy existed first among the Indigenous people and women were able to vote for their tribe leader. What I took away from the conversation is that the Indigenous women were the ones who helped ignite the revolution for women's voting rights in the US.  

My personal favorite top 10 shorts from the festival were:

1. Dear Father (Directed by Maren Klakegg) - a Norwegian story of surviving sexual abuse by her father, the main hero in the story is able to confront her pain and heal in order to make sure her kids live a happier life than the one she did. The film was raw, authentic, emotional and it helps tell the story by giving a voice of any woman who has gone through parental abuse. 

2. All Hail Beth (Directed by Misha Calvert) - This web series is a comedy with so much insight and such a fresh take on the female power. Available to watch on YouTube, the series tells the story of how humble and yet powerful the female nature can be and how women can lead this world of hatred and war, because "men love war and chaos," to peace, humanity and love. I loved the concept and the subtle clues that it is time for change and that more women should be in leader positions. 

3. Bumper (Directed by Nirina Ralantoaritsimba) - This French comedy short finally gives voice to an older senior woman and the chance to show off her acting abilities as the lead. Solely carried by a woman in her 70-80s, this comedy shows that age is just a number and women are strong, funny and independent even in the "older ages." Winner: Best International Short

4. Without a Whisper (Directed by Katsitsionni Fox) - This documentary about the indigenous women opened my eyes to the truth that is yet to be told in US history - the voting rights that existed among the Indigenous women way before the US and how they inspired the revolution for the women's right to vote in the US. The humble and yet powerful nature of the Indigenous women uplifts my heart and spirit. Winner: Best Documentary Film. 

5. On the Other Side (Directed by Estefania Rebellon and Kyle Schmidt) - This Mexican/US drama short is an exact depiction of the immigration nightmare many face in pursuit of the false illusion of the American dream that many are willing to die for. The film is extremely emotional, raw and the acting is superb. It portrays the high price immigrants pay in order to escape and find their American dream, while sacrificing their bodies, souls, loved ones and sanity. Winner: Best Narrative Film

6. A Life on Ice (Directed by Leigh Anne Sides) - Seeing women as heroes is always a delight. The main hero is first to discover difficult mountain territories and that is beyond inspiring. The documentary shows the bravery of one woman who chose her passion to conquer mountains over a suburban house and a steady life. Her story can inspire other women to live their lives as they want to and not as society expects them. She was criticized by many about her choice but she lived a happy life filled with adventure, love and mountains. 

7. Ingenue (Directed by Sophie Webb) - I am not a fan of the horror/thriller genre but this short was simply stunning with its message about the price women have to pay to be famous in Hollywood. In a spooky way it did show a reality many are unaware of - to make it one has to almost sell her soul and become someone else. 

8. Eyes Down ( Directed by Charlotte Daniel) - What I loved about this UK short is that it was carried solely on emotion, body movement and facial expression. Without any verbal narrative, it told the story of one trans woman so well that it can shift perspectives. The pain to fit in that this trans woman carried was well depicted in the film while the rest of society lived their "normal lives." Perhaps if we lived a day in someone else's shoes we would be more understanding, inclusive and accepting to others as a society. 

9. Another Place (Directed by Anna Radchenko) - The artwork and visual effects in this music video were superb. I was blown away by the blend of art and technology merged into one. The fantasy storytelling was very unique and I see this technique used in the future of music videos. 

10. For Kate (Directed by Claire Imler) - This emotional story of parental abuse and neglect, portrays a reality that is unfortunately way too familiar for many kids in the world. My hope is that after watching it, parents will have a wake up call and realize the damage they do to their own children. Sometimes, the biological parents are not the ones that make an impact in a kid's life but strangers who care more. Immigration is another plot intertwined in the film and how innocent people get taken away and treated like criminals because of their immigration status. 

It is refreshing to see new voices, real women stories from all over the world and movies that reflect the female reality ranging from immigration, menstruation, empowerment, heroism, sexual assaults, carrier choices, age, race, beauty, to name a few. Women are complex and so much is expected of us. By giving female directors and writers a voice to tell these stories is to give women a chance to be seen and heard in a male dominant world. Finally, I found films I can relate to, which can makes us feel less alone as women and more empowered as such. 

About Female Voices Rock Film Festival

Female Voices Rock was founded with the mission to inspire change in the industry and uplift women creators and storytellers. Dedicated to spotlighting marginalized voices, Female Voices Rocks creates equal space for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ stories to be shared and heard. At the annual Female Voices Rock Film Festival, hundreds of filmmakers and leaders in the industry gather to celebrate these unique voices. Through programming designed to connect and educate members of the film community, Female Voices Rock has built a foundation of equality and diversity that inspires forward-looking change.

For more information about Female Voices Rock, visit www.femalevoicesrock.com.

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