It was a big week for awards-related news as HBO Max finally struck a deal with Roku, Emmy-winner The Mandalorian had a big season finale, and more critics’ groups announced their favorites of 2020.
Academy News
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Exterior Rendering ©Renzo Piano Building Workshop/©Academy Museum Foundation/ Image from L’Autre Image
AMPAS announced today that the long-awaited Academy Museum will open on September 30, 2021. The museum, which has been in the works for years, was set to open this month, but shifted to next April when it became clear the pandemic would not be over by the fall.
In a statement about the shifting date, Academy Museum Director and President Bill Kramer said:
We are putting the final touches on our stunning exhibitions and public spaces, and while we were ready and eager to welcome visitors in the spring, with the current surge of COVID-19, it would be irresponsible to maintain an April opening. We know a new day is coming for us all, and when it does, the Academy Museum will be ready to offer our visitors the remarkable experience we have all been wanting.
Precursor Updates
Gotham Awards
Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 has been selected for the IFP Gotham Awards’ inaugural cast ensemble tribute. This is the 30th year of the Gotham Awards, and the first time a cast ensemble will be honored. The tribute will be presented during the live awards presentation on January 11, 2021.
NYFCC
The New York Film Critics Circle, one of the oldest and most respected critics’ groups, has announced their top choices for 2020. Long considered an important stop on the path to Oscar glory, this year’s NYFCC honorees could help provide a much needed boost for some very special films. On the other hand, with two months of awards eligibility left and Academy Award nominations not due until March, it’s hard to say whether this attention will have staying power.
Here is the full list of winners from NYFCC:
- Best Film: First Cow (A24)
- Best Director: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)
- Best Screenplay: Eliza Hittman for Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus Features)
- Best Actress: Sidney Flanigan, Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus Features)
- Best Actor: Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
- Best Supporting Actress: Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)
- Best Supporting Actor: Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
- Best Animated Film: Wolfwalkers (Apple TV Plus/GKIDS)
- Best Cinematography: Small Axe – All films (Prime Video)
- Best First Film: Radha Blank, The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)
- Best Foreign Language Film: Bacurau
- Best Non-Fiction Film: Time (Amazon Studios)
- Special Award: Kino Lorber, for their creation of Kino Marquee
- Special Award: Spike Lee for his short film, New York New York
Movie Releases
Here are the films releasing this week:
12/18
- Fatale
- Greenland (VOD)
- Monster Hunter
- Breach (VOD)
- Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
- Max Cloud (VOD)
- Skylines (VOD)
12/23
- The Midnight Sky (Netflix)
12/25
- News of the World
- Pinocchio
- Soul (Disney+)
- Wonder Woman 1984 (Theaters and HBO Max)
- One Night in Miami (Limited)
- Promising Young Woman (Limited)
- Sylvie’s Love (Amazon)
- We Can Be Heroes (Netflix)
