With Anne Thompson
WINTER 2021
This Academy Awards season, IndieWire is keeping with tradition in presenting our annual Awards Spotlight series beginning this month. The video series is presented by Amazon Studios.
IndieWire Editor-at-Large and awards analyst Anne Thompson spoke with a fantastic range of the year’s best talent — with editing by IndieWire Creative Producer Leo Garcia — to discuss their work on the top film contenders of 2020.
From Academy Award winner George Clooney, back in the mix with “The Midnight Sky,” to Riz Ahmed in “Sound of Metal,” Anya Taylor-Joy in “Emma,” Daniel Kaluuya in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” and Regina King for directing “One Night in Miami,” and more, IndieWire unveils 15 exclusive interviews starting in February with awards contenders as Oscar voting gets underway. The full list of IndieWire Winter Awards Spotlight participants follows.
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
View Spotlight Videos
Emerald Fennell, Carey Mulligan, and Bo Burnham at IndieWire Sundance Studio presented by Dropbox
‘What kind of movie is this?’ said Duplass. Watch Fennell, Catherine Hardwicke, and Angela Robinson break it down.
Watch this exclusive roundtable of three beloved indie filmmakers talking with Thomas Vinterberg about what makes his latest film so unique.
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
Baron Cohen said the comedy hinged on the 2020 election. “It was a call to action. The character with the most influence was Borat.”
Anthony Hopkins and director Florian Zeller on the set of “The Father”
He recalled a childhood moment in Wales when he was five years old, on a Sunday afternoon, when a friend told him “we all die.”
“Da 5 Bloods” opened back in June. But it’s still in the Oscar conversation: Lindo and Lee explain why.
Yeun’s own father emigrated to the U.S. in pursuit of land. His son has followed his own idiosyncratic beat.
“Judas and the Black Messiah”
Daniel Kaluuya is a serious Oscar contender for his electrifying portrayal of the Black Panthers chairman.
Did anyone expect her to be this brilliant as the boozy Marion Davies? Maybe not — but after Fincher, this actress can do anything.
February 26, 2021 9:15 pm
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
The first-time actor demonstrated a natural ability that aligned perfectly with her director, Eliza Hittman.
February 24, 2021 7:00 pm
Anya Taylor-Joy stars as “Emma Woodhouse” in director Autumn de Wilde’s EMMA., a Focus Features release. Credit : Focus Features
The director sent her star “the most beautiful book” she had ever seen, upon first meeting. “It’s the best first date I ever had.”
February 23, 2021 6:38 pm
“It’s so important to put messy women on the screen, not movie versions of women,” said Kirby, who could land a Best Actress Oscar nod.
February 19, 2021 4:57 pm
“If I’m not held in contempt of movie court,” said Strong, “then I am not doing my job.”
February 17, 2021 2:00 pm
From its 40ish Black musician protagonist (Jamie Foxx) to a rebellious lost soul (Tina Fey), the existential animated feature departs from convention.
February 16, 2021 12:00 pm
She won her first Oscar for 1962’s “Two Women” — now, she’s going for another in this touching drama directed by her son.
February 12, 2021 2:00 pm
Regina King directs Kingsley Ben-Adir in “One Night in Miami.”
She’s been preparing to direct a feature for years. Though taking inspiration from Wong Kar-wai and others, her film is uniquely her own.
February 10, 2021 4:30 pm
Kate Winslet in “Ammonite”
Kate Winslet takes chances every time she shows up for a role, and here she talks her latest in Francis Lee’s period romance.
Adding the physicality of drumming and sign language to Ahmed’s expressive abilities enriched him as an actor and a human being, he said.
The “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star leads her first feature and helps tell a story usually never seen onscreen.
February 3, 2021 12:00 pm
The beloved actor’s Netflix hit is a rare movie of scale and scope in this year’s Oscar race.
