Deadline Launches Its Contenders Film: LA3C Streaming Site

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros along with Elvis Presley’s estate Graceland is pulling out all the stops in celebration of the King of Rock n’ Roll’s birthday on Jan. 8.

As New York City emerged from Covid facing challenges from economic flight to rising crime, Mayor Eric Adams put filmed entertainment at the center of a comeback. His Blueprint for Recovery released in August (read it here) created a film council with a seat at the table for studios, producers, unions and trade groups and mandated film industry liaisons at every city agency — in tandem with a major hire, Chicago’s well-regarded film chief, Kwame Amoaku. The new Deputy Film Commissioner reports to Anne del Castillo, head of the Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment (MOME), whose sprawling portfolio also encompasses theater, music, publishing, digital media, workforce development in the creative industries, press credentials, and the Office of Nightlife.

The DGA today announced the winners of its 28th annual DGA Student Film Awards for African American, Asian American, Latino & Women directors. The awards were created in 1995 “to address the severe underrepresentation of directors of color and women in feature filmmaking by honoring, encouraging and bringing attention to exceptional diverse directors in film schools and universities across the country.”

EXCLUSIVE: After months of rumors and a three month exclusive negotiating period, Anonymous Content is now near a deal to acquire the prolific production company Automatik. There’s a twist here: Deadline reported that Anonymous was in talks for Grandview/Automatik. But The Dish hears that Grandview won’t be part of the transaction and will remain a freestanding rep company.

With all the talk about the diversification of the “new” Hollywood Foreign Press Association, particularly in terms of recruiting Black members to make up for the sheer paucity of them as revealed originally in a now-infamous Los Angeles Times report, it might be one of this morning’s key surprises in the nominations for the 80th Golden Globe Awards, that not a single film with strong Black themes or actors or behind the camera talent was among the Best Picture nominees in either Drama or Comedy/Musical categories. Most egregiously missing in those key categories, as well as directing and writing were hotly awards-buzzed The Woman King, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Till, the latter film completely shut out despite heavy Oscar attention expected for its star Danielle Deadwyler who last week was named Best Lead Performance at the Gothams as well as Best Actress at the Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema & Television. Will Smith’s return in Emancipation from director Antoine Fuqua also was AWOL, although considering its decidedly mixed critical reception and inherent controversy (although not with the Globes) that isn’t all that surprising to see it snubbed.

“Till” star Danielle Deadwyler will receive the Breakthrough Performance Award, Actress at the 2023 Palm Springs International Film Awards on Jan. 5, Palm Springs International Film Festival organizers announced Monday.The award will be presented at the Palm Springs Convention Center in the desert resort town east of Los Angeles, at the beginning of a film festival that will run through Jan.

“I had never heard of this guy, and I would be the kind of person who would know about the most prolific serial killer in the U.S.,” The Good Nurse director Tobias Lindholm said of the real-life Charles Cullen, played by Eddie Redmayne in the Netflix film.  

Crazy Heart writer-director Scott Cooper joined Deadline’s Contenders: LA3C awards-season event to discuss The Pale Blue Eye, his adaptation of the Louis Bayard novel about a gruesome West Point murder committed while none other than Edgar Allan Poe was a cadet in the military academy.

Kerry Condon was thrilled to hear that writer-director Martin McDonagh wanted to return to his Irish roots with The Banshees of Inisherin. The actress reunited with McDonagh for the film after working with him on Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri as well as his plays The Lieutenant of Inishmore and The Cripple of Inishmaan.

Till co-writer/director Chinonye Chukwu joined Deadline’s Contenders Film: LA3C awards-season event to talk about the importance of making the film, creating a safe space on set, and casting Danielle Deadwyler.

If not for The Slap that marred Will Smith’s Best Actor Oscar victory for King Richard last March, Emancipation would surely be at the forefront of the awards conversation.

Deadline’s signature Contenders event hits downtown Los Angeles on Saturday for a hybrid in-person/virtual edition, partnering with the inaugural LA3C, the cultural festival developed by Deadline parent company PMC.

Looks like a good old fashion cash grab celebrity endorsement has become a bit more fraught when it comes to the digital marketplace nowadays.

Partnering with this weekend’s inaugural LA3C developed by Deadline parent company, PMC, Deadline’s signature Contenders event hits Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday December 10 for a live in person/virtual edition and final Contenders -film opportunity before Oscar nomination voting begins. With films not previously highlighted at our previous LA and NY outings this Fall, A Man Called Otto, The Woman King, The Banshees Of Inisherin, Emancipation, and The Pale Blue Eye will be front and center for voters and public along with newly produced visits with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Elvis, and Top Gun: Maverick all with talent appearing live at our venue, the J. W. Marriott at LA Live. Also returning to Deadline Contenders will be filmmakers from Till, Thirteen Lives, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

Deadline on Wednesday launched its streaming site for Contenders Film: Documentary, the award-season showcase that took place Sunday with creatives from 20 of the year’s buzziest non-fiction movies.

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran actress, producer and singer-songwriter Rita Wilson has today announced the launch of Artistic Films — a film production company that will look to tell inspirational stories of hope that resonate with audiences across wide demographics.