Director Fredrik Bond has come to in a sense reflect the globalization of the business on a couple of fronts over the past week-plus. For one, Supernoodles "Face Off," which he directed through London-based Harry Nash for agency Mother, London, was one of the honorees in the AICP Show’s Advertising Excellence/ International category. This category represents the first time that the AICP has opened its spot honors showcase to entries produced for markets outside the U.S. (see story, p. 1). Meanwhile in the U.K., Bond’s announced move from Harry Nash—the company that helped establish him as a commercialmaker—to bicoastal Morton Jankel Zander’s recently formed London office, has generated controversy, the catalyst being an alleged mega bonus paid by MJZ to help secure him from Harry Nash. Several members of the U.K. production community have expressed concern that the signing smacks of the bidding frenzy mentality for directors that has proven detrimental to the U.S. market. They do not want to see the same dynamic gain momentum in the U.K…..Marc Klasfeld has left bicoastal/international hungry man and will be directing commercials via Rockhard Films, New York, his current music video roost….After a hiatus from the business, director Gary Johns—a co-founder of Johns+Gorman Films and then JGF, Hollywood—is returning to commercialmaking. He will be available via bicoastal Coppos Films. Johns is also represented in Canada by Imported Artists Film Company, Toronto….Matthew Marquis, former executive producer at Slo.Graffiti, Los Angeles, has teamed with creative director/designer Jake Banks to form Venice, Calif.-based design house Stardust. The new venture is already involved in work for Burger King via agency Amoeba, Santa Monica…. Director Paul Andresen has joined Z group films, Chicago, and Venice, Calif., for exclusive representation….Three post vets—Hope Schenk, Rick Greenwald and Newt Bellis—have teamed to launch Post Solutions, a Toluca Lake, Calif.-based video postproduction facility. Schenk is president of the new venture, with Bellis serving as CEO and Greenwald as editor/engineer….Nicolas G. Hayek, co-founder/chairman/CEO of the Swatch Group, will be named Advertiser of the Year at the 49th International Advertising Festival this month in Cannes….This year’s ADDY Best of Show Broadcast honor goes to BBDO New York for its "Cheerleader" commercial directed by Marcos Siega of bicoastal/international hungry man for Frito Lay’s Doritos Extremes….
London Critics Name “The Brutalist” The Film of the Year
The Brutalist, Brady Corbet’s immigrant saga, won the Film of the Year prize at the 45th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards.
While The Brutalist garnered just one award, it was the marquee honor. Meanwhile Nickel Boys, Conclave and A Real Pain all receivd multiple awards, and Zoe Saldaña was honored twice.
Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller Conclave took two awards for British/Irish Film of the Year and Actor of the Year for Ralph Fiennes, while RaMell Ross’s radical Colson Whitehead adaptation Nickel Boys was recognized with Director of the Year and the Technical Achievement Award for Jomo Fray’s first-person cinematography. Jesse Eisenberg’s dark comedy A Real Pain was the night’s other multiple prizewinner, landing Screenwriter of the Year for the actor-filmmaker, and Supporting Actor of the Year for co-star Kieran Culkin.
Payal Kapadia’s Mumbai-set drama All We Imagine as Light was named Foreign Language Film of the Year, while the Palestinian-Israeli collective behind No Other Land took Documentary of the Year.
Alongside Conclave, British productions awarded by the Circle in the top categories included Mike Leigh’s intimate character study Hard Truths, which took Actress of the Year for Marianne Jean-Baptiste, while Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl was named Animated Feature of the Year. In the British/Irish-specific categories, Saoirse Ronan won British/Irish Performer of the Year for her performances in The Outrun and Blitz, 14-year-old Nykiya Adams won Young British/Irish Performer of the Year for her screen debut in Andrea Arnold’s Bird, and Rich Peppiatt won the... Read More