#Cannes2025 Wishlist: The Europeans

As in many film lists there are always too-many European films and Cannes perhaps is one of the festivals where European films predominate above films from any other regions. As a France based festival during many years has been a showcase for French films and when it hasn't have enough French films there was pressure from festival sponsors (the government and private companies related or not to cinema) that you can see and feel depicted in French media. It was this kind of pressure that "forced" organizers to exclude Netflix first and now any other streaming film producing companies from participating in the festival competition and the reason why nowadays good quality films produced by streamers go to Venice.

Nevertheless, there are rumors about established directors with their latest films and some newcomers, after Berlinale market, already have high fuzz and buzz consequently generating big expectations. Without further ado, let's start with the chosen selection (my wishlist) to go in-depth.

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#Cannes2025 Wishlist: The Nordics

By now, the end of March, there are too many rumors about films that could be in this year edition of the most famous film festival in the world with quite a few adventuring to predict film by sections. My summary for all the buzz and fuzz is that not-so-soon-enough there will be a full cournocopia of great films for enjoyment of those that truly like good cinema as seems there are films by outstanding established directors as well from those who debut with a lot of noise and expectations.

As promised will do a more in-depth list with directors and their films I find interesting and hope will fulfill its promise when finally I'm able to watch them. This time will go into regions and will start with a region that is producing the most fascinating, engaging and visually astounding long-form films, otherwise called TV series (lol), the Nordics.

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#Cannes2025 Buzz

April 1st Update: Yesterday my favorite Cannes Insider started to publish annual 100 films for Cannes and this list will be updated with those films that call my attention. If you wish to read the annual Wask 100 film list go to the official site here and Enjoy the magnificent work.

It's interesting to find in below list 3 well-know actors with their directing debut feature film and more interesting when industry pundits include them in their own list of Cannes 2025 films. There is high buzz for Kristen Stewart debut as well as Scarlet Johansson debut and now Harris Dickinson has also his debut and with enough buzz to be considered for Cannes, if his film is ready.

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March 11th Update: There are many new films and we haven't reach the middle of March, so expect more during March's second quarter. Yes, I will be constantly updating below list, so check often to find new films.

Among the new ones, there is one that called my attention Mother by Teona Strugar Mitevska with none other than Noomi Rapace playing Mother Teresa! I have to see it. Perhaps you will rebember the director's 2019 God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya and then there is no surprise she dares to tell Mother's Teresa story.

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50th César Award Winners

Last night the Academy had their awards ceremony and Emilia Pérez was the big winner by winning 7 awards out of 12 nominations; following far away are Souleymane's Story with 4 wins and The Count of Monte Cristo with 2 awards.

Of course I'm extremely pleased with top winner as is a film by one of my most respected filmmakers, Jacques Audiard, who has done films like the world cinema outstanding The Prophet and yes, I believe Emilia Pérez is as good as The Prophet and do recognize that Emilia Pérez could change the way films are made as film outdoor scenes are successfully done in Paris, France -not in Mexico- and you can successfully mix different genres -including musical- when director is a true master filmmaker.

I'm very disappointed with American (the continent that includes USA) reactions to film and the posterior social media scandal that became one actress carnage that spilled furiously into the movie and end up punishing the film. When first saw the movie noticed spoken language in film was not Mexican (please notice I do not call the language the generic Spanish name) at all and I thought that was done on purpose to show the people-that-speak-Spanish melting pot as there is a Spaniard, a Dominican, and a Venezuelan speaking mainly with their own accents and an American speaking like most "gringos" speak Spanish. So when scandal exploded, and started with language, could not understand all the fuzz.

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75th Berlin International Film Festival Award Winners

Last Update as post has become final. Have to admit that awards ceremony was quite different from other festivals as was fast and efficient like if organizers knew all the interest was on finding which film won an award. Very German like efficinecy which is surprising as new festival director is not German. Still, I do miss the good old times when show was funny and entertaining, the times of Dieter Kosslick and Anke Engelke, those two had great chemistry and a very darkish superb sense of humor. Sigh.

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39th Teddy Awards

Update February 22, 2025 - Last night the group had their award ceremony and winners are in BLUE.  A Special Teddy Award was given to Todd Haynes. To check winners at official site go here.

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February 6, 2025
Update: Today, February 6th, finished trying to organize which films were selected to compete in the Teddy Awards and those films that are Out of Competition.

It was not an easy task as there is no list but a database that generates different lists of films by different markers, except there is no mark for In or Out of Competition. The only way to identify if film is in competition is a little bear logo. Sigh. So let's hope the list shows the Selection well.

In the Out of Competition left out some films that will be shown but were not produced recently.

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January 27,2025
The Berlinale 2025 program has not been published in full, will happen in February 4th, but Teddy Awards organizers already announced what probably will be the first selection of films competing for Teddy 2025.

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97th Academy Award Nominations and Winners

Last night was #Oscars2025 awards ceremony and to be honest, haven't seen it yet, probably will do it later but of course checked at official site here the winners.

Won't deny that I'm highly disappointed as the best film of 2024 became the big loser of the night as with the record 13 nominations only got 2 wins and joins the big Oscars losers from before, like The Color Purple and The Power of the Dog among others.

I'm glad the American award season is over as for me was one of the most unbelievable frustrating season as when press and social media got out of control there was no one, and I say again, no one from the industry to control the avalanche of mud that was poured into that movie, the movie that Mexican press with favorable comments just call EP and I imagine is called by its initials because journalists do not want social media retaliation.

Believe Anora is an entertaining movie with good performances, an attention grabbing story and some say it's the best from Sean Baker. Me, I think he has better movies and like to believe he was honored more for his body of work than for this movie; but well, must be that I'm not being objective. So, Sean Baker became the second in 97 years to win 4 Oscars in a single year, the other is Walt Disney; but, he is the first to win 4 Oscars for the same movie, great milestone that will be recorded for posterity.

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37th Annual Scripter Awards

Winners Update: Last night the Scripter Awards winners were announced and novelist Robert Harris and screenwriter Petr Straughan won the award for Conclave.

In accepting the award, Straughan said “Adaptation is a really strange process, you’re very much the servant of two masters. In a way it’s an act of betrayal of one master for the other.” He joked that “You start off with a book that you love, you read it again and again, and then you end up throwing it over your shoulder,” crediting author Robert Harris for being “so kind, so generous, so open throughout.”

Special guest for the evening, actress and producer Jennifer Beals, shared her thoughts on the impact of libraries. “If ever you are at a loss wondering if there is good in the world,” she said, “you have only to go to a library. There you will find shelf upon shelf of books where authors have poured their knowledge, their stories, their creativity on page after page...if a library is not the very best of what society has to offer, I don't know what is.”

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39th American Society of Cinematographers Awards

Winners Update: Yesterday, February 23, the society announced their award winners and there is a big unexpected win for Maria by Pablo Larrain with their cinematographer Edward Lachman winning top award; but, yes, film has outstanding cinematography and believe is a well-deserved recognition.

Winners are in *BLUE. To check winners in all categories go official site here.

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January 17, 2025
Yesterday, January 16, ASC announced the nominees for its 2025 Outstanding Achievement Awards, spanning feature films, documentaries, television and music videos.

Andrzej Bartkowiak will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Michael Goi will be recognized with the Career Achievement in Television Award. John Simmons will be awarded the President's Award, and Joan Churchill will be celebrated with the Lifetime Documentary Award. Pete Romano will be honored with the Curtis Clark Technology Award.

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2025 Writers Guild Awards

Last night the guild had their annual awards ceremony and Anora beat favorite A Real Pain in original screenplay category and Nickel Boys won in adapted screenplay. Winners are below in BLUE.

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January 16, 2025
Yesterday, January 15, 2025 the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing during 2024 for film, television, streaming, news (broadcasst and digital), radio/audio, and promotional categories.

As always have to recall guild rules require writers to be a guild member or under a WGA collective bargaining agreement as otherwise script becomes ineligible; that's the reason why this year screenplays for Oscar contenders Conclave, Sing Sing, The Brutalist and The Substance were left out and the open spots were filled by Challengers, Civil Ward and real surprise My Old Ass.

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2025 BAFTA Awards

Yesterday, February 16, BAFTA had their award ceremony and Conclave got top award but also got the most awards along The Brutalist with 4 each.

The public voted Rising Star Award goes to David Jonsson, current edition Fellowship go to Warwick Davis and Outstanding Contribution To Cinema award to MediCinema.

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January 16, 2025
A few minutes ago actors Mia McKenna-Bruce and Will Sharpe announced the nominations via a live broadcast from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts 195 Piccadilly in London announced the nominations for the 2025 edition of the Film Awards that celebrate the very best in film over the past year.

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23rd Annual Visual Effects Society Awards

On February 11th the society had their awards ceremony and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes receives the top photoreal feature award while Dune: Part Two garners the most photoreal feature wins with four awards and The Wild Robot is named the top animated film.

Winners are in BLUE. To check winners in all categories go official site here.

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January 15, 2025
Yesterday, January 14, the Visual Effects Society (VES) announced the nominations for the 2025 edition of the awards that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in features, animation, television, commercials, games and new media, and the VFX Supervisors, VFX Producers and hands-on Artists who bring this work to life.

Nominees in 25 categories were selected by VES members at 49 in-person and virtual nomination panels conducted around the world over a 30-hour continuous process. The distinctive and thoughtful VES Awards nominations protocol included a review of each awards submission including “Befores and Afters” by a minimum of three different judging panels. Participating VES members on the panels represented 307 cities in 24 countries, highlighting the full breadth of the Society’s diverse global membership.

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75th Berlin International Film Festival LIne Up

February 5, 2025 Last Update, Post becomes final. A few changes, a few corrections and now everything should be as it has to be for each of the festival sections listed in the post.

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Note: This post will be In Progress until festival full program becomes available at official site, which seems is scheduled to February 4, 2025.

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Update: On January 27th new films films were announced for Panorama, Forum and Generation, one for each.  Each section program is complete,

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Update: On January 21st the program was announced via a Press Conference and seems all movies have been announced for all festival sections.  All sections were updated in this post.   Final updated will be after February 4th.

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29th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards

Yesterday, February 15 the guild had their annual awards ceremony and Wicked, Conclave and The Wild Robot won highest accolades in the film categories. Winners are below in BLUE.

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January 10, 2025
Yesterday, January 9, the Art Directors Guild announced the nominations for the 29th edition of their annual awards that excellence in production design across theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials, music videos, and animated feature films.

Established in 1937, the Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) represents 3,300 members who work throughout the world in film, television and theater as: Production Designers and Art Directors; Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists; Set Designers and Model Makers; Illustrators and Matte Artists.

The 2025 Cinematic Imagery Award will be presented to Jason Reitman.  In addition, the ADG will honor Lisa Frazza, Barbara Mesney, Dan Sweetman, and J. Dennis Washington with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Legendary production designer Carl Jules Weyl will be inducted into the ADG Hall of Fame as part of the ceremony.

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31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Winners Update: Last night, February 23, the guild had their awards ceremony and the best part of the TV shows were the clips collages as not often seen are clips with favorite films and favorite TV shows together flowing seamlessly; also, these clips show the many film actors that have done and are doing what long ago was called TV shows and now is called streaming shows, bingeable shows (my very fav long-movies) and/or online shows. That's how the industry has changed and will continue to change in the future. Great!

As a matter of fact the SAG show is broadcasted live to the world via Netflix which honestly is a lot better (even if they had serious sound troubles) than using less prepared services like Vimeo, Youtube or their own video platform. I just hope film festivals and awards shows learn the advantages of going global and not only local and nowadays is not only Netflix that can do it as there are other platforms that already did it for the Olympic Games or have many live broadcast channels.

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