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Rocío Mesa likes to define herself with the term filmmaker. She does not use the term film director or director, something that this Andalusian (Las Gabias, Granada) native can rightfully claim to be.

The 95th Academy Awards have come a long way from the years of #Oscarssowhite. Among the many signs of change: the overwhelming triumph of the Asian-dominated Everything Everywhere All at Once (7 wins out of eleven nominations) with Michelle Yeoh being the first Asian woman to win Best Actress for her role in the film; Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar for Best Animated Film for Pinocchio.

Even on its sixth installment, the Scream franchise still yelled loud and clear – it’s as popular as ever. Showing no signs of franchise fatigue, Scream VI topped the box office and even surpassed predictions.

The 95th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre, was a  historic evening, especially for Asian talents. A number of the winners, led by Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and The Daniels (directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) of the absurdist comedy-drama Everything Everywhere All at Once, made history and broke ceilings.

Nonfiction films offer a great way to lift and celebrate the fascinating lives of lesser-known figures in all types of fields, shining a light on people from overlooked communities or influential figures who never really achieved mainstream appreciation. A great many such movies, however, spend a lot energy working to convince viewers of their subject’s brilliance, and thus noteworthiness.

For once, costume designers were center stage at UCLA Film School's James Bridges Theater last Saturday. The five Oscar nominees for Best Costume Design were the main cast of characters in a lively and interesting panel moderated by Deborah Nadoolman Landis, a renowned costume designer herself (Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Indiana Jones, among her many film credits).

How do children cope with war? This is one of the questions that A House Made of Splinters seeks to answer. The documentary film tells the story of a shelter for neglected children in Ukraine who are highly affected by the war in their country.

What do we do when we see people being harassed right in front of us? Do we stand up for them? Or do we let others take that responsibility? That is the question at the heart of Eirik Tveiten’s short film Night Ride, nominated for an Oscar in the short film category.   “It is quite common that people in the Nordic countries mind their own business,” says Norwegian writer and director Eirik Tveiten, who is at the Academy Museum with his film team for a brunch event with the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles.

Originally published March 6, 2023   Historically, winners of the Golden Globe Awards have long been an essential precursor to the Academy Awards. Winning a Globe is a critical component in shaping the conversation around which films, performances, and filmmakers are likely to be successful during the award season, and winners generate momentum and increase buzz around the likelihood of an impending Oscar.

There are many reasons why some movies have had difficult productions – lack of preparedness, budget overruns, incompetent directors, script problems, clashing of egos, and plain bad luck. Sometimes, successful films can still come out of the chaos - films like The Bourne Identity, World War Z, and, most famously, Apocalypse Now and Titanic.