Retrospective 2016 – A Year in Film

September

The Meatier Movie Season

Image sources: Sony Pictures, Warner, Vertigo & Film 44

As the summer wrapped up, the season of more interesting autumnal releases began as an eclectic group of films hit UK cinemas in the lead up to awards season; from moderately successful blockbuster remakes like ‘The Magnificent Seven’ and flops like ‘Ben Hur’, to tense biographical period dramas like ‘Anthropoid’ and ‘The Infiltrator’. We were also treated to Woody Allen’s latest ‘Café Society’ and delightfully quirky indie comedy/dramas like ‘Captain Fantastic’ and ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’, as well as one of the best films of the year in the form of Texas crime drama ‘Hell or High Water’.

Ahh, Venice…

The on/off international film festival circuit got back into full swing in September with one of the bigger events in the year’s film calendar, the 73rd Venice International Film Festival (La Biennale). As usual the press and select audiences were treated to glamourous red carpet galas, as well as the small matter films from all corners of the globe being showcased, including wold premieres of upcoming releases like Damien Chazelle’s ‘La La Land’ and Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Arrival’. You can see our full recap of this year’s event here.

Image sources: Getty Images

This year’s principal jury, responsible for selecting the main award winners at the end of the festival, was presided over by British director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) and consisted of an eclectic group of filmmakers which included; Venezuelan director and last year’s “Golden Lion” winner Lorenzo Vigas, American musician and director Laurie Anderson, British actress Gemma Arterton, Italian writer Giancarlo De Cataldo, German actress Nina Hoss, American documentarian Joshua Oppenheimer, Italian actress Chiara Mastroianni and Chinese actress/director Wei Zhao.

Here are the major Venice prize winner this year;

-Golden Lion for Best Film-

‘Ang Babaeng Humayo’ (The Woman Who Left) by Lav Diaz (Philippines)

-Silver Lion for Best Director-

Andrei Konchalovsky for ‘Paradise’ (Russia, Germany) and Amat Escalante for ‘La Región Salvaje’ (The Untamed) (Mexico, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland)

-Grand Jury Prize-

‘Nocturnal Animals’ by Tom Ford (USA)

-Coppa Volpi for Best Actor-

Oscar Martínez in ‘El Ciudadano Ilustre’ (Argentina, Spain)

-Coppa Volpi for Best Actress-

Emma Stone in ‘La La Land’ (USA)

-Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor-

Paula Beer in ‘Frantz’ (France, Germany)

-Award for Best Screenplay-

Noah Oppenheim for ‘Jackie’ (UK) (accepted by Juan de Dios Larrain)

-Special Jury Prize-

‘The Bad Batch’ by Ana Lily Amirpour (USA)

Those We Lost

Image source: New Line, Sony, 20th Century Fox & Getty

September meant the passing of American actor/actress and member of the Arquette Hollywood clan Alexis Arquette (47) (Pulp Fiction, The Wedding Singer), plus American actors Bill Nunn (62) (Do the Right Thing, Spider-Man) and Jon Polito (65) (Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski), as well as Oscar-winning writer/director Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, 8 Mile).

October next page>

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