Yahoo Lifestyle Zoe Saldaña to Receive Spotlight Award at Costume Designers Guild Awards — Film News in Brief
Zoe Saldaña is set to receive the Spotlight Award at the 27th annual CDGAs (Costume Designers Guild Awards).
This honor recognizes an actor who embodies a long-lasting dedication to excellence, with particular respect for the impact of costume design. Past Spotlight Award winners include Angela Bassett, Andrew Garfield, Charlize Theron, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, Halle Berry, and, this past year, Annette Bening.
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“Widely known for powerful roles which captivate audiences, Saldaña can inhabit a costume and make the character come alive no matter how elaborate or otherworldly,” read an official press release. “From Neytiri in the ‘Avatar’ films and Gamora in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ franchise, Saldaña embraces being immersed in her costumes. For those respective roles, Saldaña worked with 2023 CDGA Career Achievement Award honoree Deborah L. Scott and 2017 Excellence in Fantasy Film winner Alexandra Byrne and 2013 CDGA Career Achievement Award honoree Judianna Makovsky.”
On Dec. 13, the Costume Designers Guild announced the list of nominees across nine categories for the 27th annual CDGA. Western Costume will be returning as a Premiere Sponsor for the awards ceremony, which will be hosted at The Ebell of Los Angeles on Feb. 6.
Thursday, Dec. 19
BAFTA Announces Sixth Yugo Short Film Commissioning Grant Winner
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) North America has selected filmmaker Siting Yang as the recipient of the sixth BAFTA-Yugo Short Film Commissioning Grant.
The $12,000 USD award is designed to support a short film employing an original approach as it pertains to topics such as sustainability.
“Siting Yang’s selection as the recipient of the BAFTA-Yugo Short Film Commissioning Grant exemplifies the incredible talent, creativity, and drive of the next generation of filmmakers. BAFTA is dedicated to breaking down the barriers that talented individuals from all backgrounds face when pursuing and advancing careers in our industry. From school programming across the U.S. to international student competitions, we are committed to fostering opportunities that inspire emerging voices and shape the future of our creative community across the screen arts,” said Courtney LaBarge Bell, Executive Director of BAFTA US. “With initiatives like the BAFTA-Yugo Commissioning Grant and the launch of new mentorship programs in 2024, we are proud to cap an impactful year by providing critical financial and developmental support to projects that align with our mission as an arts organization. Congratulations to Siting on this well-deserved recognition, and we look forward to seeing her vision come to life.”
Siting’s past work includes the short film “Hutong Bubble,” a 2021 Architecture Design Art Film Festival selection as well as the short film “Blue Reverie,” winner of the Jury Prize at the 50th USA Film Festival. Siting is currently a BAFTA Connect member.
Julia Stiles Makes Directorial Debut in Romantic Comedy ‘Wish You Were Here’
Julia Stiles is set to make her directorial debut in the upcoming Lionsgate feature “Wish You Were Here.” Based on the novel of the same name by Jodi Picoult, the film stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Jimmie Fails, Gabby Kono-Abdy, Jennifer Grey and Kelsey Grammer.
In addition to directing, Stiles also penned the script for the film alongside Renée Carlino.
“When the perfect night with a perfect stranger ends suddenly the next morning, Charlotte searches for answers and meaning in her disappointing life until she uncovers a secret that changes everything,” reads the movie’s logline.
Watch the trailer below:
Wednesday, Dec. 18
Sun Valley Film Festival Announces 2025 Date
The Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF) will return Dec. 3-7, 2025 offering an expanded lineup of films, Q&A sessions, coffee talks and intimate events for AMPAS members and special guests. These dates solidify SVFF as a pivotal destination for award-season contenders and perfectly timed before Academy Award shortlist voting begins.
The move follows the success of the Sun Valley Film Festival Winter Screening Series held Dec. 5-8, 2024. The event recognized Demi Moore with the Vision Award and Pamela Anderson and Gia Coppola with the Pioneer Award presented by Variety, and “Porcelain War” with the Impact Award. Screenings included “The Last Showgirl,” “The Substance,” “Porcelain War,” “Blink,” “The Swim Lesson” and a curated series of shorts from The New Yorker.
“The Sun Valley Film Festival continues to grow as a vital platform for filmmakers and a key stop for awards-season contenders, which we showcased this year with our selection of films and honorees including Demi Moore and Pamela Anderson,” said Teddy Grennan, executive director of Sun Valley Film Festival. “By anchoring the festival in December, we’re not just celebrating great storytelling but creating meaningful connections between filmmakers and audiences at a pivotal moment in the industry’s calendar.”
Variety will present the Pioneer Award again at the 2025 festival. The Screenwriters Lab will be back with the High Scribe award and the winner of the High Scribe Competition invited to return as a Writer-In-Residence at the historic Ernest and Mary Hemingway House. The Sun Valley JR Film Competition which highlights the work of high school students, will continue where finalist films are screened in the festival and judged by industry professionals. The festival’s 1 Potato Initiative will return to support emerging filmmakers and incentivize filmmaking in the state of Idaho. The winning script will receive $5,000 in funds towards shooting their film on location in the state. Submissions open on April 28 at Film Freeway.
Tuesday, Dec. 17
Savina Ciaramella Hired as Senior Director of Music at Keywords Studios’ Sound Lab
Savina Ciaramella has been tapped to take on the role of Senior Director of Music at Keywords Studios’ Sound Lab.
With over two decades of experiencing producing scores for AAA games and collaborating with composers like Alexandre Desplat, Volker Bertelmann, Brian Tyler and Ramin Djawadi, Ciaramella will be leading the charge with Sound Lab’s soundscapes across film, television and video games.
Ciaramella is known for recording music on video game projects like “Call of Duty: Mobile,” “Assassin’s Creed Mobile,” “Age of Empires Mobile,” “Magic: The Gathering,” “Dungeons & Dragons, “Fortnite,” “The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, “Honor of Kings,” “Game for Peace,” “League of Legends,” “Towerborne” and “Squid Game: Unleashed.”
Sound Lab has helped deliver audio solutions on blockbusters over the past three decades, including “Transformers One,” “Mrs. America” and “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
Jason Reitman Set to Receive the Cinematic Imagery Award at the Production Design Awards
Filmmaker Jason Reitman will be honored with the Cinematic Imagery Award at the Art Director’s Guild Awards.
The ADG’s Cinematic Imagery Award is given to a filmmaker whose body of work has richly enhancedthe visual aspects of the viewer’s experience and highlighted the work of the art department. Previous recipients include Baz Luhrmann, Jane Campion and Steven Spielberg.
Most recently, Reitman wrote, produced, and directed “Saturday Night”, which chronicles the frantic lead-up to Saturday Night Live’s first broadcast.
“Jason Reitman’s body of work demonstrates how collaboration between directors, production designers and all of the talented filmmakers in the art department can create visual worlds and stories with emotional depth and lasting impact,” said award show producers Michael Allen Glover, ADG and Megan Elizabeth Bell, ADG.
Monday, Dec. 16
‘Challengers,’ ‘Wicked’ and More to be honored at American Cinematheque’s Tribute to the Crafts
The American Cinematheque has announced the honorees for the 4th annual Tribute to the Crafts, which will take place Thursday, Jan. 9 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
Tribute to the Crafts will honor films in 12 categories across all aspects of filmmaking, with “Challengers” being acknowledged for score, “Saturday Night” for casting and “Wicked” for costume design.
“Film is the most collaborative art form, and the American Cinematheque is thrilled to celebrate the essential work of the artisans and craftspeople behind this year’s finest films,” said American Cinematheque Artistic Director Grant Moninger.
See the full list of honorees below:
Casting: “Saturday Night” (John Papsidera) – Sony Pictures
Choreography: “Emilia Pérez” (Damien Jalet) – Netflix
Cinematography: “Nickel Boys” (Jomo Fray) – Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios
Costume Design: “Wicked” (Paul Tazewell) – Universal Pictures
Editing: “Emilia Pérez” (Juliette Welfling) – Netflix
Hair & Makeup: “The Substance” (Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello & Marilyne Scarselli) – MUBI
Production Design/Set Decoration/Prop Master: “Wicked” (Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales & Jamie Wilkinson) – Universal Pictures
Score: “Challengers “(Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross) – Amazon MGM Studios
Song: “Will & Harper” – “Harper and Will Go West” (Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig & Josh Greenbaum) – Netflix
Sound: “Dune: Part Two” (Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett & Doug Hemphill) – Warner Bros. Pictures / Legendary Pictures
Stunts: “The Fall Guy” (Chris O’Hara) – Universal Pictures
Visual Effects: “Dune: Part Two” (Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe & Gerd Nefzer) – Warner Bros. Pictures / Legendary Pictures
Sundance Unveils Short Film Program for 2025
Right on the heels of the Sundance Film Festival’s feature lineup being announced, 57 short films have been unveiled as part of the festival’s eight short film programs.
The 57 films were chosen from 11,153 submissions. 6,244 international titles represented 28 countries and territories while 4,909 shorts came from the U.S.
“Our Short Film Program celebrates fresh styles and unique stories. The short run time encourages innovation,” said Mike Plante, senior programmer of short films at Sundance. “Audiences will find much of the next generation of film talent here, with raw, exciting and inspired filmmaking from around the world in each of our eight programs.
The U.S. Fiction Short Films include: “An Almost Successful Dating App Love Story,” “Azi,” “Debaters,” “Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting,” “En Memoria,” “Full Month,” “Goodnight,” “THE LILY (เดอะลิลลี่),” “Out for Delivery,” “Ragamuffin,” “remember me,” “Somebody Cares,” “Such Good Friends,” “SUSANA,” “Sweet Talkie’ Guy,” “Swollen,” “The Things We Keep,” “Troikas Duras,” “Unholy, “Vox Humana” and “We’re Not Done Yet.”
The International Fiction Short Films include: “Almost Certainly False,” “Are You Scared To Be Yourself Because You Think That You Might Fail?” “B(l)ind The Sacrifice,” “Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites,” “Hippopotami,” Pasta Negra,” “People & Things,” “Platanero,” “Stranger, Brother,” “Suo Jiang,” “Sweetheart” and “UPPER.”
The Animated Short Films include: “Bunnyhood,” “Caries,” “Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado, “The Eating of an Orange,” “Field Recording,” “Flower Show,” “Hurikán,” “Inkwo for When the Starving Return,” “Jesus 2,” “Luz Diabla,” “Paradise Man (ii),” “A Round of Applause for Death” and “View From the Floor.”
The Nonfiction Short Films list includes: “Deadlock,” “Death Education,” “Entre le Feu et le Clair de Lune,” “The Flowers Stand Silently,” “Witnessing,” “Hold Me Close,” “Hoops,” “Hopes & Dreams,” “The Long Valley,” “Miss You Perdularia,” “The Reality of Hope,” “Tiger” and “We Were The Scenery.”
The festival runs in Park City from Jan. 23-Feb. 2 with select titles available online from Jan. 30-Feb. 2.
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