Spike Lee Documentary Opens Toronto Film Festival 2020

Director Spike Lee’s new film American Utopia has opens this year’s down scaled Toronto International Film Festival 2020. The film is a record of Talking Heads front man David Byrne’s 2019 concert show and played at two open air drive-in cinemas on Thursday.

Only film fans based in the city are allowed to attend physical screenings at this year’s event, which will see many of its offerings screened online. This year’s London Film Festival will also use a similar “hybrid” model.

TIFF 2020 will showcase 50 feature films. Although there will be no red carpet premieres, celebrity guests will be appearing virtually to introduce and discuss their wares.

Cameron Bailey, Toronto’s artistic director and co-head explained

“We still wanted to do a festival. It’s important for our audience and I think we just all need some inspiration that art can provide.”

American Utopia will also screen at the New York and London Film Festivals next month ahead of its HBO premiere on 17 October.

Despite being pared down this year, Toronto will still play its customary role as a launch pad for films on the path to potential awards success.

 

Mulan Remake Heading To Disney Plus

One of the many blockbusters forced to postpone their release date following the coronavirus outbreak, Mulan is now confirmed to be skipping the cinema and heading straight to Disney Plus.

The live action remake of the 1998 animated film was supposed to hit cinemas in early March, but it got pulled as the Covid-19 outbreak caused countries around the world to go into different stages of lockdown.

Since the initial delay, the movie was repeatedly delayed and then removed from Disney’s calendar entirely – but now it’s been announced that it’s coming to Disney’s streaming service and a paid premiere event.

The long-awaited film, which stars Yifei Liu as Mulan, will be available on 4 September in markets where Disney Plus is available for $29.99 (£22.00). Though it may still get a cinema release in territories where Disney Plus isn’t current available and assuming cinemas aren’t still subject to local lock down restraints.

Good news for the long troubled production and fans eager to see the huge budget reboot of the classic tale.

 

Bafta TV Awards 2020 Winners

The best British TV of 2019 has been honoured at the BAFTA Television Awards, held virtually on 31 July. Here is the full list of winners and nominees:

Leading actress

• Jodie Comer, Killing Eve – BBC One
• WINNER – Glenda Jackson, Elizabeth Is Missing – BBC One
• Suranne Jones, Gentleman Jack – BBC One
• Samantha Morton, I Am Kirsty – Channel 4

Leading actor

• Stephen Graham, The Virtues – Channel 4
• WINNER – Jared Harris, Chernobyl – Sky Atlantic
• Takehiro Hira, Giri/Haji – BBC Two
• Callum Turner, The Capture – BBC One

Supporting actress

• WINNER – Naomi Ackie, The End of the F***ing World – Channel 4
• Helen Behan, The Virtues – Channel 4
• Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown – Netflix
• Jasmine Jobson, Top Boy – Netflix

Supporting actor

• Joe Absolom, A Confession – ITV
• Josh O’Connor, The Crown – Netflix
• WINNER – Will Sharpe, Giri/Haji – BBC Two
• Stellan Skarsgard, Chernobyl – Sky Atlantic

Entertainment performance

• Frankie Boyle, Frankie Boyle’s New World Order – BBC Two
• WINNER – Mo Gilligan, The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan – Channel 4
• Lee Mack, Would I Lie To You – BBC One
• Graham Norton, The Graham Norton Show – BBC One

Male performance in a comedy programme

• WINNER – Jamie Demetriou, Stath Lets Flats – Channel 4
• Ncuti Gatwa, Sex Education – Netflix
• Youssef Kerkour, Home – Channel 4
• Guz Khan, Man Like Mobeen – BBC Three

Female performance in a comedy programme

• WINNER – Sian Clifford, Fleabag – BBC Three
• Gbemisola Ikumelo, Famalam – BBC Three
• Sarah Kendall, Frayed – Sky One
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag – BBC Three

Drama series

• The Crown - Netflix
• WINNER – The End of the F***Ing World - Channel 4
• Gentleman Jack - BBC One
• Giri/Haji - BBC Two

Single drama

• Brexit: The Uncivil War - Channel 4
• Elizabeth Is Missing - BBC One
• WINNER – The Left Behind - BBC Three
• Responsible Child - BBC Two

Mini-series

• A Confession - ITV
• WINNER – Chernobyl - Sky Atlantic
• The Victim - BBC One
• The Virtues - Channel 4

Soap and continuing drama

• Casualty - BBC One
• Coronation Street - ITV
• WINNER – Emmerdale - ITV
• Holby City - BBC One

International

• Euphoria - Sky Atlantic
• Succession - Sky Atlantic
• Unbelievable - Netflix
• WINNER – When They See Us - Netflix

Entertainment programme

• The Greatest Dancer - BBC One
• The Rap Game UK - BBC Three
• WINNER – Strictly Come Dancing - BBC One
• The Voice UK - ITV

Comedy entertainment programme

• The Graham Norton Show - BBC One
• The Last Leg - Channel 4
• The Ranganation - BBC Two
• WINNER – Taskmaster - Dave

Scripted comedy

• Catastrophe - Channel 4
• Derry Girls - Channel 4
• Fleabag - BBC Three
• WINNER – Stath Lets Flats - Channel 4

Features

• Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back - Channel 4
• WINNER – The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan - BBC Two
• Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing - BBC Two
• Snackmasters - Channel 4

Must-see moment

• Coronation Street, the death of Sinead Osborne – ITV
• Fleabag, Confessional scene – BBC Three
• Game of Thrones, Arya kills the Night King – Sky Atlantic
• WINNER – Gavin and Stacey, Nessa proposes to Smithy – BBC One
• Line of Duty, John Corbett’s death – BBC One
• Love Island, Michael recouples after Casa Amor – ITV2

Current affairs

• Growing Up Poor: Britain’s Breadline Kids (Dispatches) – Channel 4
• The Hunt for Jihadi John - Channel 4
• Is Labour Anti-Semitic? (Panorama) – BBC One
• WINNER – Undercover: Inside China’s Digital Gulag (Exposure) – ITV

Single documentary

• The Abused - Channel 5
• David Harewood: Psychosis and Me - BBC Two
• The Family Secret - Channel 4
• WINNER – Last Survivors - BBC Two

Factual series

• Crime and Punishment - Channel 4
• Don’t F**K With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer - Netflix
• WINNER – Leaving Neverland - Channel 4
• Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure - BBC One

Reality and constructed factual

• Celebrity Gogglebox - Channel 4
• Harry’s Heroes: The Full English - ITV
• WINNER – Race Across the World - BBC Two
• RuPaul’s Drag Race UK - BBC Three

Specialist factual

• 8 Days: To the Moon and Back - BBC Two
• Seven Worlds, One Planet - BBC One
• Thatcher: A Very British Revolution - BBC Two
• WINNER – Yorkshire Ripper Files: A Very British Crime Story - BBC Four

News coverage

• WINNER – Hong Kong Protests - Sky News
• ITV News At Ten: Election Results - ITN/ITV
• Prince Andrew & The Epstein Scandal (Newsnight) – BBC News/BBC Two
• Victoria Derbyshire: Men who Lost Loved Ones to Knife Crime - BBC News/BBC Two

Sport

• WINNER – 2019 Rugby World Cup Final: England v South Africa - ITV
• ICC Cricket World Cup Final - Sky Sports Cricket
• Fifa Women’s World Cup 2019 Semi Final: England v USA - BBC One
• Wimbledon 2019 Men’s Final - BBC One

Live event

• WINNER – Blue Planet Live - BBC One
• Election 2019 Live: The Results - ITN/ITV
• Glastonbury 2019 - BBC Two
• Operation Live - Channel 5

Short-form programme

• Anywhere But Westminster - The Guardian
• WINNER – Brain in Gear - BBC iPlayer
• Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle - BBC Four
• Toni_With_An_I (Born Digital: First Cuts) - BBC Four

Special Bafta

• Idris Elba

BAFTA TV Craft Awards 2019 Winners

Here is the official British Academy Television Craft Awards winners  list in full below a announced on 17 July 2020, Winners marked in bold.

BREAKTHROUGH TALENT sponsored by Sara Putt Associates

• AISLING BEA (Writer) This Way Up – Merman TV/Channel 4
• ANEIL KARIA (Director) Pure (ep 3) – Drama Republic/Channel 4 & Top Boy (ep 10) – Cowboy Films, Easter Partisan Films, Dream Crew, SpringHill Entertainment/Netflix
• LAURIE NUNN (Writer) Sex Education – Eleven Film/Netflix
• SEAN BUCKLEY (Writer) Responsible Child – Kudos, 72 Films/BBC Two

COSTUME DESIGN

• CAROLINE MCCALL His Dark Materials - Bad Wolf, BBC Studios, HBO/BBC One
• JOANNA EATWELL Beecham House – Bend It TV/ITV
• MICHELE CLAPTON Game of Thrones – Bighead, Littlehead, 360 Television, Startling Television/HBO/Sky Atlantic
• ODILE DICKS-MIREAUX Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBO/Sky Atlantic

DIRECTOR: FACTUAL

• ARTHUR CARY The Last Survivors – Minnow Films/BBC Two
• DAN REED Leaving Neverland – AMOS Pictures/Channel 4
• MARK LEWIS Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer – Raw TV/Netflix
• ROBIN BARNWELL Undercover: Inside China’s Digital Gulag (Exposure) – Hardcash Productions/ITV

DIRECTOR: FICTION sponsored by 3 Mills Studios

• HARRY BRADBEER Fleabag – Two Brothers Pictures/BBC Three
• JOHAN RENCK Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBO/Sky Atlantic
• SHANE MEADOWS The Virtues – Warp Films, Big Arty Productions/Channel 4
• TOBY HAYNES Brexit: The Uncivil War – House Productions/Channel 4

DIRECTOR: MULTI-CAMERA sponsored by Jackshoot

• BRIDGET CALDWELL The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance – BBC Studios/BBC One
• JANET FRASER CROOK Glastonbury 2019 – BBC Studios/BBC Two
• MATTHEW GRIFFITHS Six Nations 2019 – Wales v England – BBC Sport/BBC One
• PAUL MCNAMARA ITV Racing: Cheltenham Festival – ITV Sport/ITV

EDITING: FACTUAL

• ANDY R. WORBOYS Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein – Lightbox/BBC Two
• JULES CORNELL Leaving Neverland – AMOS Pictures/Channel 4
• KIM HORTON 63 Up – MultiStory Media/ITV
• MICHAEL HARTE Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer – Raw TV/Netflix

EDITING: FICTION

• DAN CRINNION Killing Eve (Episode 4) – Sid Gentle Films/BBC One
• ELEN PIERCE LEWIS Giri/Haji – Sister/BBC Two/ Netflix
• GARY DOLLNER Fleabag – Two Brothers Pictures/BBC Three
• SIMON SMITH, JINX GODFREY Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBO/Sky Atlantic

ENTERTAINMENT CRAFT TEAM sponsored by Hotcam

• AMBER RIMELL, BRONSKI, MISTY BUCKLEY, TIM ROUTLEDGE Glastonbury 2019 (Stormzy) – BBC Studios, Tawbox/BBC Two
• DAVID BISHOP, VICKY GILL, ANDY TAPLEY, PATRICK DOHERTY Strictly Come Dancing – BBC Studios/BBC One
• MARK BUSK-COWLEY, STEVE KRUGER, IAIN STIRLING, JAMES TINSLEY Love Island – ITV Studios, Motion Content Group/ITV 2
• NIGEL CATMUR, PATRICK DOHERTY, KEVIN DUFF, ANDREW STOKES The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance – BBC Studios/BBC One

MAKE UP & HAIR DESIGN sponsored by MAC Cosmetics

• DANIEL PARKER, BARRIE GOWER Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBO/Sky Atlantic
• INMA AZORIN The Trial of Christine Keeler – Ecosse Films, Great Meadow Productions/BBC One
• KIRSTIN CHALMERS Catherine the Great – New Pictures, Origin Pictures/Sky Atlantic
• LOZ SCHIAVO Peaky Blinders – Caryn Mandabach Productions, Tiger Aspect/BBC One

ORIGINAL MUSIC

• ADRIAN JOHNSTON Giri/Haji – Sister/BBC Two/ Netflix
• ANDREW PHILLIPS War in the Blood – Minnow Films/BBC Two
• DAVID HOLMES, KEEFUS CIANCIA Killing Eve – Sid Gentle Films/BBC One
• HILDUR GUDNADÓTTIR Chernobyl- Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBO/Sky Atlanticc

PHOTOGRAPHY: FACTUAL sponsored by The Farm

• BERTIE GREGORY, HOWARD BOURNE, JOHN SHIER Seven Worlds, One Planet – BBC Studios/BBC One
• DOUG ANDERSON, ROGER HORROCKS, GAVIN THURSTON Our Planet (Coastal Seas) – Silverback Films/Netflix
• JAMIE MCPHERSON, HECTOR SKEVINGTON-POSTLES, BARRIE BRITTON Our Planet (Frozen Worlds) – Silverback Films/Netflix
• PATRICK SMITH, NEIL HARVEY Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein – Lightbox/BBC Two

PHOTOGRAPHY & LIGHTING: FICTION sponsored by ScreenSkills

• ADRIANO GOLDMAN The Crown – Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Television/Netflix
• JAKOB IHRE Chernobyl - Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBO/Sky Atlantic
• JOE ANDERSON Top Boy – Cowboy Films, Easter Partisan Films, Dream Crew, SpringHill Entertainment/Netflix
• SUZIE LAVELLE His Dark Materials (Episode 3) – Bad Wolf, BBC Studios, HBO/BBC One

PRODUCTION DESIGN sponsored by Microsoft

• LAURENCE DORMAN, LINDA WILSON Killing Eve – Sid Gentle Films/BBC One
• LUKE HULL, CLAIRE LEVINSON-GENDLER Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBOSky Atlantic
• MARTIN CHILDS, ALISON HARVEY The Crown – Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Television/Netflix
• SAMANTHA HARLEY, MIRI KATZ Sex Education – Eleven Film/Netflix

SCRIPTED CASTING sponsored by Spotlight

• DES HAMILTON Top Boy – Cowboy Films, Easter Partisan Films, Dream Crew, SpringHill Entertainment/Netflix
• LAUREN EVANS Sex Education – Eleven Film/Netflix
• NINA GOLD, ROBERT STERNE Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBO/Sky Atlantic
• YOKO NARAHASHI, SHAHEEN BAIG, LAYLA MERRICK-WOLF Giri/Haji - Sister/BBC Two/ Netflix

SOUND: FACTUAL sponsored by Shure

• GRAHAM WILD, KATE HOPKINS Seven Worlds, One Planet – BBC Studios/BBC One
• GRAHAM WILD, KATE HOPKINS, TIM OWENS Our Planet (One Planet) – Silverback Films Production/Netflix
• NICK FRY, STEVE SPEED, JAMES EVANS, NICK ADAMS Formula 1: Drive to Survive – Box to Box Films/Netflix
• SOUND TEAM Battle of the Brass Bands – Two Four/Sky Arts

SOUND: FICTION

• DILLON BENNETT, JON THOMAS, GARETH BULL, JAMES RIDGWAY His Dark Materials – Bad Wolf, BBC Studios, HBO/BBC One
• SOUND TEAM A Christmas Carol – FX Productions in association with the BBC, Minim UK Productions, Scott Free, and Hardy Son & Baker/BBC One
• SOUND TEAM Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/HBO/Sky Atlantic
• SOUND TEAM The Crown – Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Television/Netflix

SPECIAL, VISUAL & GRAPHIC EFFECTS

• BEN TURNER, CHRIS REYNOLDS, ASA SHOUL The Crown – Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Television/Netflix
• FRAMESTORE, PAINTING PRACTICE, REAL SFX, RUSSELL DODGSON His Dark Materials – Bad Wolf, BBC Studios/HBO/BBC One
• LINDSAY MCFARLANE, CLAUDIUS CHRISTIAN RAUCH, JEAN-CLÉMENT SORET, DNEG Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/Sky Atlantic
• MILK VISUAL EFFECTS, GARETH SPENSLEY, REAL SFX Good Omens – Amazon Studios, BBC Studios, Narrativia, The Blank Corporation/Amazon Prime Video

TITLES & GRAPHIC IDENTITY

• ALEX MACLEAN The Durrells – Sid Gentle Films/ITV
• ELASTIC Catherine the Great – New Pictures, Origin Pictures/Sky Atlantic
• ELASTIC, PAINTING PRACTICE His Dark Materials – Bad Wolf, BBC Studios, HBO/BBC One
• LIGHT CREATIVE Ghosts – Monumental Television, Them There/BBC One

WRITER: COMEDY

• DANNY BROCKLEHURST Brassic – Calamity Films/Sky 1
• JAMIE DEMETRIOU Stath Lets Flats – Roughcut TV/Channel 4
• PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE Fleabag – Two Brothers Pictures/BBC Three
• SAM LEIFER, TOM BASDEN Plebs – Rise Films/ITV2

WRITER: DRAMA

• CHARLIE COVELL The End of the F***ing World – Clerkenwell Films, Dominic Buchanan Productions/Channel 4/Netflix
• CRAIG MAZIN Chernobyl – Sister, The Mighty Mint, Word Games/Sky Atlantic
• JESSE ARMSTRONG Succession – HBO Entertainment, Project Zeus, Hyperobject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions/Sky Atlantic
• SHANE MEADOWS, JACK THORNE The Virtues – Warp Films, Big Arty Productions/Channel 4

Academy Awards 2021 Postponed Two Months

For only the fourth time in its history, the Oscars are being postponed. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the ABC Television Network announced on Monday that the 93rd Academy Awards will now be held April 25, 2021, eight weeks later than originally planned because of the pandemic’s effects on the movie industry.

Obviously in these deeply uncertain times it remains to be seen what effect the global interruption in film production and cinema releases will have on exactly which of this year’s anticipated hopefuls will make it to audiences in time for consideration. But at least for now there will be an Awards season early in 2021.

The Oscars has only been delayed three times before – due to LA flooding in 1938; after the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King Jr in 1968; and following the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981.