Industry & Labor

Despite COVID pushing back the release of “Dune,” “The French Dispatch, “No Time to Die,” and “West Side Story,” it’s still a very competitive cinematography Oscar race this season, led by “Tenet,” Christopher Nolan’s time inversion spy thriller, with Oscar-nominated Hoyte van Hoytema (“Dunkirk”) leaning more heavily on the large-format IMAX camera; “Mank,” David Fincher’s dazzling deep dive into the tumultuous scripting of “Citizen Kane” by co-writer Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman), shot in black-and-white by Emmy-nominated Erik Messerschmidt (“Mindhunter”); and “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Aaron Sorkin’s timely account of the 1969 Vietnam protest conspiracy trial, shot by Oscar-nominated Phedon Papamichael (“Nebraska”) in both large-format and documentary styles.

In light of an unprecedented rapid rise in COVID-19 cases across California, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced a limited stay-at-home order. The order requires “generally that non-essential work, movement and gatherings stop between 10 PM and 5 AM in counties in the purple tier.” That means basically every county in Southern California and 94% of the state’s population.

The  IATSE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee has elected its co-chairs, Kimberly Butler-Gilkeson, trustee of Local 764 (theatrical wardrobe); and Liz Pecos, president of  Local 48 (stage and picture operators).

There is no other filmmaker that better embodies the possibilities and potential of filmmaking today than Emmanuel Lubezki. Working with Terrence Malick, “Chivo” elevated the naturalism of modern filmmaking into a new poetic language. With Alfonso Cuarón and their “Gravity,” he pioneered (and simultaneously mastered) creating cinema in a virtual workspace. With Alejandro González Iñárritu, he has tapped an exciting immersive side of using new tools.

Julia Swain’s documentary “Lady Cameraman,” about to be shown at the EnergaCamerimage Film Festival, celebrates female cinematographers – including Rachel Morrison (pictured), Reed Morano, Mandy Walker and Natasha Braier – and their success stories, including Morrison’s work on blockbuster “Black Panther.”

As the coronavirus outbreak bludgeons Hollywood with global travel restrictions, Alberta has rolled out rapid COVID-19 testing that has A-list stars now able to safely cross a closed U.S.-Canadian border and step onto a local film and TV sets in just two days.

The EnergaCamerimage cinematography fest, although moved online at the last moment owing to Poland’s new listing on Europe’s red zone of high COVID-19 infection rates, remains committed to honoring the finest in lensing from around the world, says Kazik Suwala, the org’s festival office director.

Donald Trump was a showman whose election in 2016 was in part due to his fame from The Apprentice, but President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will come into office with much closer ties to the entertainment industry.

As film and TV jobs have migrated from Hollywood to production hubs all across the country, the industry’s reliably Democratic-voting union members could play a key role in the outcome of the presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. With razor-thin margins in the battleground states of Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Arizona, the thousands of industry workers who live and vote there could make all the difference.

Łukasz Żal shoots about one film per year. He allows the film to overtake him, creating mini chapters within his life, depending on the style, content, and emotional impact these projects imprint upon his life. With Oscar nominations from Cold War and Ida––two films by Pawel Pawlikowski––the Polish cinematographer teamed up with Charlie Kaufman for his first American film, I’m Thinking of Ending Things.

Remi Weekes’ “His House” centers around a couple Bol (Sopé Dìrísù) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) who have fled war in South Sudan for refuge in the United Kingdom, except their dream soon turns into a nightmare as “The Crown’s” Matt Smith, who plays a caseworker, shows them their new home. It’s infested with rats and soon after, they start hearing sounds within their walls.

The stakes in the election could not be much higher, as the COVID-19 pandemic rages out of control and the economy struggles to return to life.