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  • Three Philly restaurants earn stars in Michelin Guide’s first review of the city’s dining scene

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    • Her Place Supper Club (1740 Sansom St., Rittenhouse): Before opening My Loup, Amanda Shulman created Her Place Supper Club in 2021 after working at a few Vetri restaurants and Momofoku Ko. The restaurant began as a pop-up supper club, so the menu changes frequently, although it tends to lean French and Italian. Michelin said Her Place Supper Club was “accomplished and beautifully balanced.”  

    Friday Saturday SundayFriday Saturday SundayJon Tuleya/PhillyVoice

    Friday Saturday Sunday, located at 261 S. 21st St. in Rittenhouse, earned one Michelin star, with the reviewers saying ‘expect an atmosphere as spirited and enjoyable as the food on the menu.’

    • Friday Saturday Sunday (261 S. 21st St., Rittenhouse): The Center City spot serves contemporary American cuisine and won a James Beard award in 2023. It was included on the 50 Best brand’s North America’s 50 Best Restaurants, and the establishment’s head bartender Paul MacDonald was recently named one of Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40 Tastemakers. Michelin said “expect an atmosphere as spirited and enjoyable as the food on the menu.”

    Owners Chad and Hanna Williams said it was an unexpected honor. 

    “We were terrified,” Chad Williams said. “Everybody said, ‘Oh, you’re gonna get it. You’re gonna get it.’ And we were a mess. … We’re just happy to get the recognition, and it kind of puts a little more fire under us.”

    Hanna Williams added: “You work your whole life for it so it’s incredible when it happens.”

    Provenance BazikProvenance BazikMichaela Althouse/PhillyVoice

    Provenance chef Nicholas Bazik, center, stands on stage to accept the honor of his restaurant earning a Michelin star.

    • Provenance (408 S. 2nd St., Society Hill): The 25-seat restaurant inside an old rowhome merges French cuisine with a bit of Korean flavors in a seafood-heavy tasting menu. In September, Bon Appétit included it in its roundup of the 20 best new restaurants in the country. Michelin said its “high-stakes performance is defined by precision, harmony and of course based on Korean and French influences.”

    “We’ve only been open for a year and so this is quite amazing,” Bazik said. “We’ve worked really hard, and we’re just really happy to be part of the conversation and to be extended beyond that is just incredible.”

    Bib Gourmand awards

    The star awards tend to favor fine-dining restaurants, which come at a high cost to consumers. But in 1997, the Bib Gourmand award was introduced for eateries with meals at a relatively reasonable price. Price limits vary by region based on the cost of living. Michelin said that Bib Gourmand awardees often offer simpler dishes that are easy-to-eat and easily recognizable, and that they will “also leave you with a sense of satisfaction, at having eaten so well at such a reasonable price.” 

    Here are the Philly restaurants that were awarded a Bib Gourmand:

    • Angelo’s (736 S. 9th St.)

    • Dalessandro’s (600 Wendover St.)

    • Del Rossi’s (538 N. 4th St.)

    • Dizengoff (1625 Sansom St.)

    • El Chingon (1524 S. 10th St.)

    • Fiorella (817 Christian St.)

    • 4th Street Deli (700 S 4th St.)

    • Pizzeria Beddia (1313 N. Lee St.)

    • Royal Sushi & Izakaya (780 S. 2nd St.)

    • Sally (2229 Spruce St.)

    The Green Star

    Pietramala, a vegan spot at 614 N. 2nd St. in Northern Liberties, was awarded a Green Star, which recognizes restaurants with sustainable practices that source ingredients from eco-friendly suppliers and reduce wasteful materials in their kitchens.  

    Ian Graye of Pietramala,Ian Graye of Pietramala,Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice

    Chef Ian Graye of Pietramala was awarded a Michelin Green Star for his restaurant’s dedication to sustainability.

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    Michaela Althouse

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  • Tom Cruise Is Finally an Oscar Winner at 2025 Governors Awards

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    Even in a room full of movie stars, no one shines brighter than Tom Cruise.

    The four-time nominee finally got his Oscar Nov. 16 at the annual Governors Awards—where, in front of a star-studded crowd, he accepted his golden statue while emphasizing his lifelong dedication to the art form. “Making films is not what I do,” Cruise said. “It’s who I am.”

    Along with Cruise, director/choreographer/actor Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas were given Academy Honorary Awards, while Dolly Parton was honored with the Dean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the event—an opportunity for the Academy to highlight industry titans who may or may not have received competitive Oscars.

    The annual event at Hollywood’s Ray Dolby ballroom is packed with stars, many of whom are currently on the campaign trail for next year’s Oscars. It’s the sort of event where you’ll walk into a crowded elevator with Guillermo del Toro, Joseph Kosinski, and Jafar Panahi—where the Frankenstein director will tell the Top Gun Maverick filmmaker, “You clean up nice.” Dwayne Johnson makes his way through the crowded ballroom room hand-in-hand with his Smashing Machine co-star Emily Blunt; Austin Butler wanders by to talk to Joe Alwyn and Josh O’Connor; One Battle After Another stars Chase Infiniti and Teyana Taylor are huddled in a corner with Michael B. Jordan and Jacob Elordi. Adam Sandler yells “it’s the boys!” when he sees his Uncut Gems directors, Benny and Josh Safdie across the room, and rushes to give them a warm embrace. Leonardo DiCaprio’s there too, though he doesn’t wander around the room—instead spending most of his time at his table with his One Battle After Another co-star and fellow Oscar winner Benico del Toro.

    But when it was time to honor Cruise, the stars quieted down, and all the focus turned to a man who had built his whole career around movies. After an introduction by director Alejandro iñárritu—Cruise is starring in his next movie—and a montage of clips from his greatest films, Cruise took the stage to accept his award. He spoke very little about himself, instead shining a spotlight on the other honorees, then all the agents, execs, actors, and directors who helped him along the way. Cruise spoke passionately about the unifying quality of watching a movie in theaters. “No matter where we come from in that theater, we laugh, we feel together, we hope together. That is why it matters to me,” he said. “Making films is not what I do – it’s who I am.”

    Cruise, who was previously nominated as an actor for Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia and as a producer on Top Gun: Maverick, promised that this lifetime achievement Oscar didn’t mean his moviemaking career was coming to an end.“I want you to know that I will always do everything I can to support and champion new voices, to protect what makes cinema powerful – and hopefully to do it without too many more broken bones,” said Cruise.

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    Rebecca Ford

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  • Timothée Chalamet and Adam Sandler Unite for ‘Vanity Fair’ Scene Selection Live

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    After watching a scene from Dune: Part Two, Chalamet revealed he had only wrapped filming Part Three of the series four days before. “It’s moving for me that something as out there as Dune has taken a personal resonance for me,” said Chalamet. “I’m tearing up watching that scene. I’ve grown up through those movies.” The film, set to be released at the end of next year, marks the conclusion of the Denis Villeneuve-directed trilogy.

    After watching SNL’s “The Herlihy Boy House-Sitting Service” sketch, Sandler spoke about his relationship with his late friend Chris Farley. “He was by far the funniest dude on the planet,” said Sandler. “Every comedian, it was unanimous that we all said he was the funniest. There was no competition.” Before they taping an episode of SNL, Sandler said that Farley would joke with him backstage that he was going to get him to break—a big no-no for Lorne Michaels.

    Courtesy of Netflix.

    Both actors spoke highly of working with Safdie. Josh and his brother Benny directed Sandler in Uncut Gems, pushing the actor outside his comfort zone. “I’d be scared to do some shit and feel like I couldn’t do it,” said Sandler. “Or I’d feel foolish, or maybe I don’t want to be seen like that. But I just dove in.” Chalamet said he had a similar experience making Marty Supreme. “Josh gave me this opportunity where I feel empowered to be something I would almost be wary of being in this day and age, which is to be openly aspirational. I feel ike the goal of my life is to focus on this acting thing, the way Marty Mauser is locked in on ping pong.”

    The night ended in a surprise two-on-two basketball game, with Sandler and Chalamet taking on two students from the crowd. The actors sparred, but ultimately lost 3-1 while the fans cheered them on. Kid Cudi, who appeared earlier this year in Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2, and Josh Safdie both attended the conversation as well, with Chalamet giving Cudi a shout-out as one of his major inspirations. The two actors greeted fans after the basketball game as guests left the gymnasium to head back out into the rain. The full video of Sandler and Chalamet’s conversation will be posted in December.

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    John Ross

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  • The SAG Awards Get a Facelift: Call Them the Actor Awards Now

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    The Screen Actors Guild Awards were first handed out 30 years ago—a lifetime in Hollywood. It’s only natural, then, for the ceremony to get a little nip and tuck. Vanity Fair can exclusively reveal that, as of this year, the annual awards show honoring performers in film and television will be known as the Actor Awards, presented by SAG-AFTRA.

    This major change comes on the heels of several notable shifts for the event, which most people call the SAG Awards. The SAG Awards ditched cable in 2023 to stream live on Netflix’s YouTube channel, moving to the streamer’s actual platform in 2024. Having increased global reach motivated the guild’s leadership to consider a name that felt more universal. “The evolution of this has been a long time coming,” showrunner Jon Brockett tells VF. “We really want the show to grow beyond just a domestic audience, and I think something simple and straightforward like the Actor Awards is a way to identify who we are very quickly and very easily.”

    Conversations about a name change have been percolating since at least 2012, when the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) merged to create a single union called SAG-AFTRA. “We were trying to figure out how we now make it clear that our union name has changed, but that we’re still the same show. And the continuity of it is the actor,” says SAG Awards Committee chair JoBeth Williams.

    The new name rolls off the tongue a bit more easily, and is also a logical fit for the show’s priorities. This star-studded event allows actors to honor their peers with a handmade 12-pound bronze statuette that’s also called “the Actor.” The statuette, which features a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, has been an emblem of the event since its inception in 1995.

    The SAG Awards are considered by many actors to be one of the most important stops of the season. The awards’ winners sometimes surge in the acting races, though just as often this voting body’s choices don’t align with those of the Academy in closely contested races. Just earlier this year, for example, Conclave won best ensemble at the SAG Awards, while A Complete Unknown’s Timothée Chalamet won for lead actor; neither was victorious in the corresponding categories at the Oscars.

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    Rebecca Ford

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  • Charlotte shines at the Michelin awards: Which restaurants were honored?

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    The articles discuss the Michelin Guide American South, highlighting how Charlotte restaurants feature prominently in the awards. They reveal which eateries received honors, showcasing the emerging food scene in the Carolinas.

    “Charlotte restaurants win big, celebrate Michelin Guide American South honors” reports that the tasting restaurant Counter- earned both a Michelin Star and a Green Star.

    Additionally, Lang Van received a Bib Gourmand.

    Chef Joe Kindred’s restaurants, including Hello, Sailor, earned recommended status along with Restaurant Constance.

    “All the NC restaurants recognized in the Michelin Guide American South” outlines various recognition levels, such as Michelin Stars, Bib Gourmand, and Recommended. It lists which North Carolina restaurants received these honors across multiple cuisines.

    “Why is there a dash in Counter-? The story behind Charlotte’s Michelin Star restaurant” focuses on Counter-, which won a Michelin Star and a Green Star, as well as its founder’s vision. It describes how the restaurant pushes culinary boundaries with its creative tasting menu.

    Michelin Guides director Gwendal Poullennec, chef/owner Sam Hart of Counter-, executive beverage director Michael Myers of Counter- and Michelin Guide American South ceremony host Java Ingram gather on stage with Michelin Man mascot Bibendum on Monday, Nov. 3 as Counter- was awarded one Michelin Star in addition to a Michelin Green Star. By Heidi Finley

    NO. 1: CHARLOTTE RESTAURANTS WIN BIG, CELEBRATE MICHELIN GUIDE AMERICAN SOUTH HONORS

    Michelin Guide officials announced selections for the new American South version of the little red book on Monday, with several Charlotte eateries highlighted among the region’s best restaurants. | Published November 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Heidi Finley



    Rada is a new contemporary American restaurant serving up vegetable-forward, European-inspired cuisine on Selwyn Ave. By Laura Pol

    NO. 2: ALL THE NC RESTAURANTS RECOGNIZED IN THE MICHELIN GUIDE AMERICAN SOUTH

    Restaurants named in the Michelin Guide American South have been announced, and now is the perfect time to get a taste of what the food scene has been buzzing about all year. | Published November 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Heidi Finley



    Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, sat down with CharlotteFive for an in-depth interview on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in Greenville, SC, after the announcement of selections for the Michelin Guide American South. By Heidi Finley

    NO. 3: MEET THE REAL MICHELIN MAN, THE FRENCH EXECUTIVE RUNNING THE MICHELIN GUIDES

    With the announcement of the Michelin Guide American South, the Carolinas’ culinary scene is making its presence known. | Published November 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Heidi Finley



    Joe Cash’s Scoundrel restaurant in Greenville, SC, was awarded one star from Michelin.

    NO. 4: 4 SC RESTAURANTS EARN MICHELIN STARS — A FIRST FOR THE SOUTH. HERE’S WHO WAS HONORED

    Four South Carolina restaurants have been awarded one star in the inaugural selection of the Michelin Guide for the American South. | Published November 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Lyn Riddle



    A 2021 menu at Counter- restaurant in Charlotte was an origami paper fortune teller design. By Alex Cason

    NO. 5: WHY IS THERE A DASH IN COUNTER-? THE STORY BEHIND CHARLOTTE’S MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANT

    Charlotte’s dining scene reached a new milestone Monday, Nov. | Published November 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by CharlotteFive staff

    The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

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  • Grammys 2026 Nominations: The Biggest Snubs and Surprises

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    Listen here. The 2026 Grammy nominations were announced Friday morning, marking honors for artists such as Lady Gaga—who surpassed her own nomination record this year by getting seven, including album of the year. Super Bowl 2026 halftime performer Bad Bunny did well, scoring six of his own; so did last year’s headliner, Kendrick Lamar, who scooped up nine. Sabrina Carpenter is standing tall with a half-dozen nods, including for album, record, and song of the year—all three of the night’s biggest awards.

    Sure, it’s an honor just to be nominated. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have strong opinions about those nominations, right?

    Vanity Fair’s staff of cultural experts erupted with opinions while taking in the nods this morning: There was jubilation for Addison Rae’s best new artist nod, and a raised eyebrow at the total exclusion of Lorde from the list. There was also confusion: what exactly is the difference between a contemporary country album and a traditional country album? And while we love Doechii’s “Anxiety,” doesn’t that song feel like it’s been around for tens of years—how is it still eligible for Grammys?

    No, we’re not inviting you into our Slack channel—members only! But below, find the VF staff’s hot (and correct) takes on the biggest snubs and surprises of the 2026 Grammy nominations.

    SNUB: Lorde Gets Shut Out

    Lorde is hardly a Grammy virgin, having won two awards for her debut song “Royals”. Since then, she’s had a complicated relationship with the Recording Academy. Her second album, Melodrama, was nominated for album of the year, but she was not asked to perform solo come Grammy night. Fans noticed, and that decision was swept up in the online discourse about how the Recording Academy treats female artists. Since then, Lorde has struggled to get recognition from the group. Her most recent album, Virgin, was seen as a return to form—and while it didn’t produce major hits like “Royals,” it felt in the same vein as Melodrama, an album with a loyal and dedicated fanbase that went on to become very influential in pop music. Sadly, Grammy voters weren’t feeling it for Lorde. She didn’t receive one nomination this morning, not even in the smaller categories. —John Ross

    SURPRISE: Addison Rae Is in for Best New Artist

    “Fame is a Gun,” and Addison Rae has it pointed at the best new artist category. Rae fell on, and then off, every prediction list for this award—but when the announcement was finally made, she clinched the nomination as pop music fans rejoiced. Though her album, Addison, was widely praised by critics, many thought the Grammy voters wouldn’t understand her brand of pop, and the many nods she makes to artists like Lana Del Rey and Britney Spears. Her origin story as a TikTok star, also didn’t help. But it turns out voters liked what she was doing. During the voting period, Rae happened to be on tour; she delivered solid live performances on The Tonight Show and at the Grammy museum, which could have put her over the top. Now please put your headphones on, and listen to one of the best pop albums of the year if you haven’t already. —JR

    SNUB: Elton John & Brandi Carlile’s “Who Believes in Angels?” in Album of the Year

    An album that was made in a factory for Grammy voters was surprisingly snubbed this morning—proof, perhaps, that as the Recording Academy expands its membership, some of these typical shoo-ins are going by the wayside. Elton John has never won album of the year, despite being nominated for the category three times, and the sentiment that he was owed another chance is why many expected his album with Brandi Carlile to be nominated. But this was a very crowded year in music, and unfortunately for Elton, the album never really took off. —JR

    SNUB: “DAISIES” Was Not “Clocking” to Voters

    Despite originating what Alex Warren deniers would call the song of the summer with “Daisies,” Justin Bieber got little love in the Grammys’ big three categories. His surprise R&B album SWAG came on the heels of Bieber’s infamous “standing on business” paparazzi video, offering prodigious instrumentation and an ode to the Rhode lip-gloss-carrier iPhone case—the makings of a great album. And though it was evidently great enough for album of the year, Bieber was blanked in record and song of the year. Maybe that snub is attributable to the subsequent release of his spotty (and shockingly long) SWAG II—evidence that sequels sometimes make things worse. —Abigail Sylvor Greenberg

    SURPRISE: Harlequin Squeaks into Best Traditional Pop Album

    Though it’s no surprise that Mayhem received its flowers on Grammy nomination day, I was a little worried that Gaga’s other most recent album would be left in the shadows of its highly panned companion film, Joker: Folie á Deux. The vocal performances on Harlequin are truly some of Gaga’s best work—including “Happy Mistake,” which I believe is one of her best songs to date. Now to rewatch her performance of “Happy Mistake” on Jimmy Kimmel to celebrate. —Brandon Leung

    SNUB: Jade in Best New Artist

    As a Mixer, I have been standing by this woman for 13 years—but the lack of recognition from this side of the pond has not gotten any easier to stomach. X Factor and Little Mix alum Jade Thirwall had one of the most impressive debuts I’ve seen in years: “Angel of My Dreams” is ambitious and unique.“Fantasy,” “Plastic Box,” “Midnight Cowboy,” “Self Sabotage,” “Lip Service”—the girl didn’t let us breathe! I have a huge respect for artists who fearlessly surrender themselves to their creativity and vision, and Jade is just that. Too bad the Grammys didn’t agree —BL

    SURPRISE: KATSEYE Gets a “Gnarly” Best New Artist Nod

    Demon hunters aren’t the only rising stars in the K-pop space. KATSEYE, the K-pop girl group whose formation was captured on the Netflix reality competition series Pop Star Academy, scored a surprise nomination for best new artist this year. Last summer, the world watched as Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Yoonchae, Daniela Avanzini, Megan Skiendiel, and Sophia Laforteza survived a rigorous multi-year audition process before being hand-selected to form the world’s first global K-Pop group. Since their debut, KATSEYE has been steadily rising, with a viral dance for their first single “Touch” taking TikTok by storm and Gap shrewdly hiring the diverse girl group to pose for a jean ad shortly after Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle debacle. The momentum was clear when KATSEYE pulled off an unexpected win for Push Performance of the Year (whatever that is) at the VMAs in 2025. Still, a best new artist Grammy nod didn’t seem like a sure bet, given their humble reality television beginnings and the fact that other fresh-faced solo pop acts like Olivia Dean and Addison Rae seemed to dominate the discourse this year. But through a combination of talent, hard work, and certified bops, KATSEYE was able to convince the music industry to take them seriously. That’s “Gnarly.” — Chris Murphy

    SURPRISE: PinkPantheress Breaks Through

    Once, it was just her and her permanently shouldered purse against the world. Now PinkPantheress has finally scored her first-ever Grammy nominations: Illegal is up for best dance pop recording, and her mixtape Fancy That was nominated for best dance/electronic album. It’s a huge day for both her and Stateside addicts—her track, now remixed with Zara Larsson (also a long overdue nomination this round), lands just as both artists are catching a fresh lease on U.S. recognition and TikTok obsession. DJ Joe, The Dare to PinkPanthress’s Charli XCX—or maybe the tartan-clad Ryan Evans to her Sharpay, whatever your prerogative—also deserves credit for the Fancy That era that makes her latest work impossible to ignore. (Somehow, best new artist still passed her by—but we’ll take a win when we get one.) —Wengel Gemu

    SNUB: A Big X for BigXThaPlug

    In a lineage of outlaw country artists that includes Lil Nas X (2020), Jelly Roll (2024), and Shaboozey (2025), the Academy seemed primed to recognize yet another crossover country act this year: BigXThaPlug, the Texas rapper whose 2025 album I Hope You’re Happy won hearts, minds, and a place on the Billboard country charts. Indeed, the newly created best contemporary country album prize (which I’m inclined to nickname the Cowboy Carter Memorial Award) seemed designed with BigX in mind. But perhaps BigX proved a bridge too far for the Nashville voting block, because he didn’t make it onto the list. BigX also appeared on many best new artist prediction lists—but a roster of TikTok hitmakers (Olivia Dean, Lola Young) left no room for music’s favorite hip hop upstart turned Ella Langley collaborator. In fact, there was no room at all for rap or country in best new artist this year, and a total shutout of country in the show’s main prizes The Shaboozification of pop is over, it seems—at least for Grammy voters. —ASG

    SNUB: Best New Artist Nominations Run Out For Role Model

    Over the course of the last year, Role Model has convinced everyone from Charli xcx and Olivia Rodrigo to Natalie Portman and Kate Hudson to join him onstage while performing his viral, joy-infused hit, “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out.” But the extremely online singer/songwriter, whose name is actually Tucker Pillsbury, couldn’t charm his way into the highly sought after best new artist category this year. My guess is that the Recording Academy favored new kid on the rock block Sombr in place of Pillsbury’s more folk inspired pop-rock. Which is a huge bummer, considering Pillsbury—who released his first EP in 2017—really came into his own with his heartfelt breakup album Kansas Anymore, after making the risky leap from Soundcloud rapper to the mainstream. Don’t cry for Role Model: He has a role in Lena Dunham‘s upcoming rom-com, and a focus firmly on his next album. As he told Vanity Fair last year on the eve of his album release, “I’m happy with the music I’ve made and where my career is at. I feel like this is my happy ending—finally.” That said, I will be keeping an eye on Pillsbury’s cheeky “enemies list” on Instagram—because the Recording Academy might have just earned itself a spot on it. —Daniela Tijerina

    SNUB: No Flipping Nominations for Benson Boone

    The ubiquity of a pop song does not always translate into a Grammy nomination, much to my surprise, specifically with the case of Benson Boone’s “Mystical Magical.” We, as a people, have been inundated with this record on almost every platform possible, from Midwestern GRWMs and spoofs on TikTok to Spotify’s suspicious habit of repeatedly queuing this song after Radiohead. Because of this virtual inescapability, I had assumed Boone’s song would be nominated for either song or record of the year. I am happy to be wrong, though I fear the era of “moonbeam ice cream” is not yet over: there is still a chance that the Recording Academy could wheel out Benson Boone for a surprise performance at the Grammys, where he backflips continuously to this song. My guess is that I was not the only one for whom this ice cream flavor has run dry. —Wisdom Iheanyichukwu

    SURPRISE: What Does “Traditional” and “Contemporary” Country Even Mean?

    Over the last few years, country music’s long-running war between cowboys and city slickers reached new levels of intensity, as Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan became megastars while Beyoncé and Post Malone entered the genre. This divide led to some upsets during awards ceremonies, and even Beyoncé was memorably surprised when she took home the country trophy last year. For the 2026 Grammys, a new split between “traditional country” and “contemporary country” was meant to address some hurt feelings—but though they may have made sense in theory, the biggest surprise is that these new categories are incredibly arbitrary in practice.

    Wallen and Bryan both declined to submit their most recent albums for Grammy eligibility, and no further pop stars made an entry into the genre. So the divide is mainly one of vibes. Willie Nelson and his son Lukas Nelson are both on the traditional side. So is their friend and acolyte Margo Price. Considering their attitudes towards major-label Nashville, that all makes sense. Kelsea Ballerini and Eric Church wound up in a logical place on the contemporary side, too. But it’s hard to see how Tyler Childers is considered contemporary when similarly twangy artists Zach Top and Charley Crockett are not. And every Miranda Lambert album focuses on blowing up the binary between traditional and pop country, so either outcome wouldn’t feel quite right for her. In the end, there’s not a bad album in this bunch—even Jelly Roll’s occasionally baffling country-rap extravaganza Beautifully Broken is worth a listen—so I suppose I can be satisfied knowing that there will be two big country moments on stage during this February’s show. —Erin Vanderhoof

    SURPRISE: Knocking on EGOT’s Door

    How about that: Timothée Chalamet just earned his first Grammy nomination for the music of A Complete Unknown. The actor’s rise to the Grammys has been fated ever since that viral “Statistics” video where he first showcased his musical prowess. As a big fan of Bob Dylan, I was very excited for the Dylan Disease (no one calls it that) to take over a new generation thanks to Chalamet’s amazing portrayal of him in the film. Now I implore the Recording Academy, on behalf of all fans of Muad’Dib, to do what the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has failed to do and make sure Chalamet does not go home empty-handed that night. When Vogue recently asked if Chalamet would ever return to television, he responded with a simple “No.” That said, an EGOT could still be in his future if Emmy voters agree to revisit his 2012 stint in Homeland and reward him with a retroactive award. (They do that, right?) —WI

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    Wengel Gemu, Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Brandon Leung, Chris Murphy, John Ross, Abigail Sylvor Greenberg, Daniela Tijerina, Erin Vanderhoof, Kase Wickman

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  • British Independent Film Awards: ‘My Father’s Shadow’ and ‘Pillion’ Lead Nominations

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    Akinola Davies Jr.’s Lagos-set coming-of-age tale My Father’s Shadow and Harry Lighton’s kinky queer romance Pillion are among the frontrunners at the 2025 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs), which revealed its nominations Monday.

    Unveiled by actors Ben Hardy and Saura Lightfoot-Leon at One Hundred Shoreditch in London, Davies’ directorial debut leads the BIFA nominations with 12 nods, closely followed by Lighton’s Pillion with 10. Both features premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews. Davies and Lighton also scored best debut director nominations, as well as best screenplay and best debut screenwriter nods, among others.

    In the performance categories, big-name nominees include the likes of Jennifer Lawrence for Die My Love (which received eight BIFA nods in total), Cillian Murphy for Steve, as well as David Jonsson and Tom Blyth for Wasteman.

    Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard are nominated for best lead and best supporting performance, respectively, for Pillion, while Robert Aramayo will compete with fellow lead actors for his turn in Kirk Jones’ I Swear, which received nine BIFA nominations in total. He’ll go up against Frank Dillane, who is nominated for his turn in Harris Dickinson’s Urchin.

    Elsewhere, Dickinson has netted best debut director and best British independent film nods for Urchin for a total of six nominations. Tim Key and Tom Basden have been nominated for best joint lead performance in The Ballad of Wallis Island (five total), with Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn nominated in the same category for Paul Andrew Williams’ Dragonfly.

    Ebada Hassan and Safiyya Ingar are also nominated in the best joint lead performance category for Nadia Fall’s debut feature Brides, and both have secured a breakthrough performance nod. In this category, they’ll compete with Posy Sterling for Lollipop and Connor Tompkins for The Son and the Sea.

    Alex Garfield’s boots-on-the-ground military drama Warfare has won best ensemble performance award, it was confirmed Monday, with D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Joseph Quinn and Charles Melton honored among the film’s six craft nominations.

    In the best international feature category, Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident goes up against Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, Sirāt from Oliver Laxe, Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby and Mascha Schilinski’s Sound of Falling.

    Breakthrough producer nominations go to Wyn Baptiste for activism documentary Shoot the People, Charlotte Knowles for cross-border doc Palestine Comedy Club, Joann Kushner for screenlife heist movie LifeHack and Dhiraj Mahey for social-realist coming-of-age drama Ish.

    Check out the full list of nominees for the 2025 BIFAs below.

    Best British Independent Film

    The Ballad of Wallis Island
    I Swear
    My Father’s Shadow
    Pillion
    Urchin

    Best Director

    Laura Carreira, On Falling
    Akinola Davies Jr., My Father’s Shadow
    Kirk Jones, I Swear
    Harry Lighton, Pillion
    Lynne Ramsay, Die My Love

    Best Screenplay

    Tom Basden, Tim Key, The Ballad of Wallis Island
    Laura Carreira, On Falling
    Wale Davies, My Father’s Shadow
    Kirk Jones, I Swear
    Harry Lighton, Pillion

    Best Lead Performance

    Robert Aramayo, I Swear
    Frank Dillane, Urchin
    David Jonsson, Wasteman
    Jennifer Lawrence, Die My Love
    Harry Melling, Pillion
    Cillian Murphy, Steve

    Best Supporting Performance

    Tom Blyth, Wasteman
    Scott Ellis Watson, I Swear
    Jay Lycurgo, Steve
    Peter Mullan, I Swear
    Maxine Peake, I Swear
    Alexander Skarsgard, Pillion

    Best Joint Lead Performance

    Ebada Hassan, Saffiya Ingar, Brides
    Tim Key, Tom Basden, The Ballad of Wallis Island
    Andrea Riseborough, Brenda Blethyn, Dragonfly

    Best Ensemble Performance

    D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Joseph Quinn, Charles Melton, Warfare (WINNER)

    The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)

    Laura Carreira, On Falling
    Akinola Davies Jr., My Father’s Shadow
    Harris Dickinson, Urchin
    Harry Lighton, Pillion
    Cal McMau, Wasteman

    Breakthrough Producer

    Wyn Baptiste, Shoot the People
    Charlotte Knowles, Palestine Comedy Club
    Joann Kushner, LifeHack
    Dhiraj Mahey, Ish
    Archie Pearch, Urchin

    Breakthrough Performance

    Scott Ellis Watson, I Swear
    Ebada Hassan, Brides
    Safiyya Ingar, Brides
    Posy Sterling, Lollipop
    Connor Tompkins, The Son and The Sea

    Best Debut Screenwriter

    Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran, Wasteman
    Tom Basden, Tim Key, The Ballad of Wallis Island
    Laura Carreira, On Falling
    Wale Davies, My Father’s Shadow
    Harry Lighton, Pillion

    Best Debut Director — Feature Documentary

    Myrid Carten, A Want in Her
    Cecile Embleton, Alys Tomlinson, Mother Vera
    Victoria Mapplebeck, Motherboard

    The Raindance Maverick Award

    Foul Evil Deeds, Richard Hunter
    Holloway, Sophie Compton, Daisy-May Hudson, Stella Heath Keir, Alice Hughes, Polly Creed
    Mother Vera, Cecile Embleton, Alys Tomlinson, Laura Shacham
    Motherboard, Victoria Mapplebeck
    A Want in Her, Myrid Carten

    Best Feature Documentary

    Antidote, James Jones, David Moulton
    Mother Vera, Cecile Embleton, Alys Tomlinson, Laura Shacham
    Motherboard, Victoria Mapplebeck
    The Shepherd and The Bear, Max Keegan, Elizabeth Woodward, Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss
    A Want in Her, Myrid Carten, Tadgh O’Sullivan, Roisin Geraghty, Kat Mansoor

    Best British Short Film

    Flock, Max Nixon, Matt Ashwell, Daley Nixon
    Magid/Zafar, Luis Hindman, Sufiyaan Salam, Aidan Robert Brooks
    A Sisphyean Task, Gus Flind-Henry, George Malcher, George Telfer
    Stomach Bug, Matty Crawford, Karima Sammout Kanellopoulou
    Two Black Boys in Paradise, Ben Jackson, Baz Sells, Dean Atta

    Best International Independent Film

    It Was Just an Accident
    Sentimental Value
    Sirāt
    Sorry, Baby
    Sound of Falling

    Best Casting

    Shaheen Baig, Brides
    Shaheen Baig, Urchin
    Kharmel Cochrane, Warfare
    Laura Evans, I Swear
    Robert Sterne, Steve

    Best Cinematography

    Charlotte Bruus Christensen, H Is for Hawk
    Jermiane Edwards, My Father’s Shadow
    Cecile Embleton, Mother Vera
    Seamus McGarvey, Die My Love
    Piotr Niemyjski, A Pale View of Hills

    Best Costume Design

    Susie Coulthard, 100 Nights of Hero
    Kirsty Halliday, Tornado
    Grace Snell, Pillion
    Sayaka Takahashi, Matthew Price, A Pale View of Hills
    PC Williams, My Father’s Shadow

    Best Editing

    Ronan Corrigan, Aleksandr Kletsov, LifeHack
    Omar Guzman Castro, My Father’s Shadow
    Fin Oates, Warfare
    Sam Rice-Edwards, One to One: John & Yoko
    Gareth C. Scales, Pillion

    Best Effects

    Simon Stanley-Clamp, Ryan Conder, Warfare
    Victor Tomi, Die My Love
    Hayley Williams, Conor O’Sullivan, Martin Malmqvist, The Thing With Feathers

    Best Music Supervision

    Phil Canning, Wasteman
    Ian Neil, Raife Burchell, Die My Love
    Bridget Samuels, Urchin

    Best Make-Up & Hair Design

    Kehinde Are, Feyzo Oyebisi, My Father’s Shadow
    Diandra Ferreira, Pillion
    Paul Gooch, Tristan Versluis, Warfare
    Colleen LaBaff, Miho Suzuki, Die My Love
    Natasha Lawes, 100 Nights of Hero

    Best Original Music

    Tom Basden, Adem Ilhan, The Ballad of Wallis Island
    Bobby Krlic, Anemone
    Jed Kurzel, Tornado
    CJ Mirra, Duval Timothy, My Father’s Shadow
    Steven Price, Ocean With David Attenborough

    Best Production Design

    Jennifer Anti, Pablo Anti, My Father’s Shadow
    Mark Digby, Warfare
    Tim Grimes, Die My Love
    Nathan Parker, Harvest
    Sofia Sacomani, 100 Nights of Hero

    Best Sound

    Steve Fanagan, Stevie Haywood, Anemone
    Tim Burns, Paul Davies, Linda Forsen, Andrew Stirk, Ron Osiowy, Die, My Love
    Nina Hartstone, Jake Whitelee, Jens Petersen, Mike Tehrani, Rob Davidson, Ish
    CJ Mirra, James Ridgway, Joe Jackson, Adele Fletcher, Pius Fatoke, My Father’s Shadow
    Sound Team, Warfare

    The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film

    To be announced later

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    Georg Szalai

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  • Tokyo: Yoji Yamada and Lee Sang-il Talk Japanese Cinema, Craft and Following Anime’s Global Success

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    Two generational talents of Japanese cinema shared the stage to discuss each other’s work at Tokyo International Film Festival, where each has been celebrated with an award. Yōji Yamada, 91, has more than 90 directing credits to his name, while Lee Sang-il’s Kokuho is the biggest Japanese live-action box office hit in decades, having passed 16 billion yen ($105 million), and is Japan’s entry for the best international film Oscar.

    Mutual respect was more than evident, and the conversation flowed through analysis of their craft to gentle teasing, mostly from Yamada, at the standing-room only event.

    The veteran director was the first recipient of the festival’s Akira Kurosawa Award in 2004, along with Steven Spielberg. This year, it was Lee’s turn to receive it, with Yamada given the Lifetime Achievement Award the previous day.

    “They’ve introduced our films side by side, but compared with his grand epic, mine feels like quite a lightweight. I’m almost embarrassed to see them together,” said Yamada of his Tokyo Taxi, his reimagining of Christian Carion’s Driving Madeliene (2022).

    Lee, whose film Kokuho translates as national treasure, replied: “If there is such a thing as a living national treasure in filmmaking, Yamada-sensei is definitely one. I just hope to absorb even a little of his dedication.”

    Though there was a moderator on stage, Yamada effectively took his role for the opening stretch of the talk, asking questioning Lee on how he had portrayed Japan’s traditional kabuki theater, and the human drama between two of its practitioners, so vividly and convincingly onscreen.  

    Yamada began by probing into the “dramatic structure” of Kokuho, the story of two kabuki actors whose lives are bound by artistry, desire, and fate.

    “Usually, when you have two male leads, a woman is between them in some sort of triangle. But here, something entirely different lies between them: homosexuality. It’s this irrational romantic force that becomes the very theme of the story. That’s what makes this film extraordinary,” said Yamada.

    That dynamic tension had been created by Shuichi Yoshida, the author of the 2018 novel on which the film is based, noted Lee. The director previously adapted Yoshida’s Akunin (Villain) in 2010 and Ikari (Rage) in 2016, both to acclaim.

    “The tension between bloodline and sexuality creates a fascinating duality. I didn’t want jealousy or rivalry like in Amadeus. Since both men devote themselves to the same suffering, I hoped a kind of transcendent beauty would emerge by the end,” explained Lee.

    For Yamada, that avoidance of conventional melodrama was one of the keys to the film’s power.

    The two leads trained for about a year and a half in total to portray the male kabuki performers of female roles, known as onnagata, noted Lee: “They even practiced on days off during shooting. Their persistence and dedication were incredible.”

    Tanaka Min, who plays the elderly kabuki master in Kokuho, was cast in his first major film role by Yamada in The Twilight Samurai in 2002 (the film won a record 12 Japan Academy Awards and was nominated for the then best foreign language film Oscar).

    “He’s a butoh dancer [postwar avant-garde theater] not an actor, and at first he was terrible,” laughed Yamada. “Completely wooden. But his physicality and voice had such presence that it didn’t matter. Even now he hasn’t really ‘improved’, but that’s what makes him special, like a Noh actor. You don’t need him to act; his just being there is enough.”

    Pushing back against Yamada’s playful ribbing about his reputation as a demanding director, Lee said, “That presence, combined with his movement, gives him a kind of magic. I wasn’t harsh in directing him. He doesn’t change no matter what you say, so instead of forcing it, I’d suggest small adjustments in tone or gesture. His stillness speaks volumes.”

    Aside from its setting in the niche world of highbrow traditional theater, another reason Kokuho’s commercial success has been a surprise is its nearly three-hour runtime. Lee revealed that his initial cut was actually four and a half hours. “All the kabuki scenes were about twice as long; That alone was an extra half hour; we had to trim a lot.”

    Despite Yamada’s best efforts, after an offstage prompt, talk turned to Tokyo Taxi, and how he approached the remake.

    “I simply asked myself, if it were Japan, how would it go? A Japanese taxi driver and an elderly Japanese woman, their relationship would of course be different,” said Yamada.

    Scenes with the taxi driver (Takuya Kimura) at home with his family, which were not part of the original, were singled out for praise by Lee for adding domestic realism.

    “I really wanted to make that breakfast scene,” said Yamada. “The year before, he [Kimura] played a top Paris-trained chef. This time, he’s eating natto [fermented soybeans]. But he’s very earnest and sincere. Always early on set: a true professional.”

    Next it was time for Lee to tease Yamada, asking why he always stands right beside the “Because the actors need to know I’m watching,” replied Yamada. “They can feel the director’s gaze. I don’t understand how some directors give directions from a monitor, sometimes from another room.”
    camera on set.

    Smiling as he did so, Yamada steered the conversation back to Kokuho, asking Lee about the numbers of extras in the kabuki scenes (500), and how he had broken multiple cinematic conventions in creating his tour de force.

    Answering an audience question about the potential for Japanese live-action filmmaking to emulate the international success of anime, Yamada made an impassioned plea for more government backing.

    “Japanese animation is a huge global success, while our live-action films barely register. When I entered the industry 70 years ago, Japanese cinema was vibrant and internationally respected — Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, Ozu’s Tokyo Story, Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu. Now, Korea and China have surged ahead. It’s painful to watch,” Yamada said. “We need not just filmmakers’ effort but national support. The Korean government truly backs its film industry. Japan should do the same. It’s a matter of cultural policy.”

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    Gavin Blair

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  • Exclusive: See Kim Kardashian, Bowen Yang, Kirsten Dunst, and More at the 2025 Academy Museum Gala

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    The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’s annual gala has become one of the most sought-after invitations in Hollywood—and last night’s soiree, which raised over $12 million to support the museum’s exhibitions and initiatives, was no exception. The gala was co-chaired by Jon M. Chu, Common, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey, Jennifer Hudson, and Academy Museum Trustee Alejandro Ramírez Magaña. The affair marks the beginning of a deluge of events leading up to the Oscars in March. But nothing can compare with a party that draws guests like Addison Rae, Ayo Edeberi, Channing Tatum, Charli xcx, Dwayne Johnson, Kim Kardashian (wearing a nude-colored face mask, all in the name of fashion), and director Ryan Coogler, just to name a few.

    Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey opened the evening, introducing the Director and President of the Academy Museum, Amy Homma, who welcomed guests. The first presenter of the night was Wim Wenders, who handed director Walter Salles the Luminary Award. The Vantage Award was presented by Wicked director Chu to actor and comedian Bowen Yang. After dinner, the next presenter—recent best supporting actress Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña—presented the Icon Award to another Oscar-winning actress, Penélope Cruz. The final award, the inaugural Legacy Award, was presented by Martin Scorsese to Oscar-winning singer, songwriter, and musician Bruce Springsteen. Before the night was over, George Clooney introduced a special musical performance by The Boss, who closed out the evening singing “Streets of Philadelphia,” “Atlantic City,” and “Land of Hope and Dreams.”

    The gala was presented in partnership with Rolex. Now in its fifth year, the Academy Museum Gala is an annual fundraiser and celebration of the museum, whose goal is to advance the celebration and preservation of cinema.

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    John Ross

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  • Opinion | A Nobel for Venezuela’s Iron Lady

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    Allies of President Trump are grousing that he didn’t win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. But it’s hard to fault the admirable choice, announced Friday, of Venezuelan freedom fighter María Corina Machado.

    The Nobel committee called her “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent time,” and we’d drop the geographic caveat. In the personal risks and sacrifices she has made for democracy, she sets an example for the world.

    Educated as an industrial engineer, Ms. Machado has been a leader of the democracy movement in Venezuela for more than 20 years. In 2002 she watched Hugo Chávez destroy institutions and consolidate power. She resisted by co-founding the nonprofit Súmate—“Join” in English—to engage Venezuelans to become politically active.

    She was elected to the National Assembly in 2010. In 2013 she was beaten during a legislative session by pro-government members who broke her nose. In March 2014 during a visit to the border with Colombia, she was kidnapped for several hours by armed hoodlums. The following week the regime expelled her from the Assembly.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    The Editorial Board

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  • The 11th-Hour Campaign to Land Trump a Nobel Peace Prize

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    A bid is under way to persuade the Nobel committee to make Trump the fifth American president to receive the honor.

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    Brett Forrest

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  • László Krasznahorkai Wins Nobel Prize in Literature

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    Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai, known for his dense prose and apocalyptic themes, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

    The Swedish Academy in Stockholm credited Krasznahorkai “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg

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  • Trio Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Work on Molecular Construction

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    Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing a new form of molecular architecture called metal-organic frameworks that can harvest water from desert air, capture carbon dioxide, store toxic gases or catalyze chemical reactions.

    The structures, metal ions connected by carbon-based linkers, have large holes that allow other molecules to flow in and out, almost like rooms in a house. They can capture and release gases, water or other substances. Changing the size or shape of its components can make a countless amount of new frameworks designed for specific substances, reactions or to conduct electricity.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Brianna Abbott

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  • AMPAS Honors 2025 Student Academy Award Winners

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    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored its global student winners at the 52nd Student Academy Awards ceremony on Oct. 6. The celebration, held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City, featured remarks by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor, as well as awards presentations by filmmakers Craig Brewer, Jon M. Chu and Alex Woo.

    This year’s Student Academy Awards winners were chosen from a total of 3,127 entries received from 988 colleges and universities around the globe. Gold, Silver and Bronze placements were announced in each category, and students were presented with trophies during the ceremony. First-time honors went to the University of Copenhagen, Gobelins, Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, London College of Communication and the University of the West of England Bristol.

    The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to provide an opportunity for emerging talent to showcase their work within the industry. All student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for the 98th Oscars in the categories of animated short film, live action short film or documentary short film. Past winners have gone on to receive 69 Oscar nominations and have won or shared 15 awards.

    See below for the full list of 2025 Student Academy Award winners, listed alphabetically by category.

    Alternative/Experimental
    Gold: Xindi Zhang, “The Song of Drifters,” University of Southern California
    Silver: Vega Moltke-Leth, “Without Perfection,” University of Copenhagen, Denmark
    Bronze: Mati Granica, “flower_gan,” London College of Communication, United Kingdom

    Animation
    Gold: Tobias Eckerlin, “A Sparrow’s Song,” Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany
    Silver: Lucas Ansel, “The 12 Inch Pianist,” Rhode Island School of Design 
    Bronze: Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré & Maud Le Bras, “The Shyness of Trees,” Gobelins, France

    Documentary
    Gold: 
    Tatiana McCabe, “Tides of Life,” University of the West of England Bristol, United Kingdom
    Silver: Rebeka Bizubová, “Confession,” Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia
    Bronze: Jane Deng, “I Remember,” New York University 

    Narrative
    Gold: Jan Saczek, “Dad’s Not Home,” Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Poland
    Silver: Meyer Levinson-Blount, “Butcher’s Stain,” Tel Aviv University, Israel
    Bronze: ZEFAN, “Kubrick, Like I Love You,” Columbia University

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    Brande Victorian

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  • The Grandson of Ingmar Bergman Is a Filmmaker Fighting Against His “Dark Side”

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    Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, the grandson of famed director Ingmar Bergman and actress Liv Ullmann, considered economics, law, and journalism before following family tradition and pursuing filmmaking. “I explored several options because—because of my family background—I didn’t want to go into film or writing,” he told Vanity Fair España in an exclusive interview. His mother, Linn Ullman, is a reputable journalist and literary critic. But try as he might to stay away from showbiz, life had other plans for him. “In college, I took a course almost by accident, and it kind of lit a fire inside me,” he says. “I applied to the film school and…I never looked back.”

    While lounging at the Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz, Tøndel chaired the jury of the third edition of the French town’s Nouvelles Vagues Film Festival this past June. “It’s a very nice experience: staying in this amazing hotel, in this wonderful city,” he says. “I’ve been very well looked after, and I’ve spent time with tremendously creative and intelligent people. I’m really impressed because, although I’m still young, at 15 years younger, they are much smarter than me.”

    Tøndel has been surrounded by creative and intelligent people his entire life. His Swedish grandfather Ingmar Bergman is widely considered one of the most influential filmmakers in modern cinematic history, having helmed classic films like The Seventh Seal (1957), Wild Strawberries (1957) and Fanny and Alexander (1982). His grandmother, Norwegian actress Liv Ullman, was a frequent collaborator with Bergman, who died in 2007, starring in his films Persona (1996) and Scenes of a Marriage (1973), among many others. In 2022, she received an honorary Academy Award.

    “That’s a personal thing,” Tøndel says when asked about his famous family. “I went through some not entirely good periods as a child, but I try to work on it personally every day,”  he says with a laugh. “I’ll most likely have to do that for the rest of my life. I’ve had some great times, but I’m a very anxious person. I always put myself in the worst-case scenario, and I spin things around. I used those experiences in the film.”

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    Paloma Simón

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  • Slovak Oscar Contender ‘Father’ Wins Zurich Film Festival

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    The Zurich Film Festival handed out its top prizes Saturday, with Slovak director Tereza Nvotová’s Father winning the Golden Eye for best feature film and Zurich-based filmmaker Moris Freiburghaus taking the documentary competition with I Love You, I Leave You.

    Father, which is the Slovak entry for the 2026 Oscar race, premiered in Venice. Based on a true story, it stars Milan Ondrík as the titular father in the tale, a decent man who, as a result of a temporary memory lapse and resultant tragedy, leads to his life spiraling out of control. Intramovies is selling the film internationally.

    Special mentions in the section went to Alice Douard’s Des preuves d’amour (Love Letters) and Shih-Ching Tsou’s Left-Handed Girl. The latter, co-written and produced by Anora director Sean Baker, is Taiwan’s official Oscar contender. Netflix has the film for most of the world.

    I Love You, I Leave You is the first Swiss film to win the festival’s top documentary award. Freiburghaus’ film follows his best friend through a year-long struggle with manic episodes. Special mentions were awarded to Yrsa Roca Fannberg’s The Ground Beneath Our Feet and Namir Abdel Messeeh’s Life After Siham.

    The ZFF Critics’ Jury, made up of film writers from Switzerland, Germany and the U.K., honored Damien Hauser’s Memory of Princess Mumbi as the best Swiss film in the program, with a special mention going again to Freiburghaus’ I Love You, I Leave You.

    Benjamin Heisenberg’s Der Prank won both the ZFF for Kids Jury Award and the ZFF for Kids Audience Award. Freiburghaus’ documentary also picked up the overall Audience Award, while Abdel Messeeh’s Life After Siham received the Film Prize of the Churches of Zurich.

    Additional honors included the Best International Film Music Award for Mikal Grigorowitsch.

    The winners of the 21st Zurich festival were announced at the closing gala on Saturday night.

    Full list of 2025 Zurich Film Festival Winners

    Golden Eye for Best Feature Film

    Tereza Nvotová – Father
    Special Mention (Feature Film Competition)

    Alice Douard – Des preuves d’amour (Love Letters)
    Special Mention (Feature Film Competition)

    Shih-Ching Tsou – Left-Handed Girl

    Golden Eye for Best Documentary

    Moris Freiburghaus – I Love You, I Leave You
    Special Mention (Documentary Competition)

    Yrsa Roca Fannberg – The Ground Beneath Our Feet
    Special Mention (Documentary Competition)

    Namir Abdel Messeeh – Life After Siham

    ZFF Critics’ Jury Award

    Damien Hauser – Memory of Princess Mumbi
    Special Mention (ZFF Critics’ Jury)

    Moris Freiburghaus – I Love You, I Leave You

    ZFF for Kids Jury Award

    Benjamin Heisenberg – Der Prank
    ZFF for Kids Audience Award

    Benjamin Heisenberg – Der Prank

    Audience Award

    Moris Freiburghaus – I Love You, I Leave You
    Film Prize of the Churches of Zurich

    Namir Abdel Messeeh – Life After Siham
    Best International Film Music Award

    Mikal Grigorowitsch

    Golden Eye Award

    Dakota Johnson
    Golden Eye Award

    Benedict Cumberbatch
    Golden Eye Award

    Claire Foy
    Golden Eye Award

    Wagner Moura
    Golden Icon Award

    Colin Farrell
    Lifetime Achievement Award

    Russell Crowe
    A Tribute To … Award

    Noah Baumbach
    Career Achievement Award

    Anne Walser
    Career Achievement Award

    Hildur Guðnadóttir
    Game Changer Award

    Tom Quinn

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    Scott Roxborough

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  • Sofia Vergara Skips Emmys 2025 Due to Medical Emergency

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    One previously announced celebrity presenter was missing in action at Sunday night’s 2025 Emmys ceremony. Though Modern Family star Sofia Vergara was supposed to present the award for outstanding performance by an actor in a limited series or movie, the five-time Emmy nominee was nowhere to be found at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. On Instagram, Vergara revealed that she was forced to skip the ceremony due to a medical emergency.

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    Vergara posted a selfie, featuring her very swollen and puffy left eye. “Didnt make it to the Emmys but made it to the ER 🤣😩sorry I had to cancel,” she wrote. “Craziest eye allergie [sic] right before getting in the car!🤣🤣.” In one of the carousel videos shared, Vergara can also be seen lying on a hospital bed, waiting for her doctor. In another video, you can see the Griselda star at the hospital rinsing her eye out with water.  Stars like Terry Crews responded in Vergara’s comments section, writing, “Oh no! Get well soon!” Snoop Dogg also responded with the prayer hands emoji.

    To replace Vergara, the Emmys brought out not one, but two actresses who know how to meld beauty and comedy. The Emmys producers called upon Hunting Wives stars Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow to pinch-hit and present the category. The two actresses playfully nodded toward their characters’ arcs on Netflix’s Texas-set melodrama while presenting the award to Adolescence star Stephen Graham.

    “Wow, it took me a really long time to get here. Sorry I took so long to come out,” said Snow. “I don’t mind waiting for you to come out,” responded Akerman, to delight of the crowd. “Thank you for the help,” responded Snow.

    Hunting Wives has been renewed for a second season—so perhaps next year, Akerman, Snow, and an allergy free Vergara will all attend the ceremony together.

    This story originally appeared in VF Italia.

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    Albachiara Re

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  • Emmys 2025: What You Didn’t See on TV

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    The winners have been revealed, the trophies handed out, and the acceptance speeches have been delivered. But that’s not the end of the story for the 2025 Emmys. Vanity Fair’s Rebecca Ford and John Ross were inside the Peacock Theater for the ceremony and roaming the afterparties once the last prize was handed out (to HBO Max’s The Pitt), spying all the celebrity interactions that didn’t make it onto your TV.

    Look below to learn which afterparty had the most dancing, who was caught walking barefoot out of the theater, and which winner had nothing prepared for an acceptance speech—but made up for it by recycling old podcast jokes.

    A Blast from the Past During Commercials

    During commercial breaks, the audience in the Peacock Theater was shown “Emmy flashback” clips—some of the most memorable moments from previous years. The list included Meryl Streep’s 2004 Emmy acceptance speech for Angels in America, in which she said, “There are some days when I myself think I’m overrated—but not today.” The audience also saw Alan Alda’s 1979 cartwheel and 2011, when Amy Poehler orchestrated a lovely idea: having all her fellow nominees, including Melissa McCarthy, Tina Fey, Edie Falco, and Laura Linney, join her on stage before the category’s result was announced. (The winner was McCarthy.) These clips reminded the audience how impactful a great acceptance speech can be—and maybe gave this year’s group of future winners some inspiration before they took the stage.

    Cheesy Concessions

    The cheesiest thing about the Emmys, in our opinion, is the concessions sold in the lobby. The lines are always horrendous, and the offerings range from nachos to hot dogs. Because that’s exactly what you want to eat when wearing your black tie finest. To quench your thirst, you have to choose between cans of beer. or cans of wine. But in a fun twist, there’s no VIP section—which means that nominees are standing in line like the rest of us. Among them on Sunday night was Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio. Can’t imagine what he thinks of this food.

    Lobby Hob-Nobbing

    After the first hour of the show, the lobby at the Emmys starts to get crowded. By this point in the slow, a good portion of the nominees have lost and are ready to let loose a bit more—while others are just really hungry because they haven’t eaten all day. Shrinking’s Brett Goldstein was there, surrounded by fans, and The White Lotus siblings Sam Nivola and Sarah Catherine Hook were munching on popcorn and chatting in the corner. Taika Waititi ran up to give What We Do in the Shadows star Harvey Guillén a quick hug. Guillén bought Red Vines at the snack area, while Sirens nominee Meghann Fahy and a friend grabbed a can of chilled red wine after posing for a photo with a fan.

    A Rush to the Stage, and a Barefoot Exit

    When The Pitt was announced as the final winner of the night (for drama series), a few members of that team must not have been expecting the announcement. We spotted them running down the aisle from the lobby to join the rest of their team onstage; they made it in time, but it’s the fastest we’ve ever seen someone run in that room. Separately, when the show ended, The Bear’s Molly Gordon was spotted leaving the theater without shoes on. Quite brave to walk those downtown Los Angeles streets barefoot!

    Having a Ball

    Right after the show, winners, nominees, and other partygoers make their way to the Governors Ball. This year’s event had different food stations set up by former Top Chef competitors. Along with getting a bite to eat or a drink, winners take this opportunity to get their names added to their new hardware at an engraving station. Adolescence star Owen Cooper, who won the lead actor in a limited series award, went over with his mom, grabbing his phone out of her purse and taking a photo of the decorative giant Emmy statuette. His parents accepted a free bottle of Johnny Walker Blue on his behalf. (Cooper is just 15.) His Adolescence co-star Stephen Graham arrived a bit later at the station; while Graham was waiting for one of his three trophies to be finished, he was dancing along to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” with his son.

    On the way from the ceremony to the Ball, Severance Emmy winner Tramell Tillman couldn’t take more than two steps without being stopped and congratulated by fans, as well as TV Academy members who asked for photos and told him they had voted for him. His co-star Dichen Lachman, who plays Gemma on the show, ran up to him to give him a hug.

    As Graham left the Governor’s Ball, he ran into fellow winner Noah Wyle and congratulated him profusely, telling the other actor, “Your performance was beautiful.” Graham spoke in detail to Wyle, specifically about the scene in which Dr. Robby has a breakdown. (No spoilers here!) While the two actors chatted, their respective spouses hugged and got to know one another.

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    Rebecca Ford, John Ross

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  • Emmy Winners Nearly Cost the Boys & Girls Clubs $100,000 By Giving Long Acceptance Speeches

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    Everyone hates when awards shows go long. And the number one reason why they go long are the acceptance speeches. They’re the ultimate variable. People have waited their whole lives to win a prize and to thank their mom, their grandfather, their first drama teacher, their agent, their team, their manager, their dog, their whatever. See? Just writing the first names that came to my mind went on for way too long.

    As part of an amusing effort to cut down on longer speeches — and to generate coverage like this very article — this year’s Emmys host Nate Bargatze instituted a little game that ran throughout the show. To start the night, Bargatze announced a $100,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America … with a catch.

    Every Emmy winner got 45 seconds to give their speech. They could thank whoever they wanted in that time. But for every second their speech went under 45 seconds, Bargatze would donate an additional $1,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs. So if someone spoke for 40 seconds, that was $5,000 more dollars for the kids. Yay kids!

    But there was a cruel catch as well. For every second a winner went over the 45 second deadline, Bargatze would subtract $1,000.

    74th Primetime Emmys Press Preview

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    READ MORE: Netflix Shows Unfairly Ended After Just One Season

    So the biggest storyline of the night was not whether The Studio would win every award (spoilers: it pretty much did) or whether anyone could stop Adolescence from running the table in its categories (spoilers: they could not). No, all the suspense was on that donation. At one point it was up to $106,000. Hey that’s great! At another point it was all the way down to -$26,000. Stephen Colbert talked a lot after he won Best Talk Series. Can you blame him? CBS canceled his Emmy winning show.

    At the end of the night, Bargatze didn’t even share the final total with the audience, saying it was so low it was embarrassing. Rather than force the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to cough up tens of thousands of dollars to make good on the wager, CBS and Bargatze said they would give a total donation of $350,000 to the organization.

    Kudos to the Emmys and Bargatze for giving generously to a good cause, and to adding a little excitement to the Emmys. Jeers to those darn awards winners who could not keep their speeches short and could have helped raise even more money for these deserving kids. Oh well.

    See the full list of winners at this year’s Emmys here.

    10 Cozy TV Shows Perfect for Fall

    From cozy, school-year coming-of-age series to spooky mysteries set in small towns, these TV shows deliver perfect autumnal vibes for fall viewing.

    Gallery Credit: Erica Russell

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  • Hannah Einbinder Isn’t Alone: The 2025 Emmys Weren’t Afraid to Get Political

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    Bardem continued by shouting out Film Workers for Palestine, a group that recently released a pledge, signed by stars including Bardem, Emma Stone, Ayo Edebiri, and Olivia Colman, to boycott Israeli film institutions “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.”

    “We don’t target people by their identity. That’s absolutely wrong; nobody said that,” Bardem said. “We target film companies and institutions that are complicit and are whitewashing or justifying Israel’s genocide and its apartheid regime. That’s what we’re targeting—not to stand with those who oppress people.”

    While talking with Variety on the red carpet, Bardem said that he was “hopeful” for a brighter future in these incredibly bleak times: “There have been so many deaths and children being murdered that the world is waking up.”

    Not every political moment at the Emmys had to do with Israel and Palestine. After being introduced by This Is Us star Justin Hartley, the chairman of the Television Academy, Cris Abrego, shed light on the recent shuttering of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “At the end of this year, CPB will close its doors because Congress has voted to defund it,” Abrego said, to loud boos from the audience. Abrego went on to remind viewers of television’s ability to “bend that arc of history towards justice.”

    “Neutrality is not enough. We must be voices for connection, inclusion, empathy,” he continued. “We know that culture doesn’t come from the top down; it rises from the bottom up. Culture belongs to the people. So if our industry is to thrive, we need to make room for more voices, not fewer.”

    The political moment of the evening, however, belonged to Stephen Colbert. The host of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS received a standing ovation as he presented the first award of the evening. A vocal critic of President Donald Trump, Colbert’s top-rated late-night show was shockingly canceled by CBS as the network’s parent company, Paramount, waited for the Federal Communications Commission to greenlight a multibillion-dollar merger with Skydance. “Is anyone hiring?” Colbert quipped before shouting out the 200 Late Show staff members who will be out of a job after his late-night series comes to an end in May.

    Members of other late-night programs spread the love to Colbert, like the team from Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, who took home the award for outstanding writing for a variety series. Senior writer Daniel O’Brien opened his speech by saying, “We share this category with all writers of late-night political comedy—while that is still a type of show that’s allowed to exist.”

    The love in the room for Colbert and his program was palpable even before The Late Show was announced as the winner of outstanding talk series. After that envelope was opened, Colbert received the loudest applause of the night as well as the biggest standing ovation of the evening. As Colbert made his way onto the stage, there were audible chants of “Stephen! Stephen!” filling the room.

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    Chris Murphy

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