Tag Archives: Ezra

Bobby Cannavale to Receive Artist of Distinction Award at Newport Beach Film Festival

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Bobby Cannavale has earned a special distinction…

The 54-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor will be among the honorees at this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival, which runs October 17-24.

Bobby CannavaleCannavale will be recognized with the Artist of Distinction Award during the festival’s awards brunch on October 20.

Cannavel’s recent credits include Ezra, Old Dads and Under the Boardwalk.

Margaret Qualley, meantime, will receive the Spotlight Award, while Kiernan Shipka will receive the Artist of Distinction Award.

Previously announced honorees include Nicolas Cage, Joan Chen, Colman Domingo, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Sheryl Lee Ralph, George MacKay, Diane Warren and June Squibb.

The festival will also be celebrating those behind the camera with the just-announced Master of the Frame panel with leading industry cinematographers on October 19. Current participants include Alice Brooks (“Wicked”) and Lawrence Sher (“Joker: Folie à Deux.”)

The luxury lifestyle film festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with a wide selection of international films including buzzy titles like Blitz, Nightbitch and The Piano Lesson.

For Festival passes, tickets, and complete line-up, visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com.

Bobby Cannavale Wins Best Performance in a Film Award at Sun Valley Film Festival for “Ezra”

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Bobby Cannavale has another award-winning performance on his resume…

Organizers of the 13th annual Sun Valley Film Festival, which took place from February 28 to March 1, have announced this year’s juried film award winners, with the 53-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor among the recognized.

Bobby CannavaleIn all, the festival screened 20 narrative and documentary features, 37 shorts and three episodics.

For his performance in Ezra, Cannavale received the inaugural best performance in a film award. The winner of an audience award, Ezra was met with a sold-out crowd during the festival’s opening night. The screening was followed by a Q&A with producer Jon Kilik and a live performance by Adrienne Ackerman.

Ezra had a second screening on March 2, which was followed by a Q&A with Cannavale and director Tony Goldwyn, moderated by Variety’s Tatiana Siegel.

Melissa Barrera received an Honorable Mention award for her performance in Caroline Lindy’s Your Monster.

Raul Sanchez and Pasqual Gutierrez’s Shut Up & Fish won the SVShorty Award, while Maggie Contreras’ Maestra received an Honorable Mention prize in the Best Documentary Feature Film category.

Tiger Stripes and Maya and the Wave won best narrative and documentary feature film, respectively. Photographer and Abundance: The Farm Link Story also received audience awards.

During the festival, Annette Bening and David O. Russell received the Vision Award. The Pioneer Award went to Ted Hope, while Julia Cox received the High Scribe Award.

The Sun Valley Film Festival is set to return in 2025 from Feb. 26 to March 2.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Best Performance in a Film Award: Bobby Cannavale for his role in “Ezra”

Audience Award Winners

FEATURE WINNER: “Ezra,” directed by Tony Goldwyn
EPISODIC WINNER: “Photographer ‘Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die,’” directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
SHORT WINNER: “Abundance: The Farmlink Story,” directed by Owen Dubeck

Best Narrative Feature Film
WINNER: “Tiger Stripes,” directed by Amanda Nell Eu
HONORABLE MENTION FOR PERFORMANCE: Melissa Barrera in “Your Monster” directed by Caroline Lindy

Best Documentary Feature Film
WINNER: “Maya and the Wave,” directed by Stephanie Johnes
HONORABLE MENTION: “Maestra,” directed by Maggie Contreras

One in a Million Awards
NARRATIVE WINNER: “Long December,” directed by Thomas Torrey
DOCUMENTARY WINNER: “Invisible Nation,” directed by Vanessa Hope

The SVShorty Award
WINNER: “Shut Up & Fish,” directed by Raul Sanchez and Pasqual Gutierrez
SPECIAL MENTION: “The Sperm Bank,” directed by Margaux Susi

The Gem State Award
WINNER: “The Balloonist,” directed by Heather Parkinson Dermott and Kai Barry

SVFF Film & Screenwriting Competition Winners

High Scribe Award
WINNER: “Aman and Flor Against the Motherfucking World,” written by Emilie McDonald

SVJR Film Competition
HOT SHOT WINNER: “The Overlocks’ Dilemma,” directed by Julian Felix Aaronson
2nd PLACE: “Happiness in the Palm of Her Hand,” directed by Ella Janes
3rd PLACE: “Anna McGee’s Wild Ride,” directed by Ava Bounds

The Gem State Jr. Award
WINNER: “Kenai River King,” directed by Bentley Allen Zylstra

Bleecker Street Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Bobby Cannavale’s Family Dramedy “Ezra”

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Bobby Cannavale’s latest project is headed to a U.S. theater near you…

Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to Ezra, the starry family dramedy starring the 53-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor.

Bobby CannavaleHailing from actor-turned-director Tony Goldwyn, the film is coming off of its world premiere in the Special Presentations section of the Toronto Film Festival.

Starring Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro and newcomer William A. Fitzgerald, the film is slated for release in theaters in 2024.

Also starring Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg, Ezra follows Max Brandel (Cannavale), a once successful late-night comedy writer turned less-successful stand-up comedian, who struggles through the failure of his career and marriage. After moving in with his father, Stan (De Niro), Max and his ex-wife Jenna (Byrne) remain at odds on how to best raise their autistic son, Ezra (Fitzgerald).

Described by Deadline as “a touching testament to the power of love, acceptance, and the challenges of parenthood,” the film was written by Tony Spiridakis, with William Horberg, Jon Kilik, Goldwyn and Spiridakis producing.