PARK CITY, Utah -- Women directors and stars will be at the forefront of this year's Sundance Film Festival starting on Thursday, at a time when a lack of diversity among nominees has been the focus of the Hollywood awards season.
Women directed 44% of the 118 feature-length films to be previewed at the 10-day festival in the ski resort town of Park City, Utah. Minorities have directed 34%, and directors identifying as LGBTQ 15%.
Last year, women directed 40% of the official selection at Sundance.
At the upcoming Academy Awards on Feb. 9, no female directors are up for an Oscar, and stories by or about men dominate the Best Picture lineup.
"It's part of a trend at Sundance," said Brent Lang, executive editor for film and media at movie trade magazine Variety.
"Over the last decade the festival's put a real premium on providing a platform for female filmmakers, for under-represented filmmakers of all stripes, and I think this is a continuation of that effort."
Kicking off Sundance, the biggest U.S. showcase for independent cinema, will be director and Emmy winner Lana Wilson with her Netflix documentary, "Taylor Swift: Miss Americana," which the streaming service says promises a "raw and emotionally revealing look" at the pop star.
RECORD SUBMISSIONS
Organizers of the festival founded by actor Robert Redford say they received a record-breaking 15,100 submissions this year.
Angelina Jolie stars in the children's movie "Come Away," which explores the stories of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland; Olivia Colman plays a daughter trying to look after her elderly parent in "The Father," and Carey Mulligan is a woman who seeks revenge after a tragic event in "Promising Young Woman."
Elisabeth Moss plays horror author Shirley Jackson in "Shirley," Ethan Hawke plays Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla in "Tesla," and Benedict Cumberbatch is a spy during the Cold War in "Ironbark."
Across the documentary categories, Ron Howard’s "Rebuilding Paradise" shows the wildfires in California that destroyed the town of Paradise in 2018; "Be Water" explores the life of Bruce Lee; and the 4-part Hulu series "Hillary" centers on former Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Meanwhile, streaming platforms hope to use Sundance to generate buzz around their offerings.
Along with the opening film, Netflix titles include "Crip Camp," a documentary about a camp for disabled teenagers from Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
LONDON - Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman, who will play Queen Elizabeth II in "The Crown", was honored by the monarch on Saturday for her services to British drama.
Colman, 45, was awarded the CBE by the sovereign to mark her 93rd birthday, which is officially celebrated in Britain on the second Saturday in June.
Colman headed a list of stars -- and everyday heroes -- made commanders (CBE), officers (OBE) or regular members (MBE) of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, the main order of chivalry.
"I'm totally thrilled, delighted and humbled to be in the company of these incredible people, most of whom have been nowhere near as visible as I have, but should be -- and hopefully now will be," she said.
Colman won this year's best actress Academy Award for her role as Queen Anne in "The Favourite" and will next portray Queen Elizabeth in season three of "The Crown".
Of playing the two, she said: "I find the harder is Queen Elizabeth because everyone knows what she looks like, everyone knows what she sounds like," she said.
"I am loving trying to play her."
GONG FOR GRYLLS
TV adventurer Bear Grylls, who also leads the Scouts in Britain, was made an OBE for his services to young people.
Author Lee Child, whose action hero Jack Reacher has been played on screen by Tom Cruise, received the CBE, as did fellow novelist Joanna Trollope.
Sarah Waters, famed for her raunchy novels featuring lesbian protagonists, including "Tipping The Velvet", was made an OBE.
In the world of music, singers Elvis Costello and Feargal Sharkey were both given the OBE, accepting establishment endorsements far from their punk roots.
Songwriter Mitch Murray received the CBE.
He penned UK number one hits including "How Do You Do It?", "I Like It" and "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde", along with US number ones "I'm Telling You Now" and "The Night Chicago Died".
In sport, there were CBEs for former Manchester United chief executive David Gill and Philip Brook, the outgoing chairman of the All England Club which hosts the Wimbledon tennis championships.
Tony Allcock, the 17-times world bowls champion, received the OBE.
Scotland cricket captain Kyle Coetzer, former marathon world record holder Steve Jones, and the reigning Women's British Open golf champion Georgia Hall were given the MBE.
SNACK SUPREMO KNIGHTED
Boyd Tunnock, 86, who in 1956 invented Scotland's cherished Tunnock's Teacake chocolate-coated marshmallow and biscuit snack, was knighted.
"I'll just have to make sure I live long enough to get used to it," the new Sir Boyd said.
Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the Confederation of British Industry main business lobby group, was made a dame -- the female equivalent of a knighthood.
Comedian and presenter Griff Rhys Jones received an OBE.
The British honors system rewards individuals' bravery, service or achievement in their field.
Nimco Ali and Doctor Leyla Hussein, who were both victims of female genital mutilation as children, were given OBEs for their efforts in combating the practice.
Seven Holocaust survivors received the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to Holocaust education.
Some 1,073 people were on the birthday honors list, 75 percent of whom were rewarded for outstanding work in their local communities.
The oldest recipient was John Haymen, 100, while the youngest was 17-year-old Richard Collins. They both received the BEM for community services.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
