by Nathaniel R
The Society for LGBTQ Entertainment Journalists (a few of us at Team Experience are members) have voted. The society has chosen the following films, marked with a ★ as the best of 2021. Unfortunately, there was a LOT of doubling up on prizes rather than spreading the wealth: Ariana deBose, Jane Campion, and Pedro Almodóvar each won two awards and Flee won four times. Argh. You know how your host here feels about spreading the wealth. Anyway, can you feel the season wrapping up? Voting is underway and the last burst of awardage is over the next few days with the Oscars on the 27th. The winners are after the jump...
BEST FILM
- Drive My Car (Janus)
- ★ The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
- The Worst Person in the World (Neon)
- Tick, Tick. . .Boom! (Netflix)
- West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
BEST LGBTQ FILM
- Benedetta (IFC Films)
- ★ Flee (Neon, Participant)
- Parallel Mothers (Sony Pictures Classics)
- Shiva Baby (Utopia)
- The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
This was the one category where I truly feared a double but we didn't get it. While The Power of the Dog is my personal favourite film of the year, I didn't want it to win both. Very happy about the Flee win.
BEST NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM
- ★ Drive My Car (Janus)
- Flee (Neon, Participant)
- Parallel Mothers (Sony Pictures Classics)
- The Worst Person in the World (Neon)
- Titane (Neon)
Given how well the Worst Person in the World fared in these nominations I'd hoped for an upset since Drive My Car has so very many awards on its mantle already. Alas...
BEST UNSUNG FILM
- Mass (Bleecker Street)
- ★ Passing (Netflix)
- Shiva Baby (Utopia)
- The Green Knight (A24)
- Zola (A24)
All five of these films were really treated poorly in awards season in comparison to their worth. Good category!
BEST DIRECTOR
- ★ Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
- Julia Ducournau, Titane (Neon)
- Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car (Janus Films) (Janus)
- Steven Spielberg, West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
- Denis Villeneuve, Dune (Warner Bros.)
BEST SCREENPLAY
- Drive My Car (Janus) - Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe (adapted)
- Passing (Netflix) - Rebecca Hall (adapted)
- The Lost Daughter (Netflix) - Maggie Gyllenhaal (adapted)
- ★ The Power of the Dog (Netflix) - Jane Campion (adapted)
- The Worst Person in the World (Neon) - Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier (original)
Another place it would have been nice to reward the Best Screenplay of the year. That's totally Worst Person in the World, people.
BEST FILM PERFORMANCE
- Nicolas Cage, Pig (Neon)
- Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye (Searchlight)
- Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
- Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
- Penelope Cruz, Parallel Mothers (Sony Pictures Classics)
- Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick. . . Boom! (Netflix)
- Renate Reinsve, The Worst Person in the World (Neon)
- Simon Rex, Red Rocket (A24)
- ★ Kristen Stewart, Spencer (Neon)
- Tessa Thompson, Passing (Netflix)
I understand why the organization moved to non-gendered categories but I'll admit I dont personally like doing it this way since it means less actors winning awards. This outcome does not surprise me though it wasn't my vote.
BEST SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE
- ★ Ariana DeBose, West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
- Robin de Jesús, Tick, Tick. . . Boom! (Netflix)
- Colman Domingo, Zola (A24)
- Ann Dowd, Mass (Bleecker Street)
- Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
- Mike Faist, West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
- Troy Kotsur, CODA (Apple)
- Ruth Negga, Passing (Netflix)
- Martha Plimpton, Mass (Bleecker Street)
- Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
Given that Ariana DeBose won another prize, keep reading it's a shame they couldn't give this to someone else.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
- ★ Flee (Neon, Participant)
- Procession (Netflix)
- Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (Roadside Attractions)
- Summer of Soul (Searchlight, Hulu)
- The Rescue (Greenwich Entertainment, National Geographic)
- The Velvet Underground (Apple)
BEST LGBTQ DOCUMENTARY
- Ailey (Neon)
- ★ Flee (Neon, Participant)
- My Name is Pauli Murray (Amazon Studios)
- Pray Away (Netflix)
- Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F***er (Kino Lorber, World of Wonder)
Flee winning both of these prizes is a pity. There really should be a trigger rule that you can't win both. That way the wealth is spread.
MOST VISUALLY STRIKING FILM
- ★ Dune (Warner Bros.)
- Nightmare Alley (Searchlight)
- Passing (Netflix)
- The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
- West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
- Titane (Neon)
BEST ANIMATED FILM
- Belle (GKids)
- Encanto (Disney)
- ★ Flee (Neon, Participant)
- Luca (Disney)
- The Mitchells vs. the Machines (Netflix, Sony)
And a fourth prize for Flee. It also basically swept its categories here at the Team Experience Awards.
BEST FILM MUSIC
- Dune (Warner Bros.)
- Encanto (Disney)
- Spencer (Neon)
- The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
- ★ Tick, Tick. . .Boom! (Netflix)
“WE’RE WILDE ABOUT YOU!” RISING STAR
- ★ Ariana DeBose
- Alana Haim
- Patti Harrison
- Jasmin Savoy Brown
- Rachel Zegler
Given that she was winning here, why not giving supporting to someone else?
WILDE ARTIST (to a truly groundbreaking force in film, theatre and/or television)
- ★ Pedro Almodóvar
- Jane Campion
- Jennifer Coolidge
- Lil Nas X
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
Given that Pedro was winning the Trailblazer prize... keep reading... maybe give this to someone else?
CAMPIEST FLICK
- Annette (Amazon Studios)
- Cruella (Disney)
- ★ House of Gucci (United Artists)
- Malignant (Warner Bros.)
- Old (Universal)
TIMELESS STAR (non competitive)
- Rita Moreno
GALECA TRAILBLAZER (non competitive)
- Pedro Almodóvar