The Most Important Film Awards in the World

 

Hello everyone, do you like movies? Have you spent last night watching the ceremony of the Oscars? If you are regular readers of our blog, you must have noticed I'm very fond of cinema. Today, in my new post,  I'd like to tell you about some of the most important film awards. Since they are quite a few, let’s get started!  

The Oscars

The most famous and well-known award is the Oscar, but do you know all the interesting facts about this award?

Today, the night of the Oscars is broadcast live in over 200 countries, but the first ceremony took place on 16 May 1929 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood and consisted of a large dinner with 270 people.

During the first edition only 15 Oscars were awarded.

The first name of the award was “Academy Award of Merit”, in 1931 Margaret Herrick (director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) changed the name to Oscar because the statuette resembled her uncle named Oscar.

The statue depicts a knight holding a sword while standing over a reel of film.

Initially, the statuettes were made from plaster because metal could be resold during the war.

 

Walt Disney holds two records: the person who has received the most Oscars 26 and the person who has received the most nominations 59.

The films that have received the most statuettes are three, all with 11 awards:

●      Ben Hur in 1960

●      Titanic in 1998

●      Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King in 2004 

The Oscar award categories are many, the most important to mention are: Best Picture, Best Actor and Actress, Best Director, Best Score, Best Special Effects and Best Foreign Language Film.

The Best Director award was only won by three women: Kathryn Bigelow, Chloé Zhao and Jane Campion.

Italy won 14 Oscars for best foreign film, among the names to remember are Vittorio De Sica and Federico Fellini who won 4 Oscars each and Roberto Benigni winner thanks to the film “La vita è bella”.  

Golden Globes

The Golden Globe originated in 1944, when journalist Marina Cisternas working with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) proposed to create an award for film and television excellence. In fact, this award, unlike the Oscars, is also presented to television excellence.

During the first ceremonies, there were only five categories: Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress in a leading role, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. From 1951, the categories were expanded.

The name Golden Globe also came in later years.

The commission that decides on the winners consists exclusively of journalists from all over the world.

This award is presented two months before the Oscars. 

This year, the award ceremony took place on 7 January 2024 and for the first time, a native American won a Golden Globe: Lily Gladstone as best actress in a drama for her role in “Killers of the flower moon”. 

Venice International Film Festival

This event better known as the Venice Film Festival is the oldest in the world: it started in 1932. The first edition was non-competitive, but by the second it became competitive.

The first film screened at the first edition was “Doctor Jekyll” by director Rouben Mamoulian.

The most coveted prize is the Golden Lion awarded to the best film. The prize is named after its shape, and represents the symbol of the city: the lion of St. Mark. 

The prize has only been called this since 1954, since 1933 (when the festival became competitive) the Mussolini cup was up for grabs as Italy was under Fascist rule.

Many other prizes are awarded such as:

●      The Silver Lion for Best Director;

 

●      The Grand Jury Prize and the Special Jury Prize for the most deserving films;

●      The Marcello Mastroianni Prize for the best performance by emerging artists;

●      The Osella Prize for best screenplay;

●      The Coppa Volpi for best interpretation: this is the oldest award, established in 1934 and dedicated to Count Giuseppe Volpi, the creator of the film festival.

Fan Fact: In 1959, 2 Golden Lion prizes were awarded by the jury because there were 2 films that deserved it; these were the films “The Great War” and “The General Della Rovere”.

From 1937 the official venue of the festival was the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido di Venezia, but in 1946 the festival was held in the Cinema San Marco and in 1947 and 1948 it was held in the Palazzo Ducale.

Only in 1949 did the festival return to the Palazzo del Cinema. 

Berlin Film Festival

Since 1950, one of the world's most important film events has been held in the Berlinale Palast in February. More than 4,000 critics and journalists and around 330,000 people attend this event.

The more than 400 newly produced films are divided into five categories and the premieres are screened.

The most special category is 'Perspektive deutsches Kino', which includes German films about contemporary trends.

There are two prizes: the Golden Bear for Best Film and Lifetime Achievement and the Silver Bear for Best Actor, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Screenplay and awarded by the jury for Best Screenplay.

 

In 2003, Berlinale Talents was opened, a school for aspiring directors, producers and screenwriters that collaborates with the Berlin Film Festival. 

David di Donatello

In 1953, the Committee for Art and Culture and the International Film Circle were founded in Rome.

With them also came the David di Donatello award for the best film production.

Since 1956, the first edition was held in Rome and almost all subsequent editions were held there. Each year, however, the place where the award ceremony takes place is changed. Among the first award-winning actors are: Vittorio De Sica in the film "Pane amore e ..."

and Gina Lollobrigida as best leading actress in the film “La donna più bella del mondo”.

In 2006 for the 50, special prizes were awarded for costumes, photography, musicians, directors, screenwriters and actors. Gina Lollobrigida won the latter. 

The most beautiful posters presented during the award ceremonies were also elected. Below are those that the judges considered to be the most beautiful of all editions.

●      "La notte" - 1961

●      "Alfredo Alfredo" - 1972

●      "La dolce vita" - 1960 

 

Today’s Blogger

Hello, I am Valerio Carpentieri, I am 16 years old and I ‘m in the 3rd year of Liceo Scientifico. My hobbies are travelling and watching TV series. I’m here to write about my interests and share them with all of you.