The Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) will honor supervising sound editor Dennis Drummond with its 2021 MPSE Career Achievement Award. Drummond’s long list of credits includes The Intern, The Help, It’s Complicated and The Pursuit of Happyness. He has developed close relationships with several top directors including Nancy Meyers, James L. Brooks and Penny Marshall. He will receive the Career Achievement Award at the 68th Annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards, which will be held as an international virtual ceremony on April 16.
“Dennis Drummond is a gifted and innovative sound editor, who has earned the universal respect of his peers,” said MPSE president Mark Lanza. “His inspired touch is evident across a host of great movies. He has also been a mentor and role model to countless aspiring sound artists. We are proud to recognize his contributions to our profession with our Career Achievement Award.”
Drummond began his career as a teenager in Toronto, encouraged by his brother Patrick, who is also a supervising sound editor. They worked on many projects together, eventually relocating to Hollywood. Dennis Drummond rose quickly in his profession, ascending to supervising sound editor in less than 10 years. Among his first credits as a supervisor was Dick Tracy, for which he earned a BAFTA Award nomination in 1991. Other notable projects include A League of Their Own, The Preacher’s Wife, Wonder Boys, The Parent Trap and As Good as It Gets. He was nominated for a 2012 Golden Reel Award for The Help. He won a Genie Award (Canada) in 1980 for his work on The Changling.
The MPSE Career Achievement Award recognizes sound artists who have distinguished themselves by meritorious works as both an individual and fellow contributor to the art of sound for feature film, television and gaming and for setting an example of excellence for others to follow. Drummond joins a distinguished list of sound innovators, including 2020 Career Achievement recipient Cece Hall, Stephen H. Flick, John Paul Fasal, Harry Cohen, Richard King, Skip Lievsay, Randy Thom, Larry Singer, Walter Murch and George Watters II.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More