The International Cinematographers Guild Publicists (ICG, IATSE Local 600) will debut its new award The Henri Bollinger Award at the 56th annual International Cinematographers Guild’s Publicists Awards Luncheon on February 22 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, it was announced by Tim Menke, chair of the ICG Publicists Awards. This award, named after the renowned award-winning entertainment industry publicist Henri Bollinger, will be presented to Bollinger posthumously as the first recipient. His wife Sandy will accept on his behalf.
“We established this award to celebrate the life and memory of a true giant of the entertainment publicity world,” said Tim Menke, who has succeeded Bollinger as chair of the ICG Publicists Awards. “Henri has set the bar for professionalism, creativity and integrity, and has made service to the larger community a part of his second nature. His dedication to the guild and IATSE was inspirational to so many people inside and outside the union. His committed leadership shaped the ICG Publicists community and helped develop future leaders and publicists nationwide. We are proud to establish this award in Henri’s name and honor.”
The ICG Publicists Awards celebrate excellence in publicity and promotion for motion pictures and television programs. The new Henri Bollinger Award will be bestowed on occasion in future years to recognize a person who epitomizes the definition of special merit in the field of entertainment. More than 900 industry leaders are expected to attend this year’s luncheon, which traditionally occurs the week leading up to the Academy Awards®.
Bollinger served for over 55 years on the Publicists Awards Committee and chaired the annual awards for over 37 years. He was a publicist for 60 years and received the Les Mason Award, the highest award bestowed upon a publicist by his peers, and the Bob Yeager Award for community service. He was president and founding member of the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS); served on the Foreign Film Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences; chaired the Communications Committee of the Hollywood Entertainment Museum; served on the Public Relations Committee of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; chairman of the Publications and Publicity Committee of the International Cinematographers Guild and a member of its National Executive Board; and president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Cancer Society.
Director and actor Dennis Dugan will host this year’s awards. Dugan is one of the industry’s top feature film comedy directors, earning his reputation with hits including Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy, Grown Ups 1 & 2, Parenthood and Just Go with It. His films have grossed nearly $2 billion worldwide. He began his career as an actor in the New York theater scene before starring in his own NBC series Richie Brockelman, Private Eye, and has appeared in numerous other TV roles.
As previously announced, the ICG Publicists Awards Luncheon will also honor filmmaker Jon M. Chu, known for his visually stunning blockbuster films including Crazy Rich Asians, with the Motion Picture Showman of the Year Award. Greg Berlanti, Emmy®-nominated writer, director and producer, will be named Television Showman of the Year. Legendary actress and author Jamie Lee Curtis will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award celebrating her prolific acting career spanning four decades. The ICG Publicists Directory will be dedicated to Paul Bloch, co-chairman of Rogers & Cowan, who died last year. Awards chair this year is Menke with Sheryl Main serving as co-chair.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More