New York Women in Film and TV's Annual Muse Awards
I was able to attend NYWIFT's annual celebration of women in entertainment. 1,000 people packed the ballroom at the Hilton for a looong lunch that honored Jennifer Jason Leigh, Lauren Zalaznick, Julie Taymor, Suzana Peric and Gale Anne Hurd with Muse Awards.
One of the important programs that NYWIFT funds is the Women's Film Preservation Fund which restores films to help keep women's film history alive. The fund has preserved films from early pioneers like Alice Guy Blanche and Lois Weber to Barbara Kopple's Oscar winning documentary Harlan County USA.
Some interesting quotes from the awardees speeches:
Gale Anne Hurd is a kick ass producer and has had a hand in producing some of the biggest action films. No chick flicks for her. She introduced us to Sarah Connor in the Terminator and worked on the kick ass Aliens (that's the second really good one). She received the Loreen Arbus award for those who take action and effect change.
It is disappointing that we still need AFI's directing workshop for women. The number of women directing film and tv remains woefully small in the single digits unchanged since the 1970s. We have witnessed the rise of the woman film and tv exec from Loreen Arbus to Sherry Lansing to Betty Cohen to Amy Pascal. Now let's make the same strides behind the camera. Let's not just talk about it. Let's not just complain about it. There's no longer just the old boy's network to overcome. We have no one to blame but ourselves. So let's take a chance and a woman director, editor or prop master so we can tell our daughters about a time when women weren't equally represented and they will look at us mystified.Jennifer Jason Leigh who seriously has had one of the most diverse careers of any actress working, spoke of her muses the photographer Nan Goldin, director Jane Campion and especially her mom.
If I am a muse I'd like to think it's for being independent and making risky choices for paying attention to my own voice whether or not it is in the best interest of my career. My mom has always prized love over money, loyalty over money, ethics and honesty over money. My mom doesn't have a lot of money. (This got a big laugh) She taught me from a young age that women and men were equal in all ways.New Nicole Holofcener Movie
The question that irks me that I get asked a lot is what is the difference between a male and female director. My answer is - it depends on the person. I can't imagine someone asking me what it's like having a female doctor or lawyer and it speak to the sexism that persists in this business even though there are more and more women directors we are still a novelty.
So psyched that Indie Queen writer/director Nicole Holofcener is reteaming with Catherine Keener and returning to NY the site of my favorite Holofcener film Walking and Talking for a new film about a group of neighbors in a NY building. Script was finished before the writers strike so it could go into production early next year.
Holofcener, Kenner Move in with Indie Drama (Hollywood Reporter)
Awards
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
Best Original Screenplay: Juno - Diablo Cody
Best Screenplay Adapted: Away From Her - Sarah Polley
Best Actress: Julie Christie - Away From Her
Best Actress In Supporting Role: Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Best Ensemble Cast: Juno
EDA Female Focus Awards
Best Woman Director: Sarah Polley
Best Woman Screenwriter: Tamara Jenkins - The Savages
Best Breakthrough Performance: Ellen Page - Juno
Best Newcomer: Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Women’s Image Award: Sarah Polley
Hanging in There Award for Persistence: Ruby Dee
Actress Defying Age and Ageism: Julie Christie
Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In 2007: Kathleen Kennedy, Producer, The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, Persepolis
Lifetime Achievement Award: Julie Christie
Award For Humanitarian Activism: Angelina Jolie
EDA Special Mention Awards
Hall of Shame Award: Norbit
Actress Most In Need Of A New Agent: Hilary Swank
Movie You Wanted To Love But Just Couldn’t: Margot At The Wedding
Best Seduction: (tie) Atonement - Keira Knightly and James McAvoy and The Namesake - Tabu and Irfan Khan
Most Egregious Age Difference Between Leading Man and Love Interest: Beowulf - Robin Penn Wright and Anthony Hopkins
Bravest Performance Award: Julie Christie - Away From Her
Best Leap from Actress to Director Award: Sarah Polley
Cultural Crossover Award: Persepolis
The Satellite Awards
FILM
ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA- Marion Cotillard, "La Vie En Rose" (Picturehouse Entertainment)
ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL- Ellen Page, "Juno" (Fox Searchlight)
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE- Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone" (Miramax Films)
MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL- "Juno"(Fox Searchlight)
SCREENPLAY, ORIGINAL- Diablo Cody, "Juno" (Fox Searchlight)
ORIGINAL SONG- "Grace Is Gone" Clint Eastwood & Carole Bayer Sager, "Grace Is Gone" (The Weinstein Company)
SOUND (EDITING & MIXING)- Karen Baker Landers, Kirk Francis, Per Hallberg, "The Bourne Ultimatum" (Universal Pictures)
COSTUME DESIGN- Alexandra Byrne, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (Universal Pictures)
MARY PICKFORD AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY- Kathy Bates
TELEVISION
TELEVISION MINISERIES- "The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" (BBC/Kudos Productions)
ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION- Samantha Morton, "Longford" (HBO/Channel 4)
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION- Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
ACTRESS IN A SERIES, DRAMA- Ellen Pompeo, "Grey’s Anatomy" (ABC)
ACTRESS IN A SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL- America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association
ACTRESS
Julie Christie, "Away from Her"
Runners-up:
Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose"
Ellen Page, "Juno"
Laura Linney, "The Savages"
Angelina Jolie, "A Mighty Heart"
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton"
Runners-up:
Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone"
Cate Blanchett, "I’M Not There"
Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement"
Jennifer Jason Leigh, "Margot at the Wedding"
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Runners-up
"La Vie En Rose"
"4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days"
"Black Book"
