Mary Ann Skweres

35th Film Independent Spirit Awards: The Farewell and Uncut Gems Take Top Awards

February 11, 2020 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

SANTA MONICA (February 8, 2020) – In a celebration honoring artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision, the Film Independent Spirit Awards were handed out at the ceremony held on the beach in Santa Monica. The Farewell took home Best Feature and Best Supporting Female, and Uncut Gems garnered Best Director, Best Male Lead and Best Editing. In talking […]

The Power of Sound – MPSE 67th Annual Golden Reel Awards

January 21, 2020 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

HOLLYWOOD—January 19, 2020—During a black-tie ceremony at the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, the Motion Picture Sound Editors presented the 67th MPSE Annual Golden Reel Awards, recognizing outstanding achievement in sound editing in 23 categories encompassing feature films, long-form and short-form television, animation, documentaries, games, special venue and other media. Top Feature Film honors were garnered by Ford v Ferrari (FX and Foley), 1917 (Dialogue/ADR), Rocketman (Musical) and JoJo Rabbit […]

Contender: Costume Designer Jany Temine Judy

December 23, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

Costume Designer Jany Temime admits that she is “completely crazy about Judy Garland,” so when she learned about the film covering the latter years of the iconic performer’s life, she really wanted to work on it. “I liked the idea of Renée [Zellweger] playing Judy. I also liked the period at the end of her life, a very special moment when she was so fragile. I liked the conjunction of […]

The Marvelous Style of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

June 13, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

After the austerity of the 1940s war years, the 1950s were one of the most important periods in women couture clothes according to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel costume designer Donna Zakowska. “This was such an exciting moment for clothing,” she said. She turned to books and magazines of the era, such as Vogue and French Vogue, for her research into the New York fashion of the period. It was an opportunity for the designer to have a […]

Film Independent Spirit Awards

February 25, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

Saturday, February 23 was a cool, but sunny afternoon for the 34th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards, held in the show’s signature white tent on Santa Monica Beach. The annual celebration honored independent, artist-driven films made with a budget under $20 million. With her impeccable comedic delivery, actress/comedian Aubrey Plaza, host of the IFC broadcast, started everyone laughing as she dedicated the show to “all the freaks.” The atmosphere was upbeat […]

Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards

February 20, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

Honoring outstanding achievements in sound editing, the 66th Annual Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) Awards took place on Sunday, February 17th at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles with over a thousand in attendance. Golden Reels were handed out in 23 categories encompassing feature films, long-form and short-form television, animation, documentaries, games, special venue and other media. In his opening address, MPSE president, Tom McCarthy, commented, “We are storytellers […]

Top Honors to Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

February 5, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

69th Annual ACE Eddie Awards celebrated the best editing of the year in film, TV and documentaries at the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel with over 1000 in attendance. Outstanding editing was recognized in 11 categories of film, television and documentaries.Comedian Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, served as the evening’s master of ceremonies. Presiding over the evening’s festivities, President of American Cinema Editors, Stephen Rivkin, ACE, quipped, “Who […]

Editor Barry Alexander Brown, BlackkKlansman

January 22, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

Over the years working with director Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman editor Barry Alexander Brown has developed a shorthand where they don’t necessarily complete a whole sentence. Brown worked on She’s Gotta Have It and School Days when they both were figuring out how to make a movie. “We have known each other for 37 years, since ’81 at NYU where we met,” said Brown. “As filmmakers, we grew up together. We […]

Contenders: Sound Designers/Supervising Sound Editors, Renee Tondelli, Eugene Gearty, Mary Poppins Returns

January 14, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

“We were all a little terrified, “ joked sound designer/supervising editor Renee Tondelli, when questioned about working on Mary Poppins Returns, the sequel to Disney’s iconic film Mary Poppins. Actually, Tondelli and her crew were very excited. The film was her fifth collaboration with Rob Marshall and the third musical that she has done with the director. Tondelli added, “I absolutely knew he would be fantastic at it. With Emily […]

Contender: Cinematographer Lukasz Zal, Cold War

January 9, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

When the cinematographer Ryszard Lenczewski became ill, camera operator Lukasz Zal got his opportunity to work as director of photography on director Pawel Pawlikowski’s film Ida. The film went on to garner the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and a cinematography nomination for Lenczewski and Zal. With Cold War–nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival–Zal continues his collaboration with Pawlikowski. The exact framing and […]