The 2021 Hollywood Professional Association (HPA®) Awards is returning to an in-person event this year. This year’s gala will take place November 18 at the Hollywood Legion Theater in Hollywood, California. Since 2006, the HPA Awards have honored the brilliance of the community that brings creative vision to life, recognizing artistry in color grading, editing, sound, and visual effects in addition to special awards for Creativity & Innovation, industry contribution, and Engineering Excellence.
Seth Hallen, HPA president, noted, “We look forward to the HPA Awards gala every year, but this year more than ever. This is where the industry comes together to celebrate our amazing work and spend an evening honoring our own. Over this past year, I have been continually inspired by the absolute dedication of our community. Artists and post facility professionals have maintained focus on delivering incredible work during a challenging time. This year more than ever, it’s important that we spend an evening in recognition of this.”
The Hollywood Legion Theater, part of American Legion Post 43, has Hollywood history at its core. Founded in 1919 to serve the community and state and to help fellow veterans suffering badly from the effects of the Great War, the Legion was chartered by Los Angeles veterans who worked in the motion picture business. Veterans and non-veterans alike, including Hollywood luminaries of the day such as Cecil B. DeMille, Adolphe Menjou, Walter Long, and Mary Pickford to name a few, were instrumental in getting the post on its feet in the early days.
Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart downed cocktails and shot pool in what has been dubbed “The longest continuously operating speakeasy in Hollywood,” and Charlton Heston, Mickey Rooney, Gene Autry, Ronald Reagan, Stan Lee were also Legion members. More recently, the post has been the scene of numerous industry events and premieres and this year, the HPA Awards.
A recently completed $6 million renovation of the 90-year-old Egyptian Revival-style building included top notch technology upgrades incorporating state-of-the-art digital projection, an acoustically optimized sound system and 35mm and 70mm film projection capabilities.
Hallen concluded, “To say that we are ready to get this party started is an understatement and we’re pulling out all the stops for this year’s HPA Awards. We’re moving to a beautiful new venue, planning a great evening and, most importantly, we will be celebrating together. We can hardly wait to see you in November!”
The HPA Awards are made possible through the generous sponsorship of Awards Diamond Title Sponsor Blackmagic Design; Registration Sponsor Picture Shop; Awards Category Sponsors Blackmagic Design, DTS, Picture Shop, and Zeiss; and Event Sponsor Deluxe.
Complete rules, guidelines and entry information for the creative categories, which remain open until July 30, are available here. Ticket sales will open in early August.
The Sundance Film Festival may get a new home. Here are the 3 finalists
The Sundance Film Festival has narrowed its search for a new home down to three finalists.
One option remains a combination of Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah, the latter its base for over 40 years. The other two, Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati would find the country's foremost showcase for independent film putting new roots down, the Sundance Institute said Thursday.
Eugene Hernandez, the festival's director and head of public programming said that each of the finalist cities "has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values, and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive Festival."
For now, Sundance will continue operating out of Park City for the 2025 and 2026 festivals. Changes won't go into effect until the 2027 festival. Should the organization stick with Utah, the festival would center itself in Salt Lake City, with some elements in Park City.
Local leaders all issued statements as well. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said that Boulder is "the next natural home" for the festival, touting Colorado's creative communities. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Kristen Schlotman, the head of Film Cincinnati spoke about the Ohio city's dedication to the arts and its ability to offer a "dynamic, walkable and accessible new venue." Finally, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Park City Mayor Nann Worel and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said they are eager to "forge an even stronger bond to inspire artists and elevate the festival experience."
The Robert Redford-founded festival has been a launching pad for many top filmmakers over the years, from Quentin Tarantino to Ryan Coogler. It's also premiered many eventual Oscar nominees and winners, including "CODA," their first best picture winner, and... Read More