VIZ Media Announces New Manga from the Creator of "Vampire Knight"

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES MATSURI HINO’S NEW MANGA SERIES SHURIKEN AND PLEATS

Dive Into A Tale Of Intrigue And Modern-Day Ninjas In The Latest Shojo Manga Series By The Creator Of VAMPIRE KNIGHT

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor, publisher and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces the launch of famed creator Matsuri Hino’s new manga (graphic novel) series, SHURIKEN AND PLEATS, on March 1st, 2016.

SHURIKEN AND PLEATS, the story of a schoolgirl who’s also a ninja in modern-day Japan, is the latest title from Hino, who created the pivotal shojo series, VAMPIRE KNIGHT (also published by VIZ Media; rated ‘T+’ for Teens).

SHURIKEN AND PLEATS is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will be published in print under the Shojo Beat imprint with an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series also launches digitally on March 1st via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App (iOS and Android), as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. New volumes of the series, which is ongoing in Japan, will be released twice a year.

When the master she has sworn to protect is killed, Mikage Kirio, a skilled ninja, travels to Japan to start a new, peaceful life for herself. But as soon as she arrives, she finds herself fighting to protect the life of Mahito Wakashimatsu, a man who is under attack by a band of ninja. From that time on, Mikage is drawn deeper into the machinations of his powerful family.

“Matsuri Hino returns with SHURIKEN AND PLEATS, a story about a skilled female ninja who is striving to find a new life for herself,” says Nancy Thistlethwaite, Senior Editor. “We invite readers to savor all the action and intrigue in this beautifully illustrated new manga series.”

Matsuri Hino burst onto the manga scene with her debut title, Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over), which was published in Japan in LaLa DX magazine. Already possessing strong artistic talent, Hino became a manga artist a mere nine months after she decided to pursue it as a professional career. With the success of her popular series, CAPTIVE HEARTS and MERUPURI (both also published by VIZ Media), Hino has established herself as a major player in the world of shojo manga.

For additional information on SHURIKEN AND PLEATS or other manga titles distributed by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 21st to 29th, 2016 - Update #47

Support Leroy on Patreon.

OBIT - From Variety:  The actor George Kennedy has died at the age of 91 on Sunday, February 28, 2016.  Kennedy had a long career and earned a best supporting actor Oscar for his role in the Paul Newman film, "Cool Hand Luke."

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OSCARS - From YahooMovies:  The highs and lows of the 88th Oscars.

From Variety:  Italy celebrates Ennio Morricone's Oscar win for scoring "The Hateful Eight."

From YahooMovies:  No, Sam Smith, you are NOT the first openly gay person to win an Oscar.  Remember Dustin Black - best screenplay winner for Milk, not to mention several others?

From YahooMovies:  "Spotlight" wins "Best Picture" at 88th Oscars.

From YahooMovies:  Leonardo DiCaprio's Best Actor win was the most tweeted about Oscar moment ever.

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MOVIES - From the NYT:  A very funny story about diversity by Colton Dunn - "Don't Call Me the Black Seth Rogen."

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BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 2/26 to 2/28/2016 weekend box office is "Deadpool" with an estimated take of $31.5 million.  This is it's third consecutive weekend at #1.

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STAR TREK - From CinemaBlend:  Tony Todd says that he is on an actors short list for upcoming CBS digital Star Trek series.

STAR TREK - From CinemaBlend:  Nicholas Meyer, the director of the beloved film, "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn" has joined the new CBS series in some creative capacity.

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CRIME - From BuzzFlash: Public defender system in Louisiana is in full meltdown.

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AWARDS - From PopSugar:  At the 2016 Spirit Awards, Mya Taylor becomes the first transgender actress to win a major film award.

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  2016 "Spirit Awards" winners; "Spotlight" dominates.

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OSCARS - From YahooNews:  Ava DuVernay on Oscars controversy and Flint water crisis with Katie Couric.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From WashPost:  Why did Cleveland sue Tamir Rice's family.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Patricia Arquette hosts a dinner on gender equality.  Jennifer Lawrence is one of the attendees.

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TV - From TVLine:  CBS has order a pilot for a television series based on the 2001 film, "Training Day," for which Denzel Washington won an Oscar.  Bill Paxton will play the morally ambiguous cop in a re-imagining of the film.

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OBITS - From TheWrap:  The actor Tony Burton has died at the age of 78,  He is best known for portraying Apollo Creed's trainer Tony "Duke" Evers in six "Rocky" movies.

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OSCARS - From the VillageVoice:  Spike Lee talks about the Oscars and more.

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OSCARS - From VillageVoice:  Michael Musto: The sweet smell of scandal at the Oscars.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From RSN:  I am not a super-predator.

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CULTURE - From BuzzFlash:  St. Louis archbishop rails against Girl Scouts.

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OSCARS - From YahooMovies:   "See You Again" from "Furious 7" not nominated - still doesn't make sense.

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Alan Moore's new prose novel is available for pre-order.

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MOVIES - From SlashFilm:  For its loose booty adaptation of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Disney has hired James Mangold to direct... after dumping David Fincher's take on the film.

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OSCARS - From Variety:  Al Sharpton to lead Oscar-weekend #OscarSoWhite protests.

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MUSIC - From YahooCelebrity:  Demi Lovato, that girl can sang.  She sings Ray Charles tunes at a White House event, which will air on PBS, Friday, Feb. 26th, 2016.

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POLITICS - From The NYT:  The Republican-controlled Senate refuses to consider any Obama Supreme Court nominee, and it's all ugly old white men, especially that gargoyle, Mitch McConnell.

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MOVIES - From WeGotThisCovered:  "Zombieland 2" is apparently still happening.

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MOVIE - From Variety:  Jessica Chastain and Queen Latifah are among actresses advising new female-empowered production company.

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MOVIE - From CinemaBlend:  "Pacific Rim 2" is back on, but with a new director.

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MOVIES -  From TheWrap:  Nate Parker's acclaimed "Birth of a Nation" gets a release date, October 7, 2016 - just in time to not get any Oscar nominations.

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COMICS - From TheHDRoom:  When "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice hits Blu-ray, it will have an R-rating.

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MOVIE - From TheWrap:  The 1968 Steve McQueen movie, "The Thomas Crown Affair," will get a second remake starring Michael B. Jordan.  The first remake was in 1999 with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Ava DuVernay is set to direct Disney's "A Wrinkle in Time."

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CULTURE - From TheAtlantic:  The enduring solidarity of whitness by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

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MOVIES - From DreadCentral:  Chucky the killer doll that first appeared in Child's Play could return for a seventh film.

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COMICS - From HitFix:  It seems there will be a "Justice League," movie, and it will start film April 11, 2016.

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OBITS - From Variety:  The Oscar-nominated cinematographer Douglas Slocombe has died at the age of 103 (Monday, February 22, 2016).  He shot "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and several of the Ealing Studios comedies, including the "The Lavender Hill Mob."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Demian Bichir added to Ridley Scott's "Alien: Covenant."

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COMICS - From SlashFilm:  In "Captain America: Civil War," Martin Freeman plays Everett Ross.

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OSCARS - From Variety:  5 upsets that could rock the 88th Academy Awards.

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COMICS - From FlickeringMyth:  Set photos from Doctor Strange in London.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The number one movie at the 2/19 to 2/21/2016 weekend box office is "Deadpool," which an estimated take of $55 million.  It is a repeat winner, having won last week in its debut weekend.

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COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  The third Wolverine film, which will be Hugh Jackman's last as the title character, will be R-rated and will be based on the story "Old Man Logan."

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TELEVISION - From CinemaBlend:  "The Walking Dead" is making a time-jump.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  "The Revenant" sounds best to Cinema Audio Society.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Mad Max: Fury Road leads the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild awards.

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COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  Doctor Strange will be a blast...

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SPORTS - From Steelersdotcom:  Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller has retired.  Sigh.

2016 / 88th Academy Awards Announced; DiCaprio Wins Best Actor; "Mad Max" Wins Six Oscars

The Academy Awards is an American film accolade.  It is best known as the “Oscars,” and is an annual awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements primarily in the American film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette that is officially called the “Academy Award of Merit,” but has become commonly known by its nickname, the “Oscar.”   The awards were first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.  The Academy Awards are overseen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

The 88th Oscars were presented on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center.  The ceremony was televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and hosted by Chris Rock.  Spotlight won Best Picture.  Mad Max: Fury Road was the leading recipient of statuettes with six Oscars.

2016 / 88th Academy Award winners:

Best Picture
Spotlight - Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Best Actress
Brie Larson, Room

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Rylance, Bridge Of Spies

Best Supporting Actress
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Directing
The Revenant, Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Film Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road - Margaret Sixel

Foreign Language Film
Son of Saul (Hungary)

Original Score
The Hateful Eight - Ennio Morricone

Production Design
Mad Max: Fury Road
Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson

Visual Effects
Ex Machina
Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett

Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short - Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay

Original Screenplay
Spotlight - Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy

Animated Feature Film
Inside Out - Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera

Cinematography
The Revenant - Emmanuel Lubezki

Costume Design
Mad Max: Fury Road - Jenny Beavan

Documentary Feature
Amy- Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees

Documentary Short Subject
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness - Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Makeup and Hairstyling
Mad Max: Fury Road - Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin

Original Song
“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre
Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

Animated Short Film
Bear Story - Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala

Live Action Short Film
Stutterer - Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage

Sound Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road - Mark Mangini and David White

Sound Mixing
Mad Max: Fury Road - Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo

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2016 Cesar Awards Announced;

First given out in 1975, the César Award is the national film award of France.  Some even think of the César Award as the French equivalent of the American Academy Awards (Oscars). The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, and the award ceremony is held in Paris each February.  The name of the award comes from the late sculptor César Baldaccini, and the trophies are actual sculptures of the artist.

The winners for the 41st Cesar Awards were announced on Friday, February 26, 2016 in Paris.  American actor Michael Douglas won an Honory César.

The 2016 / 41st Cesar Award winners (for the year in 2015) – complete list:
BEST FILM
Fatima – Philippe Faucon

BEST DIRECTOR
Arnaud Desplechin - My Golden Days

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Birdman – Alejandro Inarritu

BEST ACTRESS
Catherine Frot – Marguerite

BEST ACTOR
Vincent Lindon – The Measure Of A Man

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sidse Babett Knudsen - Courted

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benoit Magimel – Standing Tall

BEST FEMALE NEWCOMER
Zita Hanrot – Fatima

BEST MALE NEWCOMER
Rod Paradot – Standing Tall

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Deniz Gamze Erguven, Alice Winocour – Mustang

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Philippe Faucon – Fatima

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Le Petit Prince – Mark Osbourne

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Le Repas Domincal – Céline Devaux

BEST FIRST FILM
Mustang - Deniz Gamze Erguven

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Tomorrow – Cyril Dion, Mélanie Laurent

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Warren Eliis – Mustang

BEST SHORT FILM
La Contrée-Allée – Cécile Ducrocq

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Christophe Offenstein – Valley of Love

BEST EDITING
Mathilde Van De Moortel – Mustang

BEST SOUND
Francois Musy, Gabriel Hafner - Marguerite

BEST COSTUMES
Pierre-Jean Larroque – Marguerite

BEST ART DIRECTION
Martin Kurel – Marguerite

HONORARY CÉSAR
Michael Douglas

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Director David Frankel's "Collateral Beauty" Begins Filming

Filming Begins on the Ensemble Drama “Collateral Beauty” with an All-Star Cast

Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris, Jacob Latimore, and Helen Mirren Star; David Frankel is Directing

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography has begun on New Line Cinema’s and Village Roadshow Pictures’ thought-provoking drama “Collateral Beauty,” being helmed by Oscar-winning director David Frankel (“Dear Diary,” “The Devil Wears Prada”). The film has been slated for release on December 16, 2016.

“Collateral Beauty” features an all-star cast, including Will Smith (upcoming “Suicide Squad,” “Concussion”), Edward Norton (“Birdman or [The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance]”), Keira Knightley (“The Imitation Game”), Michael Peña (“The Martian”), Naomie Harris (“Spectre”), and Jacob Latimore (“The Maze Runner”), with Oscar winners Kate Winslet (“The Reader,” “Steve Jobs”) and Helen Mirren (“The Queen,” “Trumbo”).

When a successful New York advertising executive (Smith) experiences a deep personal tragedy and retreats from life entirely, his colleagues devise a drastic plan to force him to confront his grief in a surprising and profoundly human way.

Frankel is directing “Collateral Beauty” from an original screenplay by Allan Loeb (“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” “21”). Loeb is also a producer on the film, together with Bard Dorros (“Triple 9”) and Michael Sugar (Oscar-nominated Best Picture “Spotlight”) under the Anonymous Content banner; Anthony Bregman (“Foxcatcher”) for Likely Story; and Kevin Frakes (“John Wick”) for PalmStar Media.

Frankel’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Maryse Alberti (“Creed”), production designer Beth Mickle (“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”), editor Andrew Marcus (“American Ultra”) and costume designer Leah Katznelson (“How to Be Single”).

A presentation of New Line Cinema and Village Roadshow Pictures, “Collateral Beauty” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

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2016 Cesar Award Nominations

First given out in 1975, the César Award is the national film award of France.  Some even think of the César Award as the French equivalent of the American Academy Awards (Oscars). The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, and the award ceremony is held in Paris each February.  The name of the award comes from the late sculptor César Baldaccini, and the trophies are actual sculptures of the artist.

The 41st Cesar Awards ceremony will take place on Friday, February 26, 2016 at the Theatre du Chatelet in central Paris presided over by Florence Foresti over by French comedian and actress Florence Foresti. Hollywood star Michael Douglas is due to receive an honorary Cesar for his career at the ceremony.

The 2016 / 41st Cesar Award nominees (for the year in 2015):

BEST FILM
Dheepan, dir: Jacques Audiard
Fatima, dir: Philippe Faucon
La Loi Du Marché, dir: Stéphane Brizé
Marguerite, dir: Xavier Giannoli
Mon Roi, dir: Maiwenn
Mustang, dir: Deniz Gamze Erguven
La Tete Haute, dir: Emmanuelle Bercot
Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse (aka My Golden Days), dir: Arnaud Desplechin

BEST FIRST FILM
L’Affaire SK1, dir: Frédéric Tellier
Les Cowboys; dir: Thomas Bidegain
Mustang, dir: Deniz Gamze Erguven
Ni Le Ciel Ni La Terre, Clément Cogitore
Nous Trois Ou Rien, dir: Kheiron

BEST DIRECTOR
Jacques Audiard, Dheepan
Stéphane Brizé, La Loi Du Marché
Xavier Giannoli, Marguerite
Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Mustang
Emmanuelle Bercot, La Tête Haute
Arnaud Desplechin, My Golden Days
Maïwenn, Moi Roi

BEST ACTOR
Jean-Pierre Bacri, La Vie Très Privée De Monsieur Sim
Vincent Cassell, Mon Roi
François Damiens, Les Cowboys
Gérard Depardieu, Valley Of Love
Antonythasan Jesuthasan, Dheepan
Vincent Lindon, La Loi Du Marché
Fabrice Luchini, L’Hermine

BEST ACTRESS
Loubna Abidar, Much Loved
Emmanuelle Bercot, Mon Roi
Cécile de France, La Belle Saison
Catherine Deneuve, La Tête Haute
Catherine Frot, Marguerite
Isabelle Huppert, Valley Of Love
Soria Zeroual, Fatima

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Michel Fau, Marguerite
Louis Garrel, Mon Roi
Benoit Magimel, La Tête Haute
André Marcon, Marguerite
Vincent Rottiers, Dheepan

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sara Forestier, La Tête Haute
Agnès Jaoui, Comme Un Avion
Sidse Babett Knudsen, L’Hermine
Noémie Lvovsky, La Belle Saison
Karin Viard, 21 Nuits Avec Pattie

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Adama; dir: Simon Rouby
Le Petit Prince, dir: Mark Osborne
Avril Et Le Monde Truqué, dirs: Christian Desmares, Franck Ekinci

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Birdman, dir: Alejandro G Inarritu
Son Of Saul, dir: Laszlo Nemes
Je Suis Mort Mais J’ai Des Amis, dirs: Guillaume Malandrin, Stéphane Malandrin
Mia Madre, dir: Nanni Moretti
Taxi Tehran, dir: Jafar Panahi
The Brand New Testament, dir: Jaco van Dormael
Youth, dir: Paolo Sorrentino

BEST NEWCOMER (FEMALE)
Lou Leroy-Collinet, My Golden Days
Diane Rouxel, La Tête Haute
Zita Hanrot, Fatima
Sara Giraudeau, Les Bêtises
Camille Cottin, Connasse, Princesse Des Coeurs

BEST NEWCOMER (MALE)
Swann Arlaud, Les Anarchistes
Quentin Dolmaire, My Golden Days
Félix Moati, A trois On Y Va
Finnegan Oldfield, Les Cowboys
Rod Paradot, La Tête Haute

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Eponine Momenceau, Dheepan
Glynn Speeckaert, Marguerite
David Chizallet, Mustang
Irina Lubtchansky, My Golden Days
Christophe Offenstein, Valley Of Love

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
David Oelhoffen, Frédéric Tellier, L’Affaire SKI
Samuel Benchetrit, Asphalte
Vincent Garenq, Stéphan Cabel, L’Enquete
Philippe Faucon, Fatima
Héléne Zimmer, Benoît Jacquot, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre

BEST EDITING
Juliette Welfing, Dheepan
Cyril Nakache, Marguerite
Simon Jacquet, Mon Roi
Mathilde Van De Moortel, Mustang
Laurence Briau, My Golden Days

BEST SOUND
Daniel Sobrino, Valérie Deloof, Cyril Holtz, Dheepan
François Musy, Gabriel Hafner, Marguerite
Nicolas Provost, Agnès Ravez, Emanuel Croset, Mon Roi
Ibrahim Gök, Damien Guillaume, Olivier Goinard, Mustang
Nicolas Cantin, Sylvain Malbrant, Stéphane Thiébaut, My Golden Days

BEST SHOR FILM
La Contre Allée, dir: Cécile Ducrocq
Le Dernier Des Céfrans, dir: Pierre-Emmanuel Urcun
Essaie De Mourir Jeune, dir: Morgon Simon
Guy Moquet, dir: Demis Herenger
Mon Héros, dir: Sylvain Desclous

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC
Raphaël, Les Cowboys
Ennio Morricone, En Mail, Fais Ce Qu’Il Te Plaît
Stephen Warbeck, Mon Roi
Warren Ellis, Mustang
Grégoire Hetzel, My Golden Days

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Noé Debré, Thomas Bidegain, Jacques Audiard, Dheepan
Xavier Giannoli, Marguerite
Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Alice Winocour, Mustang
Emmanuelle Bercot, Marcia Roman, La Tête Haute
Arnaud Desplechin, Julie Peyr, My Golden Days

BEST COSTUMES
Anaïs Romand, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre
Pierre-Jean Larroque, Marguerite
Selin Sözen, Mustang
Catherine Leterrier, L’Odeur De La Mandarine
Nathalie Raoul, My Golden Days

BEST SET DECORATION
Michel Barthélémy, Dheepan
Katia Wyszkop, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre
Martin Kurel, Marguerite
Jean Rabasse, L’Odeur De La Mandarine
Toma Baqueni, My Golden Days

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
La Nuit Américaine D’Angélique, dirs: Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet, Joris Clerté
Le Repas Dominical, dir: Céline Devaux
Sous Tes Doigts, dir: Marie-Christine Courtès
Tigre A La Queue Leu Leu, dir: Benoît Chieux

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Le Bouton De Nacre, dir: Patrico Guzman
Cavanna, dirs: Denis and Nina Robert
Tomorrow, dirs: Cyril Dion, Mélanie Laurent
The Missing Picture, dir: Rithy Panh
Une Jeunesse Allemande, dir: Jean-Gabriel Periot

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2016 Spirit Awards Announced; "Spotlight" Dominates

Film Independent’s Spirit Awards (formerly known as the Independent Spirit Awards) were founded in 1984 and are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers.  Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and also the Los Angeles Film Festival.

The 2016 / 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards were announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 27, 2016.  The awards ceremony was held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, just north of the Santa Monica Pier.  The show was broadcast live exclusively on IFC at 2:00 pm PT/ 5:00 pm ET.

2016 / 31st Film Independent's SPIRIT AWARD winners:

BEST FEATURE – Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.
Spotlight
Producers: Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar

BEST DIRECTOR
Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Brie Larson -Room

BEST MALE LEAD
Abraham Attah - Beasts of No Nation

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Mya Taylor - Tangerine

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Idris Elba - Beasts of No Nation

BEST FIRST FEATURE - Award given to the director and producer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Director: Marielle Heller
Producers: Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.
Krisha
Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults
Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith

BEST SCREENPLAY
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer - Spotlight

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Emma Donoghue - Room

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ed Lachman - Carol

BEST EDITING
Tom McArdle - Spotlight

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

Spotlight
Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors:Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee
Ensemble Cast: Michael Cyril Creighton, Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci

BEST DOCUMENTARY - Award given to the director and producer.
The Look of Silence
Director:Joshua Oppenheimer
Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM - Award given to the director.
Son of Saul (Hungary)
Director: László Nemes

19th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 19th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

Mel Eslyn - WINNER

22nd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 22nd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.

King Jack
Director: Felix Thompson

21st TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 21st annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Incorruptible
Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

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