Festival programming, a secret about critics groups; Dorian Awards
I have been feeling a bit displaced this Awards season. Having made the decision to shutter Awards Wiz and take a break from writing about the Oscar race, I have been feeling a bit lost.
Sure, the intent was to focus on creating my own work, but I spent the end of last year moving and readjusting to Southern California while trying desperately to finish my queue for Oxford Film Festival to get my LGBTQIA+ programming done by the end of year submission deadline.
As of yesterday one of my features had yet to accept, so last night I rewatched my backup only to get a text almost immediately after the credits rolled that my original pick accepted. This morning I received an email from the director as well letting me know they were in.
Programming can be a lot of fun, and a bit heartbreaking as well. I had a friend/filmmaker ask me for constructive criticism about one of the films I didn’t accept, and it’s a hard thing to explain. Unless you have done it, you might not ever understand. I called the film I rewatched last night a “backup” but in all honestly, I would love to program it. If I had an entire queer festival to program one day, I might be able to do that sort of thing. But I can’t. I let the films speak to me, and then an overall story takes place in my mind, and that is what makes it to the screen. It’s more about that, than rejecting other films.
I’ve probably said too much already. Once we announce you will know more.
Back to the Oscars.
I may not be writing about it every day, but I have been watching the films. I am Advisory Board member for Galeca: The Society of LGBTQ Film Critics, mostly due to being the programmer for OXFF, and maybe a little bit because I used to be an Oscar expert of sorts.
I managed to watch as much as I could. I still haven’t seen “Jojo Rabbit,” “Waves,” “Uncut Gems…” films that were not only in consideration, but up for our awards.
I commented on FB that I had yet to see “Fleabag” and it pretty much swept TV. I don’t feel guilty about that. There is such a vast amount of television out there - no one who reviews TV or votes on TV awards will be able to view it all. I personally think “Superstore” is one of the best comedies out there, but I doubt the majority of my Galeca peers saw that show because it’s not winning other awards.
I have a love/hate relationship with “critics.” For years I wanted to be one while also saying at the same time that I wasn’t one. This year in particular I have enjoyed things like “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings,” “In the Dark,” (the tv show) “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker,’ “The Morning Show” that many critics panned. I think - “they just don’t get it” or “they wanted to hate that.”
With “Heartstrings.” I’ve seen only 2 episodes, and I find them to be a wonderful, incredibly acted antidote to a harsh world. It is what it is and I would have written a glowing representation of that. “The Morning Show” really got the brunt of critics. Before it premiered I had listened to and read months of items/podcasts/etc damning Apple TV+ long before it launched. Had they written positive reviews of “The Morning Show,” they would also have to admit they were wrong. Not sure that’s going to happen. Some critics are coming around to it now though.
Now, to the Dorian Awards themselves.
I’m really excited to see that “Parasite” did so well. It is one of my absolute favorites to win. I had hoped we would honor “Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood” because I thought it would be cool if we were the group that began the march to the Academy’s Best Picture prize…but alas, we are on the deserving “Parasite” train.
I am also happy to see Renee Zellweger win. She is fantastic in “Judy.”
I was personally torn about Best Actor but am thrilled for Antonio Banderas. I might try to revisit “Joker” before the end of the season but Phoenix’s performance didn’t do much for me.
Some fun things - seeing Jennifer Lopez win for “Hustlers.” She is great in that movie. Also, Florence Pugh winning the “We’re Wild About You” Rising Star Award.
I am a little disappointed that “Schitt’s Creek” was shut out of the awards, but perhaps next year we can give it some final season love along with the “Unsung TV Show” award to make up for this year.
OH…and here’s a big secret for all you Oscar bloggers/watchers heading into your nominations predictions and phase 2 of the race. Critics (other than maybe the ones who vote in front of each other) and guilds…they don’t vote collectively. They don’t vote to “say something” because they are voting insularly. Yes…it’s possible on a weighted ballot to place an underdog in the top spot hoping to push it ahead, but I can tell you, Galeca didn’t get together and say - let’s give Jennifer Lopez a push after being snubbed by the Baftas. That’s just not how it works. That’s how it looks, and that’s what is written because that’s the “journalistic” world we live in.
FULL LIST OF 11TH DORIAN AWARD WINNERS (noted in bold and with an asterisk)
Film of the Year
Hustlers
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
Pain and Glory
*Parasite Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Director of the Year
Pedro Almodovar, Pain and Glory
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
*Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Film Performance of the Year — Actress Awkwafina, The Farewell
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Lupita Nyong’o, Us
Alfre Woodard, Clemency
*Renée Zellweger, Judy
Film Performance of the Year — Actor
*Antonio Banderas, Pain and GloryAdam Driver, Marriage Story
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Taron Egerton, Rocketman
Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actress Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Florence Pugh, Little Women
*Jennifer Lopez, HustlersMargot Robbie, Bombshell
Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell
Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
*Song Kang-ho, Parasite
LGBTQ Film of the Year
Booksmart
End of the Century
Pain and Glory
*Portrait of a Lady on FireRocketman
Foreign Language Film of the Year
Atlantics
Pain and Glory
*ParasitePortrait of a Lady on Fire
The Farewell
Screenplay of the YearNoah Baumbach, Marriage Story
*Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won, ParasiteGreta Gerwig, Little Women
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Rian Johnson, Knives Out
Documentary of the Year American Factory
Apollo 11
For Sama
*HoneylandOne Child Nation
LGBTQ Documentary of the Year
Circus of Books
Gay Chorus Deep South
The Gospel of Eureka
5B
*Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street
Visually Striking Film of the Year ** TIEMidsommar
*1917The Lighthouse
Parasite
*Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Unsung Film of the Year
*BooksmartHer Smell
Gloria Bell
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Waves
Campy Flick of the Year
*CatsGreta
Knives Out
Ma
Serenity
TV Drama of the Year
Chernobyl
Euphoria
*PoseSuccession
Unbelievable
TV Comedy of the Year
*FleabagThe Other Two
PEN15
Russian Doll
Schitt’s Creek
TV Performance of the Year — Actor
Bill Hader, Barry
Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us
*Billy Porter, Pose
Jeremy Strong, Succession
TV Performance of the Year — Actress Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Mj Rodriguez, Pose
*Phoebe Waller-Bridge, FleabagMichelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
LGBTQ TV Show of the Year
Euphoria
The Other Two
*PoseSchitt’s Creek
Tales of the City
Unsung TV Show of the Year
Gentleman Jack
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
*The Other TwoPEN15
Years and Years
TV Current Affairs Show of the Year
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
The Rachel Maddow Show
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
*Leaving Neverland
TV Musical Performance of the Year
*Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, “Shallow,” The 91st Academy AwardsLizzo, “Truth Hurts,” VMAs 2019
Megan Mullally, “The Man That Got Way,” Will & Grace
Annie Murphy, “A Little Bit Alexis,” Schitt’s Creek
Michelle Williams, “Who’s Got the Pain?,” Fosse/Verdon
Campy TV Show of the Year
American Horror Story 1984
Big Little Lies
RuPaul’s Drag Race
*The PoliticianRiverdale
The “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star Award
Roman Griffin Davis
Kaitlyn Dever
Beanie Feldstein
*Florence PughHunter Schafer
Wilde Wit of the Year (Honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
Dan Levy
Billy Porter
Randy Rainbow
Taika Waititi
*Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Wilde Artist of the Decade (Special Accolade)
*Lady Gaga
Greta Gerwig
Ryan Murphy
Billy Porter
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Timeless Star (Career achievement award)
*Catherine O’Hara