"Selma" director Ava DuVernay says she's disappointed that star David Oyelowo's performance as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., wasn't recognized with an Oscar nod.
"I was hurt by the fact that David wasn't nominated because I know what it took to get that performance," DuVernay said at the film's premiere in Berlin, adding, "I don't need anyone to tell me that it's one of the best performances of 2014; no one needs to even say that to me because I already know."
Besides best picture, "Selma" is also nominated in the original song category for "Glory," By Common and John Legend.
"It's a song that is going to be in the culture for quite a while," DuVernay said. "Already choirs and students and people are singing this song and it's becoming a protest that I think will last."
She said she was not expecting a best-director bid from the film academy. "There has been no precedent for a black woman to be nominated for best director, so why was it going to change with me?" she said.
Yet the director said she feels honored the film is a contender for the top Oscar.
"We were nominated as best picture, which is nothing to sneeze at," she said. "People act like we dragged out of there with nothing. I mean, best picture."
6 recipients named for Life Achievement Awards from Society of Camera Operators
The Society of Camera Operators (SOC) has announced the recipients of the upcoming Society of Camera Operators Lifetime Achievement Awards. Recipients will be presented and honored during the SOC Awards on February 15, 2025, at the Loews Hollywood Hotel.
SOC president Matthew Moriarty shared, “This year’s honorees represent an exceptional level of skill, dedication, and artistry. From broadcast to film, unscripted television to still photography, these individuals have made significant contributions to their craft and helped shape the stories that captivate audiences. We are proud to recognize their talent and celebrate their careers.”
The Lifetime Achievement Awards are given in recognition of outstanding achievement by an established person within the field of film and video production. The honorees of the Lifetime Achievement Awards were nominated in six categories including: Camera Operator Film and Television, Camera Operator Broadcast & Live, Camera Technician, Mobile Platform Camera Operator, Still Photographer, and (new) Camera Operator Unscripted.
The recipients are:
--Still Photographer – Zade Rosenthal
--Camera Operator Film & Television – Bonnie Blake, SOC
--Mobile Camera Platform Operator – Tim Christie
--Camera Technician – Jamie Felz
--Camera Operator Broadcast & Live – Larry Heider
--Camera Operator Unscripted – John Armstrong
Submissions are now open for the Camera Operator of the Year Award, which honors operators in Feature Film and Television, with a deadline of December 31, 2024. Final nominees will be selected by SOC voting members, with winners announced at the awards ceremony in February. The Technical Achievement Award, recognizing innovative... Read More