28th "An Irish Person" FILM Awards RECAP!!

2023 was a brilliant for film I believe with so many singular film visions but on the screen. The year was full of great films by both new discovery directors but also some of the best working directors making some of the greatest films in their entire filmography. This year I managed to recognise 47 films with at least one nomination. No film scored over ten nominations with me with many films receiving nominations showing how wide spread the quality of films was this year. My top 10 goes to show how varied the really great films were this year.

1. May December

2. Past Lives

3. Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé

4. Anatomy of a Fall

5. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

6. Joyland

7. The Zone of Interest

8. Barbie

9. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

10. Perfect Days

To all of you who even took time to read any of these posts I appreciate it. Goodbye to you all and I'll see you again next year to celebrate the best in film.

OUTSTANDING PICTURE:

Anatomy of a Fall (Produced by Marie-Ange Luciani & David Thion)

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (Produced by James L. Brooks, Julie Ansell, Richard Sakai, Kelly Fremon Craig, Judy Blume, Amy Lorraiine Brooks & Aldric La'auli Porter)

May December (Produced by Natalie Portman, Sophie Mas, Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler, Grant S. Johnson, Tyler W. Konney, Jessica Elbaum & Will Ferrell)

Past Lives (Produced by David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon & Pamela Koffler)

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (Produced by Beyoncé, Melina Matsoukas, Justina Omokhua, Mark Ritchie, Erinn Williams & John Winter)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR:

Greta Gerwig for Barbie

Jonathan Glazer for The Zone of Interest

Todd Haynes for May December

Celine Song for Past Lives

Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall

OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR:

Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges in “CHEVALIER”

Josh O’Connor as Arthur in “LA CHIMERA”

Andrew Scott as Adam in “ALL OF US STRANGERS”

Kōji Yakusho as Hirayama in “PERFECT DAYS”

Teo Yoo as Have Sung in “PAST LIVES”

OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS:

Lily Gladstone as Mollie Kyle in “KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON”

Sandra Hüller as Sandra Voyter in “ANATOMY OF A FALL”

Greta Lee as Nora Moon in “PAST LIVES”

Natalie Portman as Elizabeth in “MAY DECEMBER”

Teyana Taylor as Inez de la Paz in “A THOUSAND AND ONE”

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Robert Downey Jr. as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss in “OPPENHEIMER”

Milo Machado Graner as Daniel Maleski in “ANATOMY OF A FALL”

John Magaro as Arthur in “PAST LIVES”

Charles Melton as Joe in “MAY DECEMBER”

Ben Whishaw as Martin in “PASSAGES”

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Sakura Andō as Saori Mugino in "MONSTER"

America Ferrera as Gloria in “BARBIE”

Rachel McAdams as Barbara Simon in “ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET.”

Cara Jade Myers as Anna Brown in “KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON”

Rosamund Pike as Lady Elspeth Catton in “SALTBURN”

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Justine Triet & Arthur Harari for Anatomy of a Fall

Samy Burch for May December

Yuji Sakamoto for Monster

Celine Song for Past Lives

A.V. Rockwell for A Thousand and One

OUTSTANDING ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

Screenplay by Andrew Haigh; Based on Strangers by Taichi Yamada, All of Us Strangers

Screenplay by Kelly Fremon Craig; Based on Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Screenplay by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Based on Barbie by Mattel, Barbie

Screenplay by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller & Dave Callaham; Based on Marvel Comics, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Screenplay by Jonathan Glazer; Based on The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis, The Zone of Interest

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:

The Boy and the Hereon (Directed by Hayao Miyazaki)

Nimona (Directed by Nick Bruno & Troy Quane)

Robot Dreams (Directed by Pablo Berger)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers & Justin K. Thompson)

Suzume (Directed by Makoto Shinkai)

OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH/DEBUT:

Ayo Edebiri (Bottoms)

Abby Ryder Fortson (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.)

Charles Melton (May December)

Alison Oliver (Saltburn)

Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One)

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY:

Ruben Impens for The Eight Mountains

Maria von Hausswolff for Godland

Hélène Louvart for La Chimera

Linus Sandgren for Saltburn

Łukasz Żal for The Zone of Interest

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN:

Jacqueline Durran for Barbie

Trish Summerville for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Jacqueline West for Killers of the Flower Moon

Khadija Zeggaï for Passages

Holly Waddington for Poor Things

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY:

20 Days in Mariupol (Directed by Mstyslav Chernov)

Beyond Utopia (Directed by Madeleine Gavin)

Four Daughters Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania)

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (Directed by Stephen Kijak)

The Stroll (Directed by Kristen Lovell & Zackary Drucker)

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE OF THE YEAR:

Barbie (Margot Robbie, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Sharon Rooney, Ana Cruz Kayne, Ritu Arya, Dua Lipa, Nicola Coughlan, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, John Cena, America Ferrera, Ariana Greenblatt, Rhea Perlman, Helen Mirren, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, Connor Swindells, Ann Roth)

Bottoms (Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Miles Fowler, Marshawn Lynch, Dagmara Domińczyk, Punkie Johnson, Zamani Wilder, Summer Joy Campbell, Virginia Tucker, Wayne Péré)

Joy Ride (Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu , Sabrina Wu , Ronny Chieng, Meredith Hagner, David Denman, Annie Mumolo, Timothy Simons, Daniel Dae Kim, Desmond Chiam, Baron Davis, Lori Tan Chinn, Alexander Hodge, Chris Pang)

Killers of the Flower Moon (Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dion, Jason Isbell, William Belleau, Louis Cancelmi, Scott Shepherd, Brent Langdon, Everett Waller, Talee Redcorn, Yancey Red Corn, Tatanka Means, Tommy Schultz, Sturgill Simpson, Ty Mitchell, Gary Basaraba, Charlie Musselwhite, Pat Healy, Steve Witting, Steve Routman)

Theatre Camp (Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, Noah Galvin, Jimmy Tatro, Caroline Aaron, Ayo Edebiri, Nathan Lee Graham, Owen Thiele, Amy Sedaris, Patti Harrison, Bailee Bonick, Kyndra Sanchez, Donovan Colan, Vivienne Sachs, Alan Kim, Alexander Bello, Luke Islam, Jack Sobolewski, Quinn Titcomb, Madisen Lora, Susie Essman)

OUTSTANDING FILM EDITING:

Laurent Sénéchal for Anatomy of a Fall

Daniel Garber, for How to Blow Up a Pipeline

Affonso Gonçalves for May December

Keith Fraase for Past Lives

Eric Alexander Hughes for Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé

OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL FILM:

Anatomy of a Fall (Directed by Justine Triet)

The Eight Mountains (Directed by Felix van Groeningen & Charlotte Vandermeersch)

Godland (Directed by Hlynur Pálmason)

Perfect Days (Directed by Wim Wenders)

The Zone of Interest (Directed by Jonathan Glazer)

OUTSTANDING MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING:

Ivana Primorac for Barbie

Thomas Nellen, Sian Grigg & Kay Georgiou for Killers of the Flower Moon

Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier & Josh Weston for Poor Things

Jo-Ann MacNeil & Cliona Furey for Priscilla

Ana López-Puigcerver, Belén López-Puigcerver & Montse Ribé for Society of the Snow

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE:

Joe Hisaishi for The Boy and the Heron

Thomas Newman for Elemental

Christopher Bear & Daniel Rossen for Past Lives

Daniel Pemberton for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Mica Levi for The Zone of Interest

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG:

"Dance the Night", Barbie (Music and Lyrics by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin)

"I'm Just Ken”, Barbie (Music and Lyrics by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt)

"What Was I Made For?”, Barbie (Music and Lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell)

“For the First Time”, The Little Mermaid (Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda)

“Camp Isn't Home”, Theater Camp (Music and Lyrics by Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman & Mark Sonnenblick)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMER OF THE YEAR:

Colman Domingo (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, Rustin, The Color Purple)

Ayo Edebiri (Bottoms, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Theater Camp)

Alden Ehrenreich (Fair Play, Cocaine Bear, Oppenheimer)

Issa Rae (American Fiction, Barbie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse)

Jeffrey Wright (Asteroid City, Rustin, American Fiction)

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN:

Production Design by Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration by Kris Moran for Asteroid City

Production Design by Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration by Katie Spencer for Barbie

Production Design by John Paul Kelly; Set Decoration by Celia Bobak for A Haunting in Venice

Production Design by James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration by Zsuzsa Mihalek for Poor Things

Production Design by Suzie Davies; Set Decoration by Charlotte Dirickx for Saltburn

OUTSTANDING SOUND:

Angelo Bonanni, Tony Lamberti, Andy Nelson, Lee Orlof & Bernard Weiser for Ferrari

Nicholas Docter, Ren Klyce & Jeremy Molod for The Killer

Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Mark Ulano, Tom Fleischman & George A. Lara for Killers of the Flower Moon

Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo & Kevin O'Connell for Oppenheimer

Tarn Willers & Johnnie Burn for The Zone of Interest

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS:

Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts & Neil Corbould for The Creator

Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi & Tatsuji Nojima for Godzilla Minus One

Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland & Neil Corbould for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Mike Lasker, Alan Hawkins, Bret St. Clair & Pawel Grochola for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Josh Head, Leeth Keough, Peter 'Babylon' Owens, Marty Pepper & Jack James Troisi for Talk to Me

MOST NOMINATIONS:

10 nominations: Barbie

8 nominations: Past Lives

7 nominations: Anatomy of a Fall

6 nominations: Killers of the Flower Moon, May December, The Zone of Interest

4 nominations: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

3 nominations: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., Poor Things, Saltburn

2 nominations: All of Us Strangers, The Boy and the Hereon, The Eight Mountains, Godland, La Chimera, Monster, Oppenheimer, Passages, Perfect Days, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, Theatre Camp, A Thousand and One

1 nomination: 20 Days in Mariupol, Asteroid City, Beyond Utopia, Bottoms, Chevalier, The Creator, Elemental, Ferrari, Four Daughters, Godzilla Minus One, A Haunting in Venice, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Joy Ride, The Killer, The Little Mermaid, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Nimona, Priscilla, Robot Dreams, Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed, Society of the Snow, The Stroll, Suzume, Talk to Me

MOST WINS:

6 wins: Barbie

3 wins: May December

2 wins: The Boy and the Hereon, The Zone of Interest

1 win: 20 Days in Mariupol, Anatomy of a Fall, Godzilla Minus One, Killers of the Flower Moon, Past Lives, Perfect Days, Poor Things, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé

OUTSTANDING PICTURE

Anatomy of a Fall (Produced by Marie-Ange Luciani & David Thion)

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (Produced by James L. Brooks, Julie Ansell, Richard Sakai, Kelly Fremon Craig, Judy Blume, Amy Lorraiine Brooks & Aldric La'auli Porter)

May December (Produced by Natalie Portman, Sophie Mas, Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler, Grant S. Johnson, Tyler W. Konney, Jessica Elbaum & Will Ferrell)

Past Lives (Produced by David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon & Pamela Koffler)

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (Produced by Beyoncé, Melina Matsoukas, Justina Omokhua, Mark Ritchie, Erinn Williams & John Winter)

AND THE WINNER:

MAY DECEMBER (PRODUCED BY NATALIE PORTMAN, SOPHIE MAS, CHRISTINE VACHON, PAMELA KOFFLER, GRANT S. JOHNSON, TYLER W. KONNEY, JESSICA ELBAUM & WILL FERRELL)

These are the first wins and nominations for Sophie Mas, Pamela Koffler, Grant S. Johnson & Tyler W. Konney. This is the second win and fifth nomination for Natalie Portman. Portman previously won for Black Swan (2010) and was nominated for and with the ensemble of Closer (2004), she also was nominated for her performance in May December (2023). This is the third win and eight nomination for Christine Vachon. She previously won for producing Far from Heaven (2002) & Carol (2015). She was also nominated for producing Velvet Goldmine (1998), Boys Don't Cry (1999), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), I'm Not There (2007) & Past Lives (2023). This is the first win and second nomination for Jessica Elbaum. She was previously nominated for producing Booksmart (2019). This is the second win and fourth nomination for Will Ferrell. He won this year as part of the ensemble of Barbie (2023). He was previously nominated for acting in Elf (2003) & producing Hustlers (2019).

With this prize May December wins three awards from its six nominations. The film won for picture, supporting actor (Melton) & original screenplay. It was also nominated for director, leading actress (Portman) & film editing.

Like I've discussed before I was lucky enough to see May December last May at the 2023 Cannes film festival. Since that first viewing I was unable to get the film out of my mind and with multiple other viewings later in 2023 I comfortably can call May December my favourite film of 2023. With such a witty screenplay, assured direction by Todd Haynes and an ensemble delivering the way they do it is just that brilliant a film. I cannot wait for future years to pass and I get the opportunity to watch the film over and over again. I also hope for future generations to love the film as outrightly as I do and think it not receiving major awards success during the year is a crime and major snubary.

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Lily Gladstone as Mollie Kyle in “KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON”

Sandra Hüller as Sandra Voyter in “ANATOMY OF A FALL”

Greta Lee as Nora Moon in “PAST LIVES”

Natalie Portman as Elizabeth in “MAY DECEMBER”

Teyana Taylor as Inez de la Paz in “A THOUSAND AND ONE”

AND THE WINNER:

LILY GLADSTONE AS MOLLIE KYLE IN "KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON"

This is the first win and nomination for Lily Gladstone. She wins for her performance as Mollie Kyle in Killers of the Flower Moon.

It doesn't get more major and monumental that Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon in terms of affecting performances from 2023. Gladstone not new to acting was bound to be a major discussion worthy performance from the year as far back as when she was cast as Mollie years ago. Gladstone gave her all to this role both physically, mentally and so much more it is almost hard to put into words.

Some will probably still continue to question the category placement Gladstone for some reason that I will never understand. The film and original story of Killers is all about Mollie whether she is on screen or not. Gladstone delivers an all time performance full of so much heart in this film that you can think of nothing else first but Gladstone when it comes to this great film.

Whether it is displaying the sadness Mollie feels as her life goes through true horrors, falling in love with her husband or even just experincing each new conflict filled scene it is incredible to behold Gladstone in all her actress excellence. I am just so happy many are expressing their love of Gladstone this year and while some are familiar with her like me from her work in Certain Women 2023 is a major year for film due to Gladstones all time performance.

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges in “CHEVALIER”

Josh O’Connor as Arthur in “LA CHIMERA”

Andrew Scott as Adam in “ALL OF US STRANGERS”

Kōji Yakusho as Hirayama in “PERFECT DAYS”

Teo Yoo as Have Sung in “PAST LIVES”

AND THE WINNER:

KOJI YAKUSHO AS HIRAYAMA IN "PERFECT DAYS"

This is the first win and nomination for Kōji Yakusho. He wins for his performance as Hirayama in Perfect Days.

I was lucky enough to attend the 2023 Cannes Film Festival last Summer where Perfect Days was one of the brilliant films I got to witness. Since seeing the film i was entranced by Kōji Yakusho's performance and how monumental it felt when captured by Wim Wenders camera. The character of Hirayama doesn't talk much or act in any explosive way throughout and a lot of the greatness of the performance comes from the subtle changes of emotions and commitment to the physicality throughout the film.

I have been slightly disappointed not to see a lot of attention going to this great performance at the end of year awards but really even with a lot of strong leading male competition no performance is as individual and standout as Kōji Yakusho's spectacular performance.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR

Greta Gerwig for Barbie

Jonathan Glazer for The Zone of Interest

Todd Haynes for May December

Celine Song for Past Lives

Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall

AND THE WINNER:

CELINE SONG FOR PAST LIVES

This is the first win and second nomination for Celine Song. She was also nominated this year for screenwriting Past Lives (2023).

2023 as a film year has never not included the title Past Lives when referring to the best films of the cinematic year. The film first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where acclaim and love was first expressed and when I finally got to experience the film I instantly fell in love with it. I have watched the film on three separate occasions and believe the direction especially by Celine Song to be genius. Great direction doesn't always have to be major and effortful and Song's work is so quiet while also bringing attention to the brilliant story at it's centre.

Song also wrote this film and she works so wonderfully to showcase the brilliance of her screenplay and the actors she cast in the main roles. It is an expert film and easily the strongest direction of the year in my opinion.

OUTSTANDING FILM EDITING

Laurent Sénéchal for Anatomy of a Fall

Daniel Garber, for How to Blow Up a Pipeline

Affonso Gonçalves for May December

Keith Fraase for Past Lives

Eric Alexander Hughes for Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé

AND THE WINNER:

ERIC ALEXANDER HUGHES FOR RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ

This is the first win and nomination for Eric Alexander Hughes.

Of all the categories I'm awarding prizes to this year this win for the film editing team for the Beyoncé Renaissance film is sure to be the most out there and untraditional choice i'm gonna make. With hours of footage from multiple tour dates this couldn't have been an easy piece of media to edit all together. I loved the viewing experience of this filmed concert/documentary as I'd seen the show live earlier this year enjoying every minute of revisiting the viewing experience.

I cannot wait to view the filmed concert again as like most pieces of art Beyoncé makes nowadays there is some brilliance here worthy of being viewed.

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG

"Dance the Night", Barbie (Music and Lyrics by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin)

"I'm Just Ken”, Barbie (Music and Lyrics by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt)

"What Was I Made For?”, Barbie (Music and Lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell)

“For the First Time”, The Little Mermaid (Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda)

“Camp Isn't Home”, Theater Camp (Music and Lyrics by Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman & Mark Sonnenblick)

AND THE WINNER:

"WHAT WAS I MADE FOR?", BARBIE (MUSIC AND LYRICS BY BILLIE ELLISH AND FINNEAS O'CONNELL)

These are the first wins and third straight nomination for the writing team (siblings) of Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell. They were previously nominated for writing music for No Time to Die (2021) and Turning Red (2022).

It felt right that my original song award was gonna go to a song from Barbie it just really depended how I was feeling in the moment because there were so many great songs to choose from the great film. Unlike the Academy Awards I have not awarded an original song trophy to Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell as I only nominated them the year their Bond song won.

With "What Was I Made For?" the duo wrote a song so full of feeling and so integral to the narrative of Barbie that I felt like I knew every note of the song prior to it actually having words sung. The music was used at very important emotional beats throughout the film and this made the musical beats so impactful and standout. I loved this original song and hope it claims many awards as it is that standout a musical number and why the original song category exists. To award music that is great but also integral to the film as a whole.