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.

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

AND THE WINNER:

TARN WILLERS & JOHNNIE BURN FOR THE ZONE OF INTEREST

This is the first win and nomination for Tarn Willers. This is the second win and fifth nomination for Johnnie Burn. Burn previously won for sound editing Under the Skin (2014). He was also nominated for sound mixing Under the Skin and also doing the sound for The Lobster (2016) & Nope (2022).

The Zone of Interest is bound to be one of the most discussed films from 2023 in the decades to come and having now seen the film twice I am so proud to express my life this totally in control film masterpiece. Like Glazer's previous feature film sound is an important and great technical aspect for telling the story of Zone of Interest. The don't want to say too much about the film as to not spoil anything as I believe the less you know the better viewing experience you are gonna have of the film. All I can say is there is truly some impressive sound designs happening in the film which has made it worthy of this sound award.

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

AND THE WINNER:

SCREENPLAY BY GRETA GERWIG & NOAH BAUMBACH; BASED ON BARBIE BY MATTEL, BARBIE

This is the fourth win and seventh nomination for Greta Gerwig. This is the second win and sixth nomination for Noah Baumbach. Gerwig was previously won for directing & writing Lady Bird (2017) & writing Little Women (2019). She was also nominated for writing and as a member of the ensemble of Frances Ha (2013) & directing Little Women (2019). Noah Baumbach previously won for writing The Squid and the Whale (2005). He was also nominated for writing Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Frances Ha (2013), directing the documentary De Palma (2016) & with the ensemble of Kicking and Screaming (1995).

Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach have been a great film making duo for the past 10-15 years making some of the most exciting films whether both were involved in writing, directing or simply acting. The two both a great team together and apart really brought such brilliance to their screenplay for the Barbie movie. I had my doubts about this film prior to watching it which shocks me because in Gerwig I trust. Whether it was the writing risks of taking the Barbie brand and managing to praise it and call out its faults or the great lines of dialogue throughout there was just so much to love about the film from the strong work of Gerwig & Baumbach.

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

AND THE WINNER:

SAMY BURCH FOR MAY DECEMBER

This is the first win and nomination for Samy Burch.

When it comes to the SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR I can think of not other than Samy Burch's captivating screenplay for May December. Since I saw the film first in Cannes of 2023 I knew the screenplay was instantly iconic. With some incredible dialogue both spoken and visually written in the text Burch and director Todd Haynes ushered in some incredible screenwriting. Haynes a writer himself has transitioned as of late into working with screenwriters sitting primarily in the directors chair and while I miss his words I think he's still doing some amazing work by letting his writers work stand out as strongly as it has with May December.

I could deliver many of my favourite lines so regularly as their is such great dialogue in featured and it is so exceptional. Burch has certainly set herself up as an exciting screenwriter with her brilliant screenplay and I look forward to what great creation she is gonna make next.