NYFCC and Indie Spirit

Matt_Mazur Matt Mazur 

@AwardsDaily And Team Higher Ground. :p And Team Angelina. Even Team Pariah. haha.

1 hour ago

Matt_Mazur Matt Mazur

@carlysparkle @AwardsDaily Hopefully these edgier, more interesting teams get some luv at the Independent Spirits today. I can live w that!

FilmFatale_NYC Film Fatale NYC

RT @peterknegt: Margin Call's fine. But better than Martha Marcy, Pariah, Submarine, Tyrannosaur and Attack The Block? Absolutely not.

Matt_Mazur Matt Mazur 
@FilmFatale_NYC yeah, that choice is kind of suspect. Also, Higher Ground & Angelina Jolie's film In the Land of Blood & Honey are deserving

NYFCC2011 NYFCC2011
Best Actor: Brad Pitt for "Moneyball," and "Tree of Life"

LouLumenick #NYFCC snubs: Descendants, Hugo, War Horse, Dragon, Midnight, Marilyn, MMMM, Shame, J. Edgar, Young Adult, Melancolia, Tinker,Tin Tin

AwardsDaily I can't believe they forced the Dragon Tattoo to screen only to shut it out. It's like, "I shaved my legs for this?" This is but the beginning of awards season my friends. It's a long and exhausting slog towards the finish, with minor joys here and there.
For me, I only get through it when the impossible becomes possible. Otherwise, I die inside. Every year.

AwardsDaily Sasha Stone
The Artist poised to sweep the critics awards. Paging gravitas. Anyone have any gravitas?

***

Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Albert Brooks, Jessica Chastain Win NY Film Critics

The Critics organization had planned to vote yesterday but had to put it off so they could see David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” a late entry. One movie for this season, Stephen Daldry’s “Extremely Close and Incredibly Loud,” was skipped entirely because it wasn’t ready. Even so, not all the critics in the group had a chance to see Angelina Jolie’s debut as a director, “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” set in Bosnia.

thelmadams Thelma Adams 

yes they did show Land of Blood & Honey. I saw it. Not all did I think

LouLumenick Lou Lumenick (Re Blood & Honey)

This was screened for NYFF and got less than a handful of votes in all categories, including first film

****

Ken Adams offers his take:

 
TaybackX Ken Adams
Bob Berney ain't no Harvey Weinstein.. it's a small studio, so what do you expect? and it's a tough movie to watch that won't appeal to many of the critics, AND it's in a foreign language.. 1 hour ago

*****

So my conclusion from all of the above is:

The first and most obvious is Brad is a lock for an Oscar nod.  It was never really in doubt as he has been among the frontrunners from the start. 

The bigger question and the one of greater interest is how it reflects upon B&H's Oscar chances. FilmDistrict's efficiency in managing the screenings and the effectiveness of their awards strategy has been called into question since apparently not all NYFCC members had a chance to see it.  Given Jeff Wells' and Sasha Stone's recent comments about how slowly the screening invites were being parceled out, that isn't a surprise.  It is notable that both Roger Friedman and Thelma Adams made a point of mentioning that it was not seen by all members -- suggesting that they believed that could have had an impact on the result.  Of course even if all the critics had seen it, it's possible B&H wouldn't have won any awards or nominations anyway.  But at least it would have competed in a level playing field instead of being handicapped right off the bat. 

I think it still has a shot at an Oscar nomination following in the shoes of Letters from Iwo Jima, but a Million $ Baby analogy is now obviously out of the question.  A strong chorus of critical acclaim would still give it a shot at getting in -- along the lines of a 90% on RT, 85% on Metacritic -- no different from what it was before.  The FilmDistrict insider who told Dave Karger that B&H wasn't really an Academy film may in part have been lowering expectations but there is undoubtedly also some truth to it given the subject matter and the level of brutality onscreen.  Academy voters may be inclined to give Angelina some recognition out of respect and appreciation for her efforts, her idealism and the film's inherent quality, but she is not the Academy darling that Clint was when he made Letters. 

Of course it's a bit deflating when expectation have been raised by the raves the film has received so far. I thought it would have been at least acknowledged by the Indie Spirit.  They gave Angelina an acting nod for A Mighty Heart and they've voted for edgier films and performances in the past.  Dave Karger said only a small group votes on the Indie Spirit nominations and it's not known if there were also some within that small group that failed to see the film. Matt Mazur obviously thought the film had a shot with both groups.  A NYFCC win or a Spirit nom would have catapulted the film into the collective consciousness of the Gurus of Gold and other Oscar oddsmakers.  The absence of either hasn't really hurt its chances but that is 2 less accolades that it could have received. 

Her best bet was and remains the Golden Globes.   Echoing what Scott Feinberg said, anything beyond that would depend on the reviews it receives and there is a strict embargo in place right now.  Given the problems they've encountered screening the film in a timely manner for everyone, it appears FilmDistrict may have erred in advising Angelina to totally skip the awards circuit and in choosing to start screening the film so late in the game.

Sasha and Matt

The tweets below suggest a working relationship between Matt Mazur and Sasha Stone wherein she obliges him / his firm with articles on their clients.  But I wonder why Sasha was openly complaining about not having been invited to a screening of Blood & Honey as of Sat (11:55AM).  If Matt and DDPR get Awards Daily coverage, at the very least Sasha should get into early screenings -- and maybe she did.

It's very possible and even likely that upon reading her tweet Matt and DDPR quickly arranged a special screening for her (they could have even sent her a DVD).  If so, it's possible that B&H is the "way out of the box" film she tweeted about the next evening that is her pick to win BP.   Yes, this is the Dave Karger guessing game all over again....

But it's not so far-fetched.  Kevin Juggernauth of The Playlist, some of whose writers have already seen it (including possibly Juggernauth himself), wrote "advance word has been very strong." Even Caryn James, who famously trashed Angelina in the NYTimes for looking glum on the Golden Globes days before her mother passed away and whose antipathy is still apparent also noted that the "film has been getting terrific advance word."

So it's reasonable to expect that B&H will be very favorably reviewed once the embargo lifts.  With a serious subject that is right up the Academy's alley and a familiar face behind it, there is no reason why it can't be considered a BP front-runner -- especially when a thin and light silent film by a largely unknown French director is.



Sunday's PM tweets

AwardsDaily Sasha Stone

My thoughts about what will win Best Picture are under wraps right now because no way this group would buy them. So I keep quiet.

But let's just say it's way outside the box. #bestpicture
27 Nov

Today's AM tweets

AwardsDaily Sasha Stone @Matt_Mazur Hey cutie, ADM I'm working on today. Got slammed.  
Matt Mazur @AwardsDaily oh you're busy? ;-) <3
Sasha Stone:  Just all of a sudden! Good to be distracted, though, keeps me from obsessing on men. :-)
Matt Mazur:  nothing seems 2 keep me from that dark obsession haha! I've got Tori and Angelina in town this week and not even that works!

Matt Mazur: Swooning over @awardsdaily 's interview with #Viggo: Oscars 2011: Viggo Mortensen Sets The Standard bit.ly/vGavFH #ADangerousMethod

DDPRLLC Donna Daniels PR: Sasha Stone of Awards Daily lauds Viggo Mortensen of A Dangerous Method in an Oscar 2011 exclusive... fb.me/1fX3xZySJ   

Screenings Insiders

The people Matt Mazur would place at the top of the invite list for any screening. 

Matt_Mazur Matt Mazur

#ff @filmystic @DarkEyeSocket @FreshandFrowsy @ExtAngel @AltScreen @altfilmguide @henderstu @josekicksass @ropeofsilicon @LivingInCinema

@MarkHarrisNYC @TempleDrake @CarrieRickey @AlbertBrooks @sonyclassics @DDPRLLC @nathanielr @AddisonDeTwitt @katebornstein @HitFixGregory

@thehighsign @FilmFatale_NYC @ReelTalker @octaviaspencer @missjudygreer @davidkbalzer @hardtoturnoff @jennimiller76 @andohehir

@AwardsDaily @winterjessica @wozerina @racheldodes @rosmance @GuyLodge @ScottFeinberg @thelmadams @ThePlaylist @peterknegt @mimbale


Given that Matt has been relentlessly promoting A Dangerous Method this week,  Blood & Honey's promo probably won't start until after Thanksgiving.  

I had assumed that B&H started screening for critics simultaneously in L.A. and NY last Nov. 7 because David Ehrenstein is based in L.A. and there were reports of screenings in NY.  But it now seems they just had sneak screenings for select individuals in L.A. The critics' screenings are being held only in NY first to accommodate the NYFCC and the NBR's earlier voting dates.  That explains why Scott Feinberg wrote that he hadn't seen it but hoped to catch it after he goes back to NY this week (reportedly on Tues, Nov. 22).  Also in NY is Dave Karger who is normally based in L.A.  

While B&H is now appearing on their radar, the biggest blip is Dragon Tattoo which won't screen before Nov. 28 -- so they're a bit early.  And by process of elimination, the film Karger saw that he considers a sure BP nominee must be either War Horse or Extremely Loud.  

If the Pitts' plane stopped by or refueled in Singapore, they were headed west, not back to U.S.  If their destination takes them in or across the Indian Ocean, they will be entering the U.S. from the East which makes NY their likely port of entry.  They should be in NY by early Dec. in time for Angelina to do press.  Among others, she will be appearing on Anderson with Anderson Cooper.

Karger and Anthony Breznican both write for EW and both have interviewed Angelina in the past but she knows Breznican better so he will likely be the one to interview her for the magazine.  Feinberg will probably interview her for THR.  Most if not all of the journos in Matt's list will likely get their turn as well.  

Blood-y reaction & Oscar Futures

ChloeAngyal Chloe Angyal

In the Land of Blood and Honey is the definition of hard to watch. So hard that I could not in fact make it through the whole thing. 4 Oct

And from Matt Mazur:

Chloe is a writer for an influential feminist site, Feministing. Feministing is widely-read and widely-respected.

I personally spoke with her today and it was the content that she found upsetting. She knew going in that it would be tough, but was not prepared for the triggering scenes of war atrocities.

She praised Angelina's commitment to the material and to not diluting anything.

Oscar Futures

10/7/11 at 2:00 PM By: Kyle Buchanan

Every week between now and January 24, when the nominations are announced, movies and stars will help themselves — or sometimes, hurt themselves — in the Oscar race. Vulture's Oscar Futures will listen for insider gossip, comb the blogs, and out-and-out guess when necessary to track who's up, who's down, and who's currently leading the race for a coveted nomination.

Best Picture	UP: Moneyball. The movie continues to hang on nicely after having all of September virtually to itself in terms of press coverage, critical acclaim, and box office. At this point, it's got the beachhead it needed.	DOWN: The Ides of March. Harvey Weinstein raved about it, but the movie isn't considered to be front-runner competition. Even George Clooney seemed skeptical of Harv's hosannas. "He's got a plan, doesn't he?" Clooney fretted to us. "He's trying to set me up somehow."
	CURRENT PREDIX: The Artist; The Descendants; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; The Help; J. Edgar; Midnight in Paris; Moneyball; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; War Horse

Best Director	UP: Steven Spielberg (War Horse). The full trailer makes the movie look like a can't-miss cross between E.T. and Saving Private Ryan, as unlikely as that sounds.	DOWN: Angelina Jolie (In the Land of Blood and Honey). It's still super under the radar, but Jolie's Bosnian war drama has screened, though it hasn't seemed to move any Oscar prognostication needles yet.
	CURRENT PREDIX: Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris); Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close); David Fincher (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo); Michael Hazanavicious (The Artist); Steven Spielberg (War Horse)
Best Actor	UP: Michael Fassbender (Shame). How hot has this rising star been at the New York Film Festival? "Women in lobby stomping feet, screaming after mtg Michael Fassbender just now," tweeted the Film Society, adding, "2 guys escorted out also."	DOWN: Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar). Is the new poster actually trying to dampen our interest?
	CURRENT PREDIX: George Clooney (The Descendants); Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar); Jean Dujardin (The Artist); Michael Fassbender (Shame); Brad Pitt (Moneyball)

Mazur on strategy

More from Matt Mazur:

Guys, this is not going to be playing at any festivals, as part of a program or part of a surprise.

Well, I am working on B&H as a publicist.

Trust me, there is a strategy in place. Just because its not completely out there does not mean the distributor isn't taking this release VERY seriously because this is an absolute prestige film. There is plenty of top shelf publicity in the works, don't worry.

I would hardly say that the lack of buzz is "deafening", in fact, it has only been picking up as of late as more details of the film emerge and AJ does more select press..."skating by on her celebrity" is a pretty wild accusation, btw given the fact AJ has her pick of whatever project she wants to do, whether as a director OR as an actor and she chose to make a political, potentially polarizing film such as this one above all else.

Say what you will about her personal life - I personally don't get the hubub over it - but when it comes down to it, AJ is a celeb who is also a humanitiarian activist who is deeply commited to bringing some illumination to this really touchy subject. ___________

Festival absence explained

AnaFaria on the Awards Daily Forum wrote:

I dont wish this to flop, I am just surprised they are not doing screeners and building word of mouth, this is a tiny independent film, directed by an inexperienced movie star, going to Toronto or Venice would be a no brainer for me.

I want this to be great, seeing Angelina as a good director would be fantastic.

And in response Matt Mazur wrote:

"The festival circuit is not for every film. Not every film like this needs to follow the same rigid trajectory...and I would hardly call the film "tiny" lol. Besides, in a festival environment where everyone is over-worked and under-paid, why would you release a complex film with sensitive themes that could potentially be misunderstood in such a frenzied climate?"

and

"Festivals are too rushed, too insane. Too regimented. Festival press conferences are also not always the best option to really explain the work...

A film like this is better served by carving out it's own space, away from the noise and clutter of a festival where people might not give it the consideration it deserves."

So there you have it.

I had speculated about Blood and Honey making an unannounced appearance in Venice as the festival's "surprise" film but Mazur's clearly rules that out.

She and Graham King apparently made the decision early on that they would skip the festivals. She told Anthony Breznican during the Cannes festival in May that she was "moments away" from finishing editing but she didn't lock it until late July -- days before the NYFF deadline but past all the others. Even before Mazur's post, it was apparent it wouldn't show in NY either as NY does not have a slot for a surprise film and it has already sent out the detailed priority ticketing schedule for its members.

If she wasn't planning to screen it in NY and had no other advance screenings scheduled, one wonders why she even opted to lock it in July instead of waiting a little longer so she could tweak it further if she wished. She could have locked it in Sept or Oct. and would still have plenty of time to spare if screenings aren't scheduled until Nov. and early Dec. One assumes they'll start screening no later than November as Golden Globes and SAG nominations are announced in mid-December.

Blood and Honey first feedback

Matt Mazur is a contributing editor of Popmatters and also works for Donna Daniels PR -- a firm that handles campaigns for independent films. He has apparently seen In the Land of Blood and Honey and thinks very highly of it. He also seems to have knowledge of the film's promotional strategy as his earlier comment that the film will eschew the festival circuit appears to be true. I had thought that Blood and Honey would show at the NYFF but it now looks like it will follow the same strategy as Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar and Jason Reitman's Young Adult and skip the festivals altogether.

Given Mazur's apparent insider access and knowledge, it is fair to deduce that he and his firm must be working with FilmDistrict / GK Films on Blood and Honey's promotional campaign. Donna Daniels seems to specialize in promoting Awards-caliber films including such recent critic favorites as Senna, a documentary on the life of the late Formula One champion Aryton Senna, Nicholas Winding Refn's Drive which is also being distributed by FilmDistrict, and Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris.

So while three of his firm's clients are on his top ten list, they would likely end up on most critics' lists as well. For example, Jeff Wells has Drive at #1, Tree of Life #4, Bridesmaids #9, Midnight in Paris #12 and Meek's Cutoff #15 . As a long time film writer posting his own personal views, there is every reason to believe that Mazur is giving his honest appraisal independent of his firm's association with the films. And in this regard, it is significant that he placed Blood and Honey ahead of Midnight in Paris which his firm is currently promoting and is touted to be a potential multi-Awards nominee.

It is also worth noting that the films in Mazur's top ten list are his personal favorites and not a list of likely Best Picture nominees. Uncle Bonamee, Certified Copy and Bridesmaids will almost certainly not be contenders and Drive, Tree of Life and Melancholia may only be recognized for individual performances. Only Meek's Cutoff, Midnight in Paris, A Dangerous Method and Blood and Honey have a realistic chance of getting BP nominations.

His taste in films is obviously more artsy cineaste and more in tune with Cannes than the average Academy voter but his views accurately reflect popular critical opinion. So at the very least I would expect Blood and Honey to rate somewhere in the vicinity of Tree of Life (85% on RT) and Midnight in Paris (92%).

This is the first credible feedback we've come across from a bonafide movie writer and one with a sophisticated cinephile's taste at that. Note that he doesn't list HP 7.2 or Planet of the Apes among his favorites. He seems to confirm early predictions that the film and Angelina will be serious Awards contenders. The only damper is that if it doesn't show in NY, then it will probably take longer for us to get critical consensus and an early opportunity to see the film.

This is his Top Ten Films of 2011 to date as posted on the Awards Daily Forum:

Matt Mazur

So far...

01. The Tree of Life
02. Meek's Cutoff
03. Drive
04. A Dangerous Method
05. Melancholia
06. In the Land of Blood and Honey
07. Midnight in Paris
08. Certified Copy
09. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
10. Bridesmaids

His other comments and replies regarding Blood and Honey:

(Re that the subject matter is important) This is true - I think it is to be commended that Jolie, who can do whatever she wants, chose to tackle this as her entree into the directorial world. Socially responsible, feminist, bold subject matter.

The rape camps and rape as a tool of terror during the Bosnian War changed the WORLD law on the matter, making rape punishable as a war crime.

(Re Blood and Honey doing the festival circuit)
Just trust me, this film will very likely eschew the usual festival route.

(Re Poll: Predict the five Oscar nominees for Best Director of 2011)
I think you should consider adding Angelina Jolie to the next round for her directorial debut...

(Re four adjectives to describe the film) Real, poignant, dramatic and violent

Matt Mazur

@Matt_Mazur on Twitter

Brooklyn

Film Editor at PopMatters also working with Donna Daniels Public Relations. I write about movies pretty much every second of every day. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/108

Hey hey y'all - follow @DDPRLLC - this is the PR firm that I am working with now. We've got some amazing projects coming up...

We do all kinds o fun screenings, promos, & stuff like that, not 2 mention, Oscar season is around the corner & we'll have some contenders!

Pretty good year - for actresses/female artists making their own films as directors, that is!

@DarkEyeSocket I did but with the caveat that Angelina Jolie and Woody Allen were their co-nominees!

I'd just die if the eventual Oscar nominees for Best Director were: Woody Allen, Stephen Daldry, Angelina Jolie, Madonna & Terrence Malick.

At Sony, running my first press screening! Yikes!

Donna Daniels PR

@DDPRLLC view full profile →

New York, NY

Donna Daniels Public Relations is known for award-winning campaigns for independent films. http://ddprllc.wordpress.com/