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Distributors play on Oscar success at box office

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Oscars

Oscars 2015: As it happened

Jeremy Kay’s live blog of the 87th Academy Awards from Los Angeles.

LATEST AWARDS NEWS

The Danish Girl

The Danish Girl gets US release date

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Focus Features has secured a prime awards season slot for the Working Title drama starring Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander.

Distributors play on Oscar success at box office

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There were several noticeable bumps in evidence at the weekend as distributors expanded their theatrical footprints in the wake of last Sunday’s (February 22) Academy Awards.

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AWARDS BLOG

AWARDS FEATURES

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Weta Digital: Maximum effect

Weta Digital has grown from one computer to a global VFX powerhouse employing 1,000 people. John Hazelton talks to key executives Richard Taylor and Joe Letteri

The Theory of Everything

The Theory of Everything, the making of...

The Theory Of Everything is far more than a Stephen Hawking biopic - it’s a ‘triple helix’ of scientific breakthrough, debilitating disease and a one-of-a-kind love story. Wendy Mitchell talks to the team behind the film

BAFTA_masks

Bafta takes the spotlight

The biggest challenge for the organisers of the Bafta Film Awards is to never become complacent. Louise Tutt reports on the ever-evolving plans for the 2015 event.

On set of Inherent Vice

Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice

Inherent Vice director Paul Thomas Anderson talks to Andreas Wiseman about ego, fear and the real Joaquin Phoenix.

Richard Linklater on set of Boyhood with Ethan Hawke

Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Writer-director Richard Linklater was surprised by how emotional he found shooting Boyhood, his ballad of family life. Jeremy Kay reports.

Xavier Dolan

Xavier Dolan, Mommy

At the age of 25, Xavier Dolan has already made five features. He tells John Hazelton why Mommy is illustrative of the kind of storytelling he’s most interested in and why he finds the female psyche so compelling.

Birdman

Michael Keaton, Birdman

Michael Keaton tells Jeremy Kay he’s not that similar to Birdman’s washed-up Riggan Thomson.

The Theory of Everything

Eddie Redmayne, The Theory Of Everything

Eddie Redmayne tells Wendy Mitchell about the emotional and physical challenges of playing theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.

Jake Gyllenhaal on set with Dan Gilroy

Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler

Jake Gyllenhaal tells Jeremy Kay why it was important for him to get under the skin of Nightcrawler’s sociopathic anti-hero, Lou Bloom.

Boyhood

Boyhood: A family portrait

When Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette and Ellar Coltrane were cast in Richard Linklater’s audacious coming-of-age film, Boyhood, they soon realised each had the role of a lifetime. Jeremy Kay reports.

EFAs: European champions

The European Film Awards’ 2014 contenders show off a breadth of work. Sarah Cooper reports.

BIFA 2013

BIFA: Night of the independents

This year’s Moët British Independent Film Awards will toast the best of 2014’s independently produced home-grown titles. Ian Sandwell reports.

The Lego Movie behind the scenes

Phil Lord & Chris Miller, The Lego Movie

Phil Lord and Chris Miller talk to Michael Rosser about their animated hit, The Lego Movie, which far exceeds its commercial spin-off roots to become an emotional story that celebrates human creativity

Big Hero 6

Don Hall & Chris Williams, Big Hero 6

Big Hero 6 co-directors Don Hall and Chris Williams tell Jean Noh about building the world of San Fransokyo for their Marvel comic superhero adaptation

The Book of Life

Jorge Gutierrez, The Book of Life

Despite a disastrous first pitch to Guillermo del Toro, Jorge Gutierrez succeeded in making a unique animated feature inspired by Greek mythology and Mexico’s Day of the Dead.

Dean DeBlois & Bonnie Arnold, How To Train Your Dragon 2

How To Train Your Dragon 2 director Dean DeBlois and producer Bonnie Arnold talk to John Hazelton about the film’s more mature themes and making the most of the latest animation technology

Rocks in my Pockets

Oscars: Best Foreign-Language Film interviews

Directors of foreign language Oscar submissions talk to Screen about the thinking behind their films. Interviews by Laurence Boyce, Sarah Cooper, Melanie Goodfellow, Wendy Mitchell and Juan Sarda

Paddington

The perfect Paddington

Expectations don’t come much higher than bringing family favourite Paddington to life. Director Paul King and the Framestore creatives tell Neal Romanek how they made the loveable bear fit for the big screen.

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AWARDS COUNTDOWN: INTERVIEWS

The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch reveals how he broke down with emotion during his last day playing Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Elbert Wyche reports

Interstellar

The VFX of Interstellar

Double Negative’s Paul Franklin talks to Ian Sandwell about keeping the VFX for Interstellar grounded in reality while exploring the wonders of the universe

Trash

Stephen Daldry, Trash

Stephen Daldry tells Andreas Wiseman how he hopes his comedy thriller Trash will help change established perceptions of Rio’s favelas

Song Of The Sea

Tomm Moore, Song Of The Sea

Oscar-nominated Irish animation Song Of The Sea draws on ancient folklore and traditional animation techniques to tell a universal family story. Wendy Mitchell talks to director Tomm Moore about the inspirations for the film

Birdman Michael Keaton and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Alejandro G Inarritu, Birdman

The Mexican director of Birdman talks to Jeremy Kay about his tortured creative process and his original vision of a man floating in his underwear.

Robert Elswit

Robert Elswit, Nightcrawler

Cinematographer Robert Elswit talks to Elbert Wyche about the challenges of shooting dozens of late-night locations for Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler.

Adam Stockhausen, The Grand Budapest Hotel

Production designer Adam Stockhausen tells Andreas Wiseman about the ‘extreme’ move from 12 Years A Slave to The Grand Budapest Hotel and the challenges of capturing Wes Anderson’s unique vision.

Alexandre Desplat

Alexandre Desplat, The Imitation Game

Composer Alexandre Desplat tells Tiffany Pritchard about bringing Alan Turing’s frenetic mind to life through his score for The Imitation Game.

The Theory Of Everything

Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything

Felicity Jones tells Wendy Mitchell about her intimidating first experience with Jane Hawking, and meeting carers and families during preparation for The Theory Of Everything

Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Julianne Moore talks to Jeremy Kay about the research and emotions behind her impressive turn in Still Alice

Whiplash

JK Simmons: The Whiplash effect

JK Simmons tells Michael Rosser how he brought the brutal teacher in Whiplash to life and how the role may change his career forever.

A Most Violent Year

Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year

Jessica Chastain talks to Wendy Mitchell about bringing the wife out from behind the scenes in JC Chandor’s A Most Violent Year.

Selma

David Oyelowo, Selma

David Oyelowo tells Ian Sandwell about how being British helped his portrayal of an icon and the need for it not to be an impersonation.

Joshua Oppenheimer

Joshua Oppenheimer, The Look Of Silence

Joshua Oppenheimer talks to Wendy Mitchell about changing the culture of fear in Indonesia with The Act Of Killing and its follow-up, The Look Of Silence.

Alicia Vikander on set of Testament of Youth with director James Kent

Alicia Vikander, Testament Of Youth

Alicia Vikander tells Wendy Mitchell about doing Vera Brittain justice in Testament Of Youth and finding roles of emotional substance.

Mike Leigh

Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner

Mike Leigh talks to John Hazelton about raising finance, going digital and the importance of research in creating three-dimensional and historically accurate characters for his latest feature, Mr. Turner.

Ruben Ostlund

Ruben Ostlund, Force Majeure

Ruben Ostlund, the Swedish director of Force Majeure, tells Tiffany Pritchard about his lengthy casting process, the Titanic myth and his love of YouTube.

Steven Knight on set of Locke with Tom Hardy

Steven Knight, Locke

Writer-director Steven Knight tells Adam Woodard about a unique on-screen and off-screen journey with Locke, the Tom Hardy drama shot over just eight nights.

The Salt of the Earth

Wim Wenders & Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, The Salt of the Earth

Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado tell Elbert Wyche how they had to beat their own egos on documentary The Salt of the Earth.

André Singer

André Singer, Night Will Fall

André Singer talks to Melanie Goodfellow about his powerful Holocaust documentary, Night Will Fall, which has a groundbreaking broadcast launch on January 27.

Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner

Timothy Spall talks to John Hazelton about tackling the biggest role of his career in Mr. Turner, becoming detective to ‘discover’ his character and the ever-present spectre of unemployment.

Life Itself

Steve James, Life Itself

Documentarian Steve James talks to John Hazelton about capturing the career and spirit of Roger Ebert while avoiding the pitfalls of hagiography.

Nick Broomfield

Nick Broomfield, Tales Of The Grim Sleeper

Nick Broomfield tells Wendy Mitchell why his doc Tales Of The Grim Sleeper is about a whole neighbourhood, not just one killer.

Academy Museum

AMPAS’s global reach

AMPAS boss Dawn Hudson talks to Wendy Mitchell about advancing the Academy’s influence across the world and its efforts to protect film’s legacy

Britdoc: truth in the telling

Britdoc chief executive Jess Search tells Wendy Mitchell about how the non-profit organisation works holistically across a film’s lifecycle, and how it took a calculated risk with Citizenfour

Laura Poitras

Laura Poitras, Citizenfour

Film-maker Laura Poitras becomes part of the story with her history-in-the-making documentary, Citizenfour, about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Dardenne brothers

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Two Days, One Night

Belgian auteurs Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne talk to John Hazelton about casting their biggest star yet, Marion Cotillard, in the workplace drama, Two Days, One Night — Belgium’s foreign language Oscar entry.

Abderrahmane Sissako, Timbuktu

The spread of Islamic fundamentalism across Africa has flung many ordinary Muslims’ lives into turmoil. Timbuktu director Abderrahmane Sissako tells Elbert Wyche why he wanted to express their story

Pawel Pawlikowski, Ida

Pawel Pawlikowski tells Jeremy Kay about exploring the Poland of his childhood in Ida, and why he wanted to portray universal themes of faith and identity within the context of a very personal journey

PICTURE GALLERIES

The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch reveals how he broke down with emotion during his last day playing Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Elbert Wyche reports

American Sniper

Oscars 2015: Best Film nominations in pictures

Slideshow of Best Film nominations at the 87th Academy Awards.

Birdman

Oscars 2015: Acting nominations in pictures

Slideshow of actors up for leading and supporting Academy Awards.

Under the Skin

BAFTAs 2015: Best Film nominations in pictures

Slideshow of Best Film and Outstanding British Film nominations.

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