SDFF Variety Night of the Stars

08 Oct 2015

 

October 1, 2015 was the night that the Museum of Contemporary art in San Diego became the gathering place for likeminded fans to pay homage to people in the film industry that are making progressive change.

 

Adrien Brody was this year’s recipient of the Cinema Vanguard Award. Celebrated for his work in The Pianist, Houdini, The Grand Budapest Hotel and a slew of other films, Brody’s latest film, Septembers of Shiraz, was the opening night film at the San Diego Film Festival.

 

 

 

 

 

Brit Marling received the Auteur Award for her achievements in film and television. Marling will star in The Keeping Room as well as the Netflix series The OA, which she also co-produced, co-wrote. At the sold-out tribute, Marling gave the audience great insight into her decision to leave Goldman Sachs for a career as a filmmaker. She also spoke in detail about the importance of bringing a female perspective to the arts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Boyega, best known for his upcoming role in Star Wars: Episode VII received the rising star award. Boyega first entered the industry in the independent cult classic Attack the Block which charmed international audiences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Documentarian Jack Robbins received the Chris Brinker Award for his film Storied Streets which explores homelessness across America by telling the stories of those who live it every day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Academy Award winner Geena Davis was certainly the professor of the hour at Variety’s Night of the Stars. Davis received the Reframed Humanitarian Award which was created in partnership with Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon and Thomas Morgan. Geena Davis’ work in the fight for gender equality in media has been reframing the conversation about the role of women behind as well as in front of the camera. Davis educated the audience about the lack of progress towards gender equality in film and television and let us know what we must do to change it. The male to female ratio in films have remained the same since 1946 and this has a an incredibly negative effect not only on the American psyche, but also on the consciousness of our planet, as 80% of the media consumed around the world is imported from the United States in one form or fashion. In other words, we are exporting our gender biases, according to Davis. Davis’ address was alone was more than worth the ticket price.