News

Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s ‘Conclave’ (Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024)

Conclave and The Brutalist tied with four wins at the 2025 Ee BAFTA Film Awards, announced on January 16th during a ceremony hosted by David Tennant. Anora, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, A Real Pain, Wicked, and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Foul each picked up two awards, and David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) was the recipient of this year’s Ee Rising Star Award.

Adrien Brody, Mikey Madison, Zoe Saldaña, and Kieran Culkin took home their first BAFTA Film Awards wins. Warwick Davis was honored with the BAFTA Fellowship in recognition of “his work as an actor and for using his platform to challenge societal prejudice and champion self-empowerment, advocating that people with dwarfism can and do lead full and meaningful lives.”

BAFTA Awards 2025 Nominees and Winners

Best Film

Anora

The Brutalist

A Complete...

The Casting Society (CSA) announced its 40th Annual Artios Awards winners in feature film, television (scripted and unscripted), short films, commercials, and theater on Wednesday, honoring Oscar top contenders and Best Picture nominees Wicked, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, and Emilia Pérez along with animated feature frontrunner The Wild Robot. My Old Ass and Janet Planet were also winners in the feature categories.

In addition to the film victors, television winners included Hacks, Shōgun, Slow Horses, Palm Royale, Baby Reindeer, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Queer Eye, while the theater recipients spotlighted The Outsiders, Oh, Mary!, Stereophonic, and Here We Are.

The Artios honors were held in three-pronged ceremonies in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton (hosted by Janelle James), New York (hosted by Jordan Carlos) at the Edison Ballroom, and in London (hosted by Susan Wokoma) at the White City House. Special awards also were handed out on Wednesday. At the Los Angeles ceremony,...

“Wicked,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Emilia Pérez” and “Conclave” were among the winners Wednesday at the 40th Annual Artios Awards, which celebrates excellence in casting in feature film, scripted and unscripted television, commercials and theater. The Casting Society held ceremonies in Los Angeles, New York and London.

Four Best Picture Oscar contenders won their categories at the Artios: “Wicked” (Big Budget Feature Comedy), “A Complete Unknown” (Big Budget Feature Drama), “Conclave” (Studio or Independent Feature Drama) and “Emilia Pérez”. Best Animated Feature Oscar frontrunner “The Wild Robot” picked up another trophy for its haul, while two smaller films, “My Old Ass” and “Janet Planet,” were recognized as well.

On the TV side, a slew of familiar titles emerged victorious: “Shōgun” (Television Pilot and First Season: Drama), “Baby Reindeer” (Limited Series), “Hacks” (Television Series: Comedy) and “Slow Horses” (Television Series: Drama).

Five-time Tony-winning play “Stereophonic” won for Broadway comedy or drama, while...

“Wicked,” “Conclave” and “A Complete Unknown” were among the film winners at the 40th annual Casting Society Artios Awards.

The ceremony honors top casting in the year’s films, TV and theater. The celebrations were in person for the first time in three years, taking place in Los Angeles and New York City. Hosts Janelle James, Jordan and Susan Wokoma divided up emcee duties.

Multiple winners included Nina Gold who took home three awards for her work on “Baby Reindeer,” “Conclave” and “Slow Horses.” Bernard Telsey also nabbed three wins for “Wicked,” “Here We Are” and “The Idea of You.”

The Casting Society honored John Papsidera with the Hoyt Bowers Award, Daniel Swee with the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award and Juliette Ménager with the Capelier-Shaw Award for excellence in casting. Zora DeHorter is the recipient of the Rosalie Joseph Humanitarian Award, which was presented posthumously.

As previously announced,...

Conclave Leads Nominations (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Hollywood’s award season has already warmed up the new year; the Golden Globes successfully separated favorites from potential surprises, and nominations for SAG and Critics Choice Awards have already been unveiled. Now, the British Academy Film Awards have followed suit.

While Hollywood is fighting the cataclysmic California wildfires, postponing forthcoming ceremonies and extending Academy Awards submission dates, fortunately, all the way across the Atlantic Ocean, the British Isles face no such threat. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced nominees across 26 categories, recognizing outstanding contributions to cinema.

Doctor Who actor David Tennant, last year’s host, will return to lead the ceremony. This year marks one of the most competitive lineups, with no clear frontrunners and several close races. Conclave leads with 12 nominations, followed closely by Emilia Pérez with 11. Anora director Sean Baker achieved a historic six individual nods,...

Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s ‘Conclave’ (Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024)

Conclave emerged the favorite among the 2025 Ee BAFTA Film Awards voters, scoring 12 nominations including Best Film, Director, Leading Actor, and Supporting Actress. Emilia Pérez was close behind with 11 nominations, followed by The Brutalist with nine and Anora, Dune: Part Two, and Wicked with seven.

Overall, 42 films earned BAFTA Film Awards nominations, and 14 of the 24 performance nominees are BAFTA Awards first-timers.

Winners will be announced on February 16th.

“From a total of 235 films entered, we are delighted to announce 42 extraordinary and creatively ambitious films that have been nominated. The skills on display from creative and technical practitioners across the board are phenomenal. I look forward to celebrating the many talented people in front of and behind the camera at the Ee BAFTA Film Awards 2025 ceremony on 16 February,” stated Sara Putt, Chair of BAFTA.

BAFTA...

Bafta has announced the nominations for the Ee British Academy Film Awards in 2025, celebrating the very best in film of the past year. Bafta winner Will Sharpe and former Ee Rising Star winner Mia McKenna-Bruce hosted the announcement via global livestream from the arts charity’s headquarters at 195 Piccadilly, London. The Ee Bafta Film Awards, hosted by David Tennant, will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer from London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 16 February. In addition, the Ee Bafta Film Awards will be available across BritBox in North America, the Nordics and Australia, as well as a host of further international broadcasters to be announced. Viewers at home will also have front row seats to the red-carpet arrivals, which will be streamed live on Bafta’s YouTube, featuring interviews with nominees and other special guests. Voting for the Ee Rising Star Award is now open at ee.co.

The Casting Society announced its annual Artios Awards nominations on Tuesday, with top Oscar contenders like Wicked, Emilia Pérez, and Conclave among the films highlighted by the Hollywood guild.

In addition to the nominees (the full list is below), the Casting Society announced that Emmy Award nominee Janelle James will host the Artios Awards ceremony next year in Los Angeles, while Baby Reindeer Emmy Award winner Jessica Gunning will handle emcee duties for the ceremony in London. Comedian Jordan Carlos was chosen as the New York ceremony host.

The three ceremonies will take place on Feb. 12.

“As we commemorate the 40th Annual Artios Awards, we are delighted to announce Janelle, Jessica and Jordan as the hosts for our global ceremonies. Their remarkable wit, talent, and dynamic presence perfectly complement what promises to be an extraordinary series of evenings celebrating our community. Additionally, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the...

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Conclave,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Wicked,” “Gladiator II,” “Dune: Part II,” “The Wild Robot” and “Inside Out 2” were among the film nominees for the 40th Artios Awards, which the Casting Society announced Tuesday morning.

The winners will be announced at three different ceremonies that takes place on Feb. 12, 2025. “Abbott Elementary” star Janelle James will host the Los Angeles awards at the Beverly Hilton; “Baby Reindeer” Emmy winner Jessica Gunning will host the London gala at White City House; and comedian Jordan Carlos will host in New York at the Edison Ballroom.

The Artios awards recognize achievement in casting in film, television (scripted and unscripted), commercials and theater.

“As we commemorate the 40th Annual Artios Awards, we are delighted to announce Janelle, Jessica, and Jordan as the hosts for our global ceremonies,” Casting Society president Destiny Lilly said in a statement. “Their remarkable wit, talent, and dynamic presence perfectly complement...

The Casting Society has announced the film nominees for the 40th Artios Awards. “A Complete Unknown,” “Blitz,” “Civil War,” “Dune: Part 2,” “Gladiator 2” and “Queer” are among the nominated films in big budget drama.

In big budget comedy, the nominated films are “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Challengers,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Nightbitch,” “Saturday Night” and “Wicked.”

The awards honor casting directors’ contributions to film, television and theatre. Among the casting directors with multiple nominations are Francine Maisler, Nina Gold, Carmen Cuba and Jessica Kelly.

“As we commemorate the 40th Annual Artios Awards, we are delighted to announce Janelle, Jessica, and Jordan as the hosts for our global ceremonies. Their remarkable wit, talent, and dynamic presence perfectly complement what promises to be an extraordinary series of evenings celebrating our community. Additionally, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the exceptional film nominees whose outstanding contributions continue to advance the art of storytelling,” stated Destiny Lilly,...

Casting for Deadpool & Wolverine, Saturday Night and Wicked are among the film nominees for the 40th annual Artios Awards set for February 12. See the full list below.

Janelle James (Abbott Elementary) will host the ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, while Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer) will take the emcee duties at the White City House in London. Comedian Jordan Carlos will host of the New York ceremony at the Edison Ballroom.

The annual awards celebration honors the contributions of casting professionals in film, television (scripted and unscripted), commercials and theater. The TV nominees were announced early last month.

“As we commemorate the 40th annual Artios Awards, we are delighted to announce Janelle, Jessica and Jordan as the hosts for our global ceremonies,” Casting Society President Destiny Lilly said. “Their remarkable wit, talent and dynamic presence perfectly complement what promises to be an extraordinary series of evenings celebrating our community.

1091 Pictures has acquired the global rights to “Vandal,” Jose Daniel Freixas’ feature directorial debut, which premieres digitally and on demand on 11/16.

The film follows Nick “Damage” Cruz (Daniel Zovatto), the young leader of an infamous graffiti crew in Miami, as he experiences love, loss and the consequences of his actions while coming of age and struggling to justify his obsession with illegal street art.

Zovatto’s credits include the 2016 horror-thriller “Don’t Breathe,” Showtime horror series “Penny Dreadful” and the upcoming “Station Eleven” adaptation for HBO Max. Otmara Marrero, Beau Knapp (“Southpaw”), Juan Pablo Raba (“Narcos”), Richard Schiff (“The Good Doctor”) and Frankie J. Alvarez (“Looking”) also star.

“Graffiti has been a part of my life since I was 10 years old,” Freixas said. “I grew up through graffiti with so many highs and so many lows along the way. As a filmmaker it has been one of my earliest dreams...

Matthew Greenfield, David Greenbaum both promoted to president. Expanded role for Searchlight Pictures International head Rebecca Kearey.

In a surprise announcement in the run-up to Sunday’s Oscars where Searchlight Pictures is in contention with awards heavyweight Nomadland, chairmen Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula are to retire from the specialty division after more than two decades.

Longtime Searchlight production heads Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum have both been promoted to president, Searchlight, and will jointly run the company. They report to Disney Studios content chairman Alan Bergman and Disney Studios content chief creative officer Alan Horn.

The shake-up brings an...

Matthew Greenfield, David Greenbaum both promoted to president. Expanded role for Searchlight Pictures International head Rebecca Kearey.

In a surprise announcement, Searchlight Pictures chairmen Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula are to retire from the specialty division after more than two decades.

Longtime Searchlight production heads Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum have both been promoted to president, Searchlight, and will jointly run the company. They report to Disney Studios content chairman Alan Bergman and Disney Studios content chief creative officer Alan Horn.

The shake-up brings an expanded role for respected president of Searchlight Pictures International Rebecca Kearey, who now adds business...

A seismic shift here in the independent film sphere in the walk-up to Oscar Sunday: Longtime Searchlight Pictures Chairmen Nancy Utley (65) and Steve Gilula (70) have announced their retirement after a two decades-plus run with the classic label which Disney purchased from Fox.

Searchlight veterans Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum, the studio’s longtime heads of production, have both been promoted to President, Searchlight, and will jointly run the company. Greenbaum and Greenfield will report to Disney Studios Content Chairman Alan Bergman and Disney Studios Content Chief Creative Officer Alan Horn.

The news comes just before Oscar Sunday when Searchlight’s Nomadland starring Frances McDormand is expected to notch the Best Picture and Best Director win for filmmaker Chloe Zhao. Should Zhao win Best Director, she’ll be the second woman to do so at the Oscars and the first person of color. To date, Nomadland has won the PGA, DGA,...

Indie film stalwarts Nancy Utley and Stephen Gilula are retiring as co-chairmen of Searchlight Pictures.

The longtime executives and producers behind the unit, formerly Fox Searchlight, will be replaced by executives David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield. Utley and Gilula each served more than two decades at the label, offering consistency and prestige cinema through ownership changes and market transformation. The news comes as Searchlight’s “Nomadland” is heavily tipped to win Best Picture at this Sunday’s Oscars.

Greenbaum and Greenfield, equally long-serving heads of production, have been elevated to co-presidents and will report to Disney Studios Content chairman Alan Bergman and chief creative officer Alan Horn. The Walt Disney Company purchased Searchlight as part of its 2019 deal for the Murdoch family’s entertainment assets.

“Thanks to the stewardship and pitch-perfect creative instincts of Steve Gilula and Nancy Utley, Searchlight has cemented itself as one of the finest film studios in history,...

This year, the motion picture academy achieved its five-year goal of doubling the number of women among its membership. In all, 819 film professionals were invited to become part of the organization that hands out the Oscars. Compare this intake to the totals of the previous five years: 842 in 2019; a record 928 in 2018; 774 in 2017; 683 in 2016; 322 in 2015; and 271 in 2014.

While Academy Awards nominees are automatically eligible for consideration, the rest of the candidates must go through a fairly cumbersome process. A candidate must meet certain branch specific requirements before even being eligible.

For example, actors must “have a minimum of three theatrical feature film credits, in all of which the roles played were scripted roles, one of which was released in the past five years, and all of which are of a caliber that reflect the high standards of the Academy.” For writers, directors and producers they need have just two of these credits.

The casting branch of the academy is only five years old and doesn’t have an Oscar category of its own. However, the Casting Society of America has been handing out the Artios Awards for 34 years (“Artios” is from the ancient Greek meaning “perfectly fitted.”). This year’s awards took place on Thursday (Jan. 31) on both coasts. At the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, winners included three of the Oscar frontrunners for Best Picture: “BlacKkKlansman,” “Green Book” and “Vice.” (see full list of winners below).

In addition to the seven film categories listed below, the Atrios Awards honored Laura Dern with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement while Tina Fey and Jeff Raymond received the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award and casting directors Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer were feted with the Hoyt Bowers Award.

Last year’s big budget winners were the war movie...

“A Star Is Born,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” “Vice,” “The Hate U Give,” and “Deadpool 2” are among the films nominated for the 34th annual Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America.

Simultaneous ceremonies will take place on both coasts on Thursday, Jan. 31, with the Los Angeles awards being held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Actress June Diane Raphael of Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie” and Paul Scheer of “Veep” and “Black Monday” will play host on the West Coast.

Industry veteran Laura Dern will receive the Lynn Stalmaster Award, and in New York, Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond will receive Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award. The Ulrich Dawson and Kritzer casting team will be honored with the Hoyt Bowers Award for outstanding casting, presented by Ryan Murphy of “Pose.” Casting directors Mike Fenton of “E.T.,” Joe Reich of “Knight Rider,” and Al Onorato of “Eye of the Tiger” will also be honored.

The casting branch of the academy is only five years old and doesn’t have an Oscar category of its own. However, the Casting Society of America has been handing out the Artios Awards for 33 years (“Artios” is from the ancient Greek meaning “perfectly fitted.”). Nominees for feature films were announced on Thursday and many of the leading Oscar contenders reaped bids. Winners will be revealed at joint ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 31.

In addition to the seven film categories listed below, the Atrios Awards will honor Laura Dern with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement while Tina Fey and Jeff Raymond will receive the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award and casting directors Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer will be feted with the Hoyt Bowers Award.

Last year’s big budget winners were the war movie “Dunkirk and the musical...

The Casting Society of America has released the feature film nominees and hosts for the 34th annual Artios Awards, being held Jan. 31 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The husband and wife team of June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer will host the event.

Scheer is the co-creator of Adult Swim’s comedy action parody series, Ntsf:ds:suv, which co-stars his wife. Together they co-host the popular film podcast, Why Did This Get Made?

This year’s honorees include actress Laura Dern (who will receive the Lynn Stalmaster award) and from the New York ceremony, Tina Fey and Jeff Raymond (who will receive the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award).

Casting directors Mike Fenton, Joe Reich and Al Onorato will receive the Hoyt Bowers Award for outstanding contribution to the casting profession.

Here are the film nominees for the 34th annual Artios Awards:

Feature Big Budget – Comedy

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Ellen Chenoweth, Jo Edna Boldin (Location Casting), Susanne Scheel (Associate), Marie A.K. McMaster (Location Associate)

Deadpool 2

Mary Vernieu, Marisol Roncali, Corinne Clark (Location Casting), Jennifer Page (Location Casting), Yumi Takada (Location Casting), Nina Henninger (Location Casting), Raylin Sabo (Associate)

Game Night

Rich Delia, Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting), Adam Richards (Associate)

Green Book

Rick Montgomery, Meagan Lewis (Location Casting), Thomas Sullivan (Associate)

Mary Poppins Returns

Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Conrad Woolfe (Associate), Sarah Trevis (UK Associate)

Feature Big Budget – Drama

A Star Is Born

Mary Vernieu, Lindsay Graham, Raylin Sabo (Associate)

Boy Erased

Carmen Cuba, Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting), Shelby Cherniet (Associate)

The Hate U Give

Yesi Ramirez, Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting)

Vice

Francine Maisler, Amber Wakefield (Additional Casting)

Widows

Francine Maisler, Jennifer Rudnicke (Location Casting), Mickie Paskal (Location Casting), Amber Wakefield (Associate)

Feature Studio Or Independent – Comedy

Book Club

Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee, Avy Kaufman, Roya Semnanian (Associate), Joey Montenarello (Associate)

Crazy Rich Asians

Terri Taylor, Sarah Domeier (Associate)

Love, Simon

Denise Chamian, Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting)

Private Life

Jeanne McCarthy, Rori Bergman, Karlee Fomalont (Associate)

Sorry to Bother You

Eyde Belasco, Nina Henninger (Location Casting), Sarah Kliban (Location Associate)

Feature Studio Or Independent – Drama

Beautiful Boy

Francine Maisler, Amber Wakefield (Associate)

Ben Is Back

Bernard Telsey

BlacKkKlansman

Kim Taylor-Coleman

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Jennifer Euston, Sj Allocco (Associate)

If Beale Street Could Talk

Cindy Tolan, Anne Davison (Associate)

Feature Low Budget – Comedy or Drama

A Private War

Jina Jay

The Kindergarten Teacher

Stephanie Holbrook, Henry Russell Bergstein

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Jessica Daniels

Monsters and Men

Avy Kaufman, Scotty Anderson (Associate)

Unsane

Carmen Cuba

Feature Micro Budget – Comedy or Drama

Billy Boy

Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson, Carol Kritzer

Dead Women Walking

Rich Delia, Adam Richards (Associate)

Madeline’s Madeline

Stephanie Holbrook

Searching

Lindsey Weissmueller, Mayank Bhatter (Associate)

Unlovable

Meg Morman, Sunday Boling

Feature Animation

Incredibles 2

Kevin Reher, Natalie Lyon

Isle of Dogs

Douglas Aibel

Ralph Breaks the Internet

Jamie Sparer Roberts, Sarah Raoufpur (Associate)

Smallfoot

Ruth Lambert

The Zeitgeist Award

A Quiet Place

Jodi Angstreich, Maribeth Fox, Laura Rosenthal

Black Panther

Sarah Halley Finn, Meagan Lewis (Location Casting), Jason B. Stamey (Associate), Nicholas Amick Mudd (Associate)

Bumblebee

Denise Chamian, Nina Henninger (Location Casting), Robert McGee (Additional Voice Casting), Ruth Lambert (Additional Voice Casting), Beth Day (Associate), Sarah Kliban (Location Associate)

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Fiona Weir

Ready Player One

Ellen Lewis, Lucy Bevan, Kate Sprance (Associate)...

In Angie Thomas’ best-selling novel “The Hate U Give,” protagonist Starr Carter accepts a ride home from her childhood friend Khalil only to witness him be pulled over by a police officer and shot dead. The story tracks the fallout in Starr’s predominantly black neighborhood, the contrasting reaction at her mostly white private school, and her own trauma from witnessing the event. It’s a fictional account inspired by true, timely events, so the screen adaptation from director George Tillman Jr. and the late screenwriter Audrey Wells required extreme care with the details, especially when it came to casting. That’s where casting director Yesi Ramirez (“Moonlight”) came in; she underwent a nationwide search to find and flesh out the perfect ensemble. Describe the casting process for “The Hate U Give.” George had a pretty clear vision of what he wanted, and that was helpful. He also had a...

There definitely seem to be more opportunities for kids across the board," says Yesi Ramirez, the casting director on Moonlight. Chalk it up to Peak TV, adds Carmen Cuba: "The percentage of kids being cast has grown parallel to the amount of projects," she says — but that doesn't mean strong young stars are any easier to find. For Stranger Things, Cuba saw 2,000 kids from all over the world. "Performance is pretty black-and-white with kids," she says. "I can usually tell from the first audition if it's going to work."

But ...

There definitely seem to be more opportunities for kids across the board," says Yesi Ramirez, the casting director on Moonlight. Chalk it up to Peak TV, adds Carmen Cuba: "The percentage of kids being cast has grown parallel to the amount of projects," she says — but that doesn't mean strong young stars are any easier to find. For Stranger Things, Cuba saw 2,000 kids from all over the world. "Performance is pretty black-and-white with kids," she says. "I can usually tell from the first audition if it's going to work."

But ...

Yesi Ramirez, a casting director on Oscar Best Picture winner Moonlight, has been named VP Feature Casting at 20th Century Fox Film. The 14-year veteran will report to Evp Feature Casting Ronna Kress and she starts today. Her credits include Fox broadcast’s Liz Meriwether single-camera comedy pilot Thin Ice starring Bridgit Mendler, the SXSW pic Gemini which was just acquired by Neon, and the indie drama Vandal which is wrapping production. Ramirez won the Artios Award…...

IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast is an exploration of how good movies get made through in-depth conversations with filmmakers about their artistic process. This fall and winter we were fortunate to host guests whose films are favorited to take home Academy Awards this weekend. As we get ready for the Oscars, here’s a look back at some of what we learned from the writers, directors and editors behind this year’s best films.

The Filmmaker Toolkit podcast is available on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play Music.

“Arrival” Screenwriter Eric Heisserer

Ted Chiang’s “The Story of Your Life” is a beloved sci-fi short story, but no one thought it was natural fit for the big screen. Well, nobody besides Eric Heisserer, who was emotionally devastated the first time he read Chiang’s 32 page story. He wanted to find a way to capture that feeling in a movie, but...

Moonlight was honored with the Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday.

The honor was given to director-writer Barry Jenkins, casting director Yesi Ramirez and the ensemble cast, including Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Alex Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monae, Jaden Piner, Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders and Patrick Decile.

Jenkins kept his acceptance speech short, allowing Ramirez and the castmembers more time at the podium.

"It really is an incredible honor to be onstage with this extraordinary group of actors. The future is pretty bright," Holland said, before thanking writer Tarell Alvin McCraney for sharing his story....

In the film “Moonlight,” audiences are given a look into three distinct points of protagonist Chiron’s life, from an abused childhood to a bullied adolescence to a consequently stoic adulthood. The piece posed entirely new challenges for casting director Yesi Ramirez, who was just nominated for an Artios Award for her work. She speaks with Backstage about finding talent distinguished enough for each phase of the character’s life while believably upholding his core identity, as well as what actors should (and should not) do in the room to impress the casting director. Was it difficult to find three actors to portray the different components of the protagonist, who could also maintain the consistency of the character?“It was a fear I had as a casting director, obviously, because I didn’t want the audience to be pulled out of the situation… because I felt like that would do...

The guild award nominations keep coming in. The Casting Society of America has announced the nominees in its feature film categories for the 32d annual Artios Awards, which honor outstanding achievement in casting. “Arrival,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Hidden Figures,” “Nocturnal Animals” and “The Girl on the Train” all picked up nods in the big-budget drama category, with “Captain Fantastic,” “Jackie,” “Lion,” “Loving” and “Manchester by the Sea” doing likewise in the studio or independent drama field.

Joel McHale will host the Los Angeles ceremony, while Michael Urie is on duty at the New York ceremony; both take place on January 19. Full list of nominees below.

Read More: SAG Film Nominations Surprise With ‘Captain Fantastic,’ Emily Blunt, and More

Big Budget — Comedy

“Deadpool” — Ronna Kress, Jennifer Page (Location Casting), Corinne Clark (Location Casting)

“Hail, Caesar!” — Ellen Chenoweth, Susanne Scheel (Associate)

“La La Land” — Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood...

And the winners are…

Awfj Best Of Awards

These awards are presented to women and/or men without gender consideration.

Best Film: Moonlight

Best Director: Barry Jenkins – Moonlight

Best Screenplay, Original: Manchester by the Sea – Kenneth Lonergan

Best Screenplay, Adapted: Moonlight – Barry Jenkins

Best Documentary: 13th – Ava DuVernay

Best Animated Film: Zootopia – Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush

Best Actress: Ruth Negga – Loving

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Viola Davis – Fences

Best Actor: Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali – Moonlight

Best Ensemble Cast – Casting Director: Moonlight – Yesi Ramirez

Best Cinematography: Moonlight – James Laxton

Best Editing: Moonlight – Joi McMillon and Nat Sanders

Best Non-English-Language Film: The Handmaiden – Chan-Wook Park, South Korea

Eda Female Focus Awards

These awards honor women only.

Best Woman Director: Ava DuVernay – 13th

Best Woman Screenwriter: Kelly Reichardt – Certain Women

Best Animated Female: Judy in Zootopia – Ginnifer Goodwin And...

“Moonlight” continues its award-winning spree, topping the 10th annual Alliance of Women Film Journalists Eda Awards and winning Best Film, Director and Adapted Screenplay, among others.

The Awfj awards, named Eda after Awjf founder Jennifer Merin’s mother, actress Eda Reiss Merin, are divided into three sections: the standard “Best Of” section, the Female Focus awards and the irreverent Eda Special Mention awards.

Barry Jenkins’ critically acclaimed drama garnered a total of seven EDAs, with Ava Duvernay also awarded three trophies for Best Documentary, Best Female Director and Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Film Industry for “13th.” Oscar favorite “Manchester by the Sea” won two EDAs for Best Actor for Casey Affleck and Original Screenplay.

Read More: Oscars 2017: 336 Films Eligible For Best Picture

Other categories included in the list are Actress Defying Age and Ageism Award, which went to Annette Bening and Isabelle Huppert, Actress Most in...

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists have announced the nominees for the 2016 Awfj Eda Awards.

In their 10th annual awards season, the 25 categories are divided into three sections, the Best Of Awards, Female Focus Awards and Eda Special Mention Awards.

Andrea Arnold, Ava DuVernay, Rebecca Miller, Mira Nair and Lorene Scafaria were among the filmmakers nominated in this year’s awards.

Nominees in each category are determined by Awfj members who submit nominating ballots. There are currently 76 voting Awfj members.

The winners will be announced on December 21.

2016 Awfj Eda Awards Nominees

Awfj Best Of Awards

These awards are presented to women and/or men without gender consideration.

Best Film

Arrival

Hell or High Water

La La Land

Manchester by the Sea

Moonlight

Best Director

Damien Chazelle – La La Land

Barry Jenkins – Moonlight

Kenneth Lonergan – Manchester by the Sea

David Mackenzie – Hell or High Water

Denis Villeneuve – Arrival

Best Screenplay, Original...

When IndieWire asked top casting directors to name the best-cast films of 2016, more than half wanted to write about “Moonlight.”

Considering the awards attention being lavished on the cast, and for Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris in particular, the uniformity of opinion wasn’t entirely unexpected. However, the peers of “Moonlight” casting director Yesi Ramirez also provided eye-opening insight into the significant obstacles of casting Barry Jenkins’ film.

Read More: Here Are the Best-Cast Films of 2016, According to Top Casting Directors

“Forget the Csa’s Artios Award – Yesi should get a Purple Heart,” remarked casting director Mark Bennett (“20th Century Women”).

It is a challenge to cast children, especially for the emotionally raw material found in the script that Jenkins adapted from Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play. It is a challenge to rely on local, non-acting performers. It is a challenge to find three actors to play each of the...

So often, actors and actresses are lauded for undertaking jaw-dropping physical changes to play what frequently amounts to their most important roles. Time and again, performers who are willing to mold their bodies to a part – think Christian Bale in “The Machinist,” Charlize Theron in “Monster” or Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club,” just to name a very recent few – reap the biggest rewards.

For “Moonlight” star Naomie Harris, her greatest challenge wasn’t of the physical variety, it was the emotional. In order to play Paula, the mother of the film’s central character Chiron, over three different time periods, the British actress didn’t need to make adjustments to her body, but to her own heart.

Harris has worked steadily in both film and television since she was a kid – as a youngster, she had recurring roles on British series like “Simon and the Witch” and “Runaway Bay,...

Ah, Thanksgiving! A holiday that was seemingly tailor-made for binge-watching, complete with plenty of family and friends to consume mass quantities of both media and tasty meals alongside. But Thanksgiving is also built for reflection, and we here at IndieWire are very happy that the media landscape has afforded us plenty of things to be grateful for, even in the midst of all kinds of cultural and political upheaval: Movies aren’t dead; the biopic is very much alive; on-screen representation is finally taking a turn; some of our most beloved TV duo are back together on the small screen; and 2017 is looking very bright indeed. The list goes on and on.

In celebration of Thanksgiving, the IndieWire team has come together to offer up some of our personal reflections on the movies, shows, trends and creators we are most grateful for this year. Check out our testimonials below, and...

Casting directors have a strange distinction in the awards world: Their guild has an Academy branch, but it’s the only one without its own Oscar category. Imagine for a moment that they did. What are the best-cast films of 2016?

IndieWire asked 13 of the top casting directors to nominate films worthy of casting recognition this year. There were a few restrictions worth noting. Although casting directors often get early sneak peeks at films, many noted there are some films they still hadn’t seen. In particular, many are anxious to find out what legendary casting director Ellen Lewis has cooked up for Martin Scorsese’s “Silence.” The other restriction, which was imposed as responses came in: They couldn’t all write about “Moonlight.” (We’ll dig further into the casting of that film in another article.)

Read More: Casting Directors and the Academy: Why Lynn Stalmaster’s Honorary Oscar Matters...

Moonlight, American Honey and Manchester by the Sea lead the 2016 Independent Spirit Award NominationsMoonlight, American Honey and Manchester by the Sea lead the 2016 Independent Spirit Award NominationsAdriana Floridia11/22/2016 1:26:00 Pm

With the first major announcement from the Independent Spirit Awards, we're officially into awards season!

It's the best time of year if you're a film fanatic, like us, as major awards bodies will start revealing their nominations, leading up to the coveted Academy Awards. While the Indie Spirits obviously highlight independent film, they're often a good indicator for whats to come at the Oscars, with their acting categories usually lining up with the Academy's choices.

Today was a big day if your movie was called Moonlight, American Honey or Manchester by the Sea, as Moonlight and Manchester picked up five nominations each, and American Honey lead with six nominations. Moonlight also was awarded the Robert Altman Award, which honours director Barry Jenkins,...

Screen’s chief film critic Fionnuala Halligan notes the films that stood out from the pack at this year’s Venice, Telluride and Toronto film festivals.1. La-La Land

La La Land

It opened the Venice Film Festival, charged into Telluride and continued to draw queues throughout its Toronto Film Festival run where it won the coveted Audience Award. Saturation coverage for Lionsgate’s uber-romantic Damien Chazelle-directed musical was assisted by Emma Stone’s Best Actress win at Venice. Now it heads to the Zurich and London film festivals before a limited release in the Us on December 2, opening wide on the 16th. Happy Christmas for all concerned: by the end of the fall festival guzzle, La La Land seems to be the one to beat for Best Picture.

Contact: Lionsgate

2. Nocturnal Animals

Tom Ford won Best Director at Venice for his adaptation of Austin Wright’s narratively snakey novel Tony And Susan, and deservedly...

Casting directors on series including HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” features such as “The Sessions,” and the Broadway production of “Matilda The Musical” are some of the nominees for the Casting Society of America’s Artios Awards. The awards, named for the Greek word meaning “perfectly fitted,” are given to Csa members using the criteria of originality, creativity, and contribution of casting to the overall quality of a project. A bi-coastal awards ceremony is set for Nov. 18 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles and at Xl Nightclub, Cabaret & Lounge in New York City. The full list of 2013 Artios Award Nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Casting is below. Big Budget Feature – Comedy “Oz the Great and Powerful,” John Papsidera “Pain & Gain,” Denise Chamian, Lori Wyman (Location Casting), Ania Kamieniecki-O’Hare (Associate) “Silver Linings Playbook,” Mary Vernieu, Lindsay Graham, Diane Heery (Location Casting) “Ted,” Sheila Jaffe, Angela Peri (Location Casting) “The Watch,...

The Casting Society of America‘s 29th annual Artios Awards for outstanding achievement in casting will be awarded November 18 at simultaneous ceremonies at the Beverly Hilton and at the Xl Nightclub, Cabaret & Lounge in New York. The 22 categories repping film, TV and theater recognize Csa members who use the criteria of originality, creativity and contribution of casting to the overall quality of a project. Here are the 2013 nominees announced today: 2013 Artios Award Nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Casting Big Budget Feature – Comedy “Oz the Great and Powerful,” John Papsidera “Pain & Gain,” Denise Chamian, Lori Wyman (Location Casting), Ania Kamieniecki-O’Hare (Associate) “Silver Linings Playbook,” Mary Vernieu, Lindsay Graham, Diane Heery (Location Casting) “Ted,” Sheila Jaffe, Angela Peri (Location Casting) “The Watch,” Alyssa Weisberg, Shay Bentley Griffin (Location Casting), Yesi Ramirez (Associate), Karina Walters (Associate) Big Budget Feature – Drama “Argo,” Lora Kennedy “Les Misérables,” Nina Gold “Life of Pi,” Avy Kaufman “Lincoln,...

Yesi Ramirez was a casting associate for feature films including "Love and Other Drugs," "21 Jump Street," the new comedy "The Watch," and many more during her 10-year career, and she's now going solo as a casting director for independent films. Ramirez's audition do's and don'ts:"Remember that when you walk into a casting office, you're auditioning from the moment you're walking into that office. Everyone in that room is working on that project, in one capacity or another, and you should be on your best behavior. To me it sounds like common sense, but it usually isn't."Once you walk into the actual casting session, if the casting director is giving you direction and you don't understand what they're saying, ask them to clarify. Ask them to tell you in a different way. Don't just say, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah,' and nod your head, because you're going to do it again and.

Yesi Ramirez says she didn't know there were such things as casting directors until she started working down the hall from them. Her position as a contract administrator at Universal Studios was part of a larger department that also included casting personnel, so her office neighbors were CDs such as Avy Kaufman and Universal's senior vice president of casting, Joanna Colbert."Basically any opportunity I had to pick the brains of casting directors or their associates about being a casting director, I took advantage of," Ramirez says. Because of her time at Whittier Law School, her department mates themselves took advantage of her skills, asking her to write their deal memos or make offers to actors. When Colbert left Universal to strike out on her own as a CD, Ramirez followed to be her assistant."She's truly been my great mentor," Ramirez says of Colbert. "We still collaborate together to this day.

Yesi Ramirez is a casting director at StarCast Auditions and has been part of the casting teams on the movies “Blood Diamond,” “Lords of Dogtown,” “Lemonade Mouth,” “Love and Other Drugs,” “Cheri,” “21 Jump Street,” “The Watch,” and more. In my nine years of working in casting, I’ve watched countless auditions for roles in everything from blockbuster films to tiny indies, television pilots and series. From show-stopping performances to jaw-dropping flubs, believe me, I’ve seen it all. But while the roles and the films change, the general principles that make for a great audition remain relatively consistent. So I’ve pulled from my first-hand experience to develop these 10 keys to impressing casting directors and nailing auditions, no matter what the project is. Be polite. Always. To everyone. There are lots of actors that are qualified to play the role. So unless...