Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Documentary Feature
Weekly Commentary: With the Directors Guild of America and BAFTA Awards in hand, in addition to the tragic news of the death of Alexei Navalny, the subject of the Oscar-winning “Navalny” last year, “20 Days in Mariupol” is too important to ignore.
Will Win:...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Documentary Feature
Weekly Commentary: With the Directors Guild of America and BAFTA Awards in hand, in addition to the tragic news of the death of Alexei Navalny, the subject of the Oscar-winning “Navalny” last year, “20 Days in Mariupol” is too important to ignore.
Will Win:...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
In the snowy hills of Park City this year, North Korea refugee documentary “Beyond Utopia” made a splash. This 115-minute feature keeps its viewers at the edge of their seats. In follows the harrowing defection journeys for the Roh family, which includes two children and an octogenarian, and records the brutal capture and torture of Soyeon Lee's son at the North Korean border.
Throughout the course of the film, the proximity to the subject material is quite jarring. The American film crew witnesses the Roh family and Pastor Kim, their South Korean guardian, through the Yalu River, China, the jungles of Laos, and eventually reaching the Thai shores of the Mekong River.
Now, in light of awards season, we revisit our own close encounter with the team – an in-person interview with producers Sue Mi Terry, Rachel Cohen, and documentary subjects Pastor Kim and Soyeon Lee – at the Larsen office in San Francisco.
Throughout the course of the film, the proximity to the subject material is quite jarring. The American film crew witnesses the Roh family and Pastor Kim, their South Korean guardian, through the Yalu River, China, the jungles of Laos, and eventually reaching the Thai shores of the Mekong River.
Now, in light of awards season, we revisit our own close encounter with the team – an in-person interview with producers Sue Mi Terry, Rachel Cohen, and documentary subjects Pastor Kim and Soyeon Lee – at the Larsen office in San Francisco.
- 12/21/2023
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Mast-Del.“There are two festivals occurring at the same time,” I heard from multiple attendees at this year’s Camden International Film Festival. They were alluding to a split in Ciff’s creative vision, but this was also something of a geographical fact: the four-day Maine documentary festival has two hubs, Camden and Rockland, which were linked by a 20-minute shuttle ride. Screenings overlapped throughout the festival, and since the vast majority of films played only once, each choice closed off a possibility. The two opening night films, Beyond Utopia and El Castillo, started in the same hour, essentially asking festivalgoers to select one film, or festival, or the other. This also meant that any interruptions caused by Hurricane Lee, forecasted to reach the West Penobscot Bay on the penultimate day of the festival, would be definitive. Thus another duality: the linear plan for the festival nearly a year in the making,...
- 12/7/2023
- MUBI
The 2024 Cinema Eye Honors has officially announced its full list of nominees, with D. Smith’s debut feature “Kokomo City” topping the awards contenders.
The Sundance breakout film about Black trans sex workers has six nominations for the 17th annual awards ceremony which spotlights achievements in nonfiction and documentary films and series. The 2024 Cinema Eye Honors will take place January 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem, New York.
Following “Kokomo City” are Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” Sam Green’s “32 Sounds,” and Maite Alberdi’s “The Eternal Memory,” each with five nominations. All four films are nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Feature with the respective directors all nominated for Outstanding Direction.
This year’s Cinema Eye Honors also marks a history-making first with directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson being the first filmmakers to be nominated for Nonfiction Feature and Nonfiction Short in the same year,...
The Sundance breakout film about Black trans sex workers has six nominations for the 17th annual awards ceremony which spotlights achievements in nonfiction and documentary films and series. The 2024 Cinema Eye Honors will take place January 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem, New York.
Following “Kokomo City” are Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” Sam Green’s “32 Sounds,” and Maite Alberdi’s “The Eternal Memory,” each with five nominations. All four films are nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Feature with the respective directors all nominated for Outstanding Direction.
This year’s Cinema Eye Honors also marks a history-making first with directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson being the first filmmakers to be nominated for Nonfiction Feature and Nonfiction Short in the same year,...
- 11/16/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
“Kokomo City,” D. Smith’s documentary about four trans Black women in New York and Georgia, led all films in nominations for the 17th annual Cinema Eye Honors, the New York-based awards designed to spotlight all facets of nonfiction filmmaking.
The film received six nominations, including Outstanding Nonfiction Feature and Outstanding Direction. Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” Maite Alberdi’s “The Eternal Memory” and Sam Green’s “32 Sounds” followed with five nominations each.
In the Outstanding Nonfiction Feature category, “Kokomo City,” “The Eternal Memory,” “20 Days in Mariupol” and “32 Sounds” were joined by “Four Daughters,” “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
Matthew Heineman’s “American Symphony” received nominations for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Score, making Heineman the third-most-nominated filmmaker in Cinema Eye history. With 12 nominations overall, he now trails Steve James and Laura Poitras by one.
While many...
The film received six nominations, including Outstanding Nonfiction Feature and Outstanding Direction. Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” Maite Alberdi’s “The Eternal Memory” and Sam Green’s “32 Sounds” followed with five nominations each.
In the Outstanding Nonfiction Feature category, “Kokomo City,” “The Eternal Memory,” “20 Days in Mariupol” and “32 Sounds” were joined by “Four Daughters,” “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
Matthew Heineman’s “American Symphony” received nominations for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Score, making Heineman the third-most-nominated filmmaker in Cinema Eye history. With 12 nominations overall, he now trails Steve James and Laura Poitras by one.
While many...
- 11/16/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Cinema Eye Honors for achievement in nonfiction and documentary films and series has announced nominees for the 17th awards ceremony. “Kokomo City” from D. Smith led the nominees with six. “20 Days in Mariupol,” “32 Sounds” and “The Eternal Memory” each received five nominations. The nominees for outstanding fiction feature also include “Four Daughters,” “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
Outstanding direction nominees include Maite Alberdi for “The Eternal Memory,” Sam Green for “32 Sounds,” Kaouther Ben Hania for “Four Daughters,” Smith for “Kokomo City,” Claire Simon for “Our Body” and Wim Wenders for “Anselm.”
The Cinema Eye 2024 Awards Ceremony takes place on Jan. 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem.
Full list of nominees follows.
2024 Cinema Eye Honors Nominations
Outstanding Nonfiction Feature
20 Days in Mariupol
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
Produced by Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson Rath...
Outstanding direction nominees include Maite Alberdi for “The Eternal Memory,” Sam Green for “32 Sounds,” Kaouther Ben Hania for “Four Daughters,” Smith for “Kokomo City,” Claire Simon for “Our Body” and Wim Wenders for “Anselm.”
The Cinema Eye 2024 Awards Ceremony takes place on Jan. 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem.
Full list of nominees follows.
2024 Cinema Eye Honors Nominations
Outstanding Nonfiction Feature
20 Days in Mariupol
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
Produced by Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson Rath...
- 11/16/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
You may think you have a notion of how terrible it is to live in North Korea. You don’t. The media shows us military parades and atomic bomb tests. But many of the isolated country’s 26 million inhabitants are hungry or starving, and believe that America is their sworn enemy. It is impossible to cross the Dmz between North and South Korea, riddled with 2 million landmines, so anyone brave enough to defect must follow an elaborate route through China, which is friendly to North Korea, as well as several other hostile Communist countries, in order to reach safety in Thailand. And if a defector is caught, they go straight to the gulag, where they are beaten and tortured.
In the eye-opening “Beyond Utopia”, from editor-turned-director Madeleine Gavin (“City of Joy”), which won the U.S. documentary audience award at Sundance 2023, we follow a heroic and fearless Christian pastor, Seungeun Kim,...
In the eye-opening “Beyond Utopia”, from editor-turned-director Madeleine Gavin (“City of Joy”), which won the U.S. documentary audience award at Sundance 2023, we follow a heroic and fearless Christian pastor, Seungeun Kim,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The documentary feature won the US documentary audience award at Sundance.
UK documentary specialist Dogwoof has taken international sales for Beyond Utopia, following its Sundance win of the US documentary audience award.
US-based filmmaker Madeleine Gavin’s documentary feature follows individuals living in North Korea as they attempt to flee the country’s oppressive regime, amid the highest life-or-death stakes, with the help of a South Korean pastor.
Submarine handles the domestic sale.
It is produced through New York-based Ideal Partners Production, by Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen and Sue Mi Terry, in association with 19340 Productions, Xrm Media, Random Good Foundation and Human Rights Foundation.
UK documentary specialist Dogwoof has taken international sales for Beyond Utopia, following its Sundance win of the US documentary audience award.
US-based filmmaker Madeleine Gavin’s documentary feature follows individuals living in North Korea as they attempt to flee the country’s oppressive regime, amid the highest life-or-death stakes, with the help of a South Korean pastor.
Submarine handles the domestic sale.
It is produced through New York-based Ideal Partners Production, by Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen and Sue Mi Terry, in association with 19340 Productions, Xrm Media, Random Good Foundation and Human Rights Foundation.
- 2/16/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
This year, women directors – and their women-centric subjects – swept the awards at Sundance Film Festival. Three women directors – Madeleine Gavin, Maryam Keshavarz, and Noora Niasari – won Audience Awards for their films on North Korea (“Beyond Utopia”), intergenerational motherhood (“The Persian Version”), and custody in diaspora (“Shayda”). Portraits of masculinity were also celebrated as well. First-time feature filmmaker Sing J. Lee won the Directing Award for his touching portrait of masculinity and fatherhood in “The Accidental Getaway Driver,” while Sauvnik Kaur’s intimate documentary on brotherhood “Against The Tide” took home a Special Jury Award. After two years of isolation and virtual festival-ing, it seems that stories of tenderness appealed over aggressive storytelling at Park City this year.
“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.
“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.
- 2/1/2023
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Teyana Taylor and Aaron Kingsley in ‘A Thousand and One’ (Photo Courtesy of Sundance Institute / Photo by Focus Features)
The Sundance Film Festival named A Thousand and One from writer/director A.V. Rockwell the winner of the prestigious U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic. Directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson’s The Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2023 festival which hosted in-person screenings as well as access online.
“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...
The Sundance Film Festival named A Thousand and One from writer/director A.V. Rockwell the winner of the prestigious U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic. Directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson’s The Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2023 festival which hosted in-person screenings as well as access online.
“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...
- 1/27/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
The 2023 Sundance Film Festival opened with the surprise announcement of a new documentary. However, Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh-themed “Justice” wasn’t the only non-fiction exposé that secretly made its way to Park City. Until it premiered at the festival January 21, the festival site billed U.S. Documentary Competition selection “Beyond Utopia” as a look at “various individuals as they attempt to flee one of the most oppressive places on Earth,” but didn’t specify the location.
The location in question is North Korea, and the movie delivers an eye-opening look at defectors who cross its Chinese border. Sources tell IndieWire that Sundance refused to name North Korea in its official description until after the premiere. That decision came out of concern that the movie could lead to security threats from the country, not unlike the Sony hack that destabilized the studio ahead of 2014 satire “The Interview.”
Sundance made...
The location in question is North Korea, and the movie delivers an eye-opening look at defectors who cross its Chinese border. Sources tell IndieWire that Sundance refused to name North Korea in its official description until after the premiere. That decision came out of concern that the movie could lead to security threats from the country, not unlike the Sony hack that destabilized the studio ahead of 2014 satire “The Interview.”
Sundance made...
- 1/24/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The first fully in-person Sundance Film Festival since 2020 is around the bend, with the Utah-based event running January 19-29. While the festival revealed more than 100 feature-length films in December, Sundance has announced five more world premiere features, plus four throwback screenings from past festivals.
The latest feature films world premiering at the upcoming festival are “Beyond Utopia,” playing in the U.S. Documentary Competition section; “Flora and Son,” A24’s “Earth Mama” and “Past Lives,” playing in the Premieres section; and “Stephen Curry: Underrated,” playing in the Special Screenings section. Perhaps the buzziest addition is “Flora and Son,” the new musical from Dublin director John Carney. Starring Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this is “Once” director Carney’s first film since 2016’s “Sing Street.” Since then, he has served as showrunner, director, and executive producer on the Prime Video anthology series “Modern Love.”
Meanwhile, returning to the festival as Encore...
The latest feature films world premiering at the upcoming festival are “Beyond Utopia,” playing in the U.S. Documentary Competition section; “Flora and Son,” A24’s “Earth Mama” and “Past Lives,” playing in the Premieres section; and “Stephen Curry: Underrated,” playing in the Special Screenings section. Perhaps the buzziest addition is “Flora and Son,” the new musical from Dublin director John Carney. Starring Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this is “Once” director Carney’s first film since 2016’s “Sing Street.” Since then, he has served as showrunner, director, and executive producer on the Prime Video anthology series “Modern Love.”
Meanwhile, returning to the festival as Encore...
- 1/4/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Sundance Film Festival added several new titles, including a documentary about NBA star Stephen Curry and A24’s sentimental drama “Past Lives,” to its 2023 lineup.
Other newest inclusions are “Beyond Utopia,” a documentary about families escaping oppression, as well as feature films including “Earth Mama” and Flora and Son,” which will screen in the premieres section. “Stephen Curry: Underrated” will play in the special screenings section.
This year’s Sundance Film Festival will take place from Jan. 19-29 in Utah, marking its first return to Park City since the pandemic.
Sundance is also hosting encore screenings of “Coda,” which premiered at the 2021 virtual festival and won the Oscar for best picture, as well as “Klondike,” “Navalny” and “Summer of Soul.” It will be the first time those Sundance award winners will screen at the festival in person, with many of the filmmakers in attendance for post-screening panels. Those films were...
Other newest inclusions are “Beyond Utopia,” a documentary about families escaping oppression, as well as feature films including “Earth Mama” and Flora and Son,” which will screen in the premieres section. “Stephen Curry: Underrated” will play in the special screenings section.
This year’s Sundance Film Festival will take place from Jan. 19-29 in Utah, marking its first return to Park City since the pandemic.
Sundance is also hosting encore screenings of “Coda,” which premiered at the 2021 virtual festival and won the Oscar for best picture, as well as “Klondike,” “Navalny” and “Summer of Soul.” It will be the first time those Sundance award winners will screen at the festival in person, with many of the filmmakers in attendance for post-screening panels. Those films were...
- 1/4/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The Sundance Film Festival has announced five new world premieres joining the 2023 lineup, including the documentary about NBA superstar Stephen Curry and the latest feature from Once director John Carney.
Beyond Utopia (U.S. Doc Competition), Earth Mama (Premieres), Flora and Son (Premieres), Past Lives (Premieres) and Stephen Curry: Underrated (Special Screening) are all heading to Park City. The films join a previously announced schedule that includes the new Nicole Holofcener movie, Davis Guggenheim’s Michael J. Fox doc and Anne Hathaway drama Eileen.
“These five new films round out our program in an exciting and emotional way. They are cinematic experiences that delight, entertain, and keep us on the edge of our seats. The works introduce us to new voices, along with directors we’re excited to welcome back to the Festival,” said Kim Yutani, director of programming.
Also announced today is the festival’s Encore Special Screenings, a...
Beyond Utopia (U.S. Doc Competition), Earth Mama (Premieres), Flora and Son (Premieres), Past Lives (Premieres) and Stephen Curry: Underrated (Special Screening) are all heading to Park City. The films join a previously announced schedule that includes the new Nicole Holofcener movie, Davis Guggenheim’s Michael J. Fox doc and Anne Hathaway drama Eileen.
“These five new films round out our program in an exciting and emotional way. They are cinematic experiences that delight, entertain, and keep us on the edge of our seats. The works introduce us to new voices, along with directors we’re excited to welcome back to the Festival,” said Kim Yutani, director of programming.
Also announced today is the festival’s Encore Special Screenings, a...
- 1/4/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Sundance Film Festival has announced further additions to its lineup for 2023, including five more features that will there make their world premieres, and four award-winners from years past to receive encore special screenings.
Among the features world premiering at the upcoming edition of the Utah festival are Flora and Son and Stephen Curry: Underrated — the latest efforts from returning directors John Carney (Sing Street) and Peter Nicks (Homeroom). The former is a family drama with musical elements starring Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and more that’s set to play in the Premieres section; the latter, a doc on the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry from producers Ryan Coogler and Erick Peyton, which will play in Special Screenings.
Also returning for another go-round at Sundance this year is filmmaker Madeleine Gavin (What I Want My Words to Do to You), whose film Beyond Utopia will screen in U.S.
Among the features world premiering at the upcoming edition of the Utah festival are Flora and Son and Stephen Curry: Underrated — the latest efforts from returning directors John Carney (Sing Street) and Peter Nicks (Homeroom). The former is a family drama with musical elements starring Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and more that’s set to play in the Premieres section; the latter, a doc on the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry from producers Ryan Coogler and Erick Peyton, which will play in Special Screenings.
Also returning for another go-round at Sundance this year is filmmaker Madeleine Gavin (What I Want My Words to Do to You), whose film Beyond Utopia will screen in U.S.
- 1/4/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
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