Good Morning Oscar, October 22: Fests & Deals & Blood

Summing up a few days worth of film festivals, awards announcements and deals

In this morning’s roundup of Oscar news ‘n’ notes from around the web, it’s time to sum up a few days worth of film festivals, awards announcements and deals.

First, though, the awards-related headline of the week, at least for Bob Dylan fans, comes from Sasha Stone’s (rave) review of “127 Hours” at Awards Daily: “It’s Alright Ma. I’m Only Bleeding.”

Another festival, another audience award for “The King’s Speech.” This time it’s from the Mill Valley Film Festival in Northern California, where Tom Hooper’s drama was named the MVFF Audience Favorite in World Cinema. Another Oscar favorite, Danny Boyle’s “127 Hours,” tied with Doug Liman’s “Fair Game” for Favorite U.S. Feature, while “Leave Them Laughing” won in the documentary category and “The Crocodiles” was named Favorite Children’s Feature. (Mill Valley Film Festival)

Halfway around the world, the Abu Dhabi Film Festival had “Secretariat,” Julianne Moore, Clive Owen and Adrien Brody, a batch of foreign-language Oscar submissions, and a setting that Nigel M. Smith says is “synonymous with opulence.” Smith has details on the first half of an extravagant festival. (indieWIRE)

When We LeaveThe American Society of Cinematographers has picked three recipients of honorary awards that’ll be handed out next February: John Seale (“The English Patient,” “Witness”) will receive the ASC International Award, Michael D. O’Shea (“C.S.I.: Miami,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.”) the ASC Career Achievement in Television Award, and still photographer Douglas Kirkland the ASC Presidents Award. (American Society of Cinematographers)

The 25th anniversary Israel Film Festival opened in Los Angeles on Wednesday night with a gala that honored Richard Dreyfuss, Ryan Cavanaugh, Jon Landau and Avi Lerner. The festival will be presenting more than 30 films through November 4. “It’s the grand American story, a man with a dream,” filmmaker Avi Nesher says of the festival’s creator, former rock drummer Meir Fenigstein. (The Hollywood Reporter)

The day the Israel fest ends, Belgium’s Oscar entry “Illegal” will kick off the AFI European Film Showcase in Silver Springs, Maryland. Bulgaria’s “Eastern Plays,” Estonia’s “The Temptation of St. Tony,” Hungary’s “Bibliotheque Pascal,” Poland’s “All That I Love” and Romania’s “If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle” are also among the more than 40 films that will screen during the first three weeks of November. (indieWIRE)

The German Currents Showcase launched on Wednesday as well, presenting Germany’s Oscar entry, Feo Aladag’s “When We Leave” (photo above), in a gala screening and reception hosted by actor Udo Kier. The American Cinematheque has the schedule, while Cinema Without Borders has an interview with Aladag in which the actress-turned-director talks about crafting her tale of the deadly tension between family ties and the pull of tradition.

Also on the foreign-language front, the Italian Oscar submission, “The First Beautiful Thing,” has been picked up for North American distribution by Palisades Tartan, which will give it a theatrical release in 2011. No doubt that release will expand in scope it the film gets a nomination. (The Hollywood Reporter)

The Taiwanese film “Monga” is also in the hunt for an Oscar nod – but in the  meantime, the gangster movie from director Doze Niu just won the Best Asian Award at the Hawaii International Film Festival. (asiaone.com)

In the documentary field, the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam has announced the lineup for its event, which kicks off on November 17. The opening film will be Leonard Retel Helmrich’s “Position Among the Stars,” the final installment in his three-part look at a family in Indonesia; almost 300 other films will screen over the fest’s 11 days. (indieWIRE)

A new entertainment publicity and digital marketing agency has arrived just in time for Oscar season, where the newly formed BRIGADE will have a hand in campaigns for “Rabbit Hole,” “For Colored Girls,” “Inside Job” and “Tiny Furniture,” among others. The founders are digital marketing exec Tom Cunha, publicist Adam Kersh and social media strategist Jean McDowell.  (Brigade Marketing)

And the ONEXONE charity has secured its own Oscar winner, Matt Damon, to host its third annual fundraiser in New York on October 27. It’ll honor actress Patricia Arquette and raise money for children’s health issues internationally. (ONEXONE)

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