Big changes to the Oscars after diversity row

The people in charge of the Oscars have promised to make big changes to the award system.

This comes after they were criticised for nominating white actors only for the second year in a row.

The Oscars is one of the biggest film award ceremonies in the world.

Some actors and directors have pointed out the lack of diversity, with no black actors nominated this year.

The Academy, who run the the Oscars, say they will double the number of female and minority members they have over the next four years.

Members vote for people that they think should get an Oscar, so by having more non-white members it's hoped more non-white actors and filmmakers will be nominated.

At the moment 97% of the academy are white males over sixty years old.

Some actors are so disappointed with this years white-only list of nominations, that they say they will not be attending the ceremony next month.

Last year, the Oscars were highlighted for having no black nominees.

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith and director Spike Lee say they won't attend this year's awards - because of the lack of diversity.

The Academy's president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who runs the Oscars, said she was "heartbroken" about the comments.

She added that they are already working on including a wider range of people in the organisation.

Boone Isaacs has previously promised to review the membership to improve inclusion on the basis of "gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation".

From BBC News

READ MORE

Amy Winehouse died four years ago- Now The Film

Director Asif Kapadia is at the forefront of British documentary filmmaking.

The family of Amy Winehouse have criticised a new documentary about her life which is being shown at this year's Cannes Film festival.

The singer's father called it "misleading", but the film-makers say it was made with "total objectivity".

The film premiers today in Portugal. People are eager to watch it and make their reviews because of the controversy created by her parents' opinion on the documentary.

The Girl Behind the Name had several excellent reviews from the most important newspapers' cinema critics:

• "Brilliant"- The Independent
• "Stunningly, moving and Powerful. A masterpiece"- The Guardian
• "Unmissable"- Stylist
• "A cinematic Song for a Lost Soul"- The Times
• " Moving, Magic amd memorable"- Sunday Mirror
• "You cannot afford to miss this film"- Event- Mail on Sunday
• "Powerful"- Marie Claire
• "Awe inspiring"- Shortlist
• "A Poignant Tribute to a Free Spirit"- Empire (from Amy the film)

The oldest film director in the world has died

Manoel de Oliveira, the Portuguese film director and producer has died this morning at the age of 106 .

Manoel Cândido Pinto de Oliveira was born in Oporto on the 11th December 1908 and has worked till he died.

Oliveira's latest film, Gebo and the Shadow, was released in 2012 and premiered at the 69th Venice International Film Festival. The film stars Michael Lonsdale,Jeanne Moreau, Claudia Cardinale, Leonor Silveira, Ricardo Trêpa and Luís Miguel Cintra and is based on the play The Hunchback and His Shadow by Raul Brandão.

In 2008, Oliveira was awarded a doctorate degree honoris causa by the University of the Algarve. He has also been awarded the Order of St. James of the Swordby the President of Portugal. In addition, he has received multiple honours such as those of the Cannes, Venice and Montréal film festivals. He has been awarded two Career Golden Lions, in 1985 and 2004, and a Golden Palm for his lifetime achievements in 2008.

In 2002, Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura completed "Cinema House" in Porto, which was designed to commemorate the work of Oliveira.

In November 2012 Oliveira was honored with a week-long tribute and retrospective at the 16th Citéphilo in Lille, France. In March 2013 Oliveira attended a screening of Aniki-Bóbó at the International Film Festival of Porto, which commemorated the 70th anniversary of the film.

On December 10, 2014 Oliveira was awarded the French Légion d’Honneur. It was given to him by France’s ambassador to Portugal at the Museu da Fundação Serralves in Porto.

Source: Wikipedia 

Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek's Mr Spock, dies at 83

US actor Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr Spock in the cult sci-fi series Star Trek, has died at the age of 83 in Los Angeles, his family has said.

RIP

His son, Adam, said he died of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on Friday morning.

Nimoy had a long career as both an actor and director.

However, he was best known for his portrayal of the half-human, half-Vulcan character in both the TV franchise and series of films.

Last year, the actor revealed he was suffering from chronic lung disease, despite stopping smoking 30 years ago.

It was reported earlier this week he had been taken to hospital on 19 February after suffering from chest pains.

He later tweeted: "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."

He signed off with "LLAP" - a reference to his character's famous catchphrase, "Live long and prosper". It was to be his final tweet.

From BBC News

His son, Adam, said he died of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on Friday morning.

Nimoy had a long career as both an actor and director.

However, he was best known for his portrayal of the half-human, half-Vulcan character in both the TV franchise and series of films.

Last year, the actor revealed he was suffering from chronic lung disease, despite stopping smoking 30 years ago.

It was reported earlier this week he had been taken to hospital on 19 February after suffering from chest pains.

He later tweeted: "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."

He signed off with "LLAP" - a reference to his character's famous catchphrase, "Live long and prosper". It was to be his final tweet.

From BBC News

How drones are transforming movies

Drones are really very useful. Watch these videos and see for yourself

Getting closer than a helicopter, higher than a crane, and as steady as a dolly - drones are fast becoming an essential part of the professional filmmaker's kit.

Compact drones can now carry heavy camera equipment into the air for spectacular aerial filming and shoot rock-steady shots in the most unforgiving of environments.

The smart multitasking drones of the future

Drones are being put to military use by an increasing number of air forces around the world. But the future suggests these unmanned aerial vehicles could have many more uses as they become ever more sophisticated.

BBC Click's Marc Cieslak met with BAE Systems, to see the potential future military uses for drones and also learn how the technology is being adapted to help rescue people from dangerous locations and even prevent poaching.

From BBC News

Oscars: Slave and Gravity share Academy spoils

Historical drama 12 Years a Slave has won best picture at the 86th Academy Awards, while space drama Gravity won the lion's share of awards.

Gravity's Alfonso Cuaron became the first Latin American to win the best director award, adding to the film's six Oscars for technical achievement.

Cate Blanchett was named best actress for her portrayal of the heroine in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine.

Matthew McConaughey won the best actor Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club.

It is the second consecutive year the best director and best picture prize have been awarded to different films.

Cuaron praised the "transformative" power of film and singled out the film's star Sandra Bullock as "the soul, the heart of Gravity".

Cuaron won two Oscars, for direction and film editing. He co-wrote the screenplay with his son Jonas

The film - which took five years to complete, and owes much to the technical prowess of British visual effects specialists - also won Oscars for film editing, sound mixing, sound editing, cinematography, visual effects and original score.

Continue reading the main story

OSCARS - MAIN WINNERS

Gravity - 7 awards

12 Years a Slave - 3 awards

Dallas Buyers Club - 3 awards

Frozen - 2 awards

The Great Gatsby - 2 awards

Blue Jasmine - 1 award

Her - 1 award

Steve McQueen, the British director of 12 Years a Slave, dedicated the best picture Oscar to "all those people who have endured slavery".

"Everyone deserves not just to survive, but to live," he said. "This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup."

Based on a true story, it follows the life of a free black man - Northup - who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in Louisiana.

Producer Brad Pitt praised "the indomitable Mr McQueen" - a Turner Prize-winning artist-turned-director - for "bringing them all together" to tell Northup's story.

Lupita Nyong'o also picked up an Independent Spirit Award on Saturday for her role in 12 Years a Slave

Newcomer Lupita Nyong'o won the best supporting actress award for her film debut as slave worker Patsey.

The Kenyan actress paid tribute to her character and thanked her for her "guidance". "It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else's," said the star, who turned 31 this weekend.

READ MORE

Batman and Superman to team up in movie for first time

Superman and Batman are to appear in the same film for the first time, it has been revealed, to the delight of many fans of the popular characters.

Fans are now expecting fireworks from the two crime fighters

The surprise announcement was made by Zack Snyder, who directed the most recent Superman film Man of Steel.

But speaking at a comic convention in San Diego, California, Mr Snyder said the script was still being written.

Production is expected to begin next year and the film is scheduled for release in the summer of 2015.

Warner Bros confirmed that the two superheroes would team up for the first time.

British actor Henry Cavill - who starred in Man of Steel - will again play Superman.

However, an actor for the new Batman is yet to be cast.

"They're both alpha males," fan Benjamin Ha was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. He added that he expected fireworks in the new film.

For many comic book enthusiasts it is a dream come true in what promises to be the ultimate superhero adventure, the BBC's Peter Bowes in Los Angeles reports.

The enduring popularity of Superman and Batman has seen the latest films featuring the two characters earn revenues of more than $1bn (£655m) between them.

The Bible finale set to draw huge US TV audience

The actor who plays Jesus is the  Portuguese, Diogo Morgado

Well done Diogo and congratulations!

Millions of Americans are expected to tune in to The History Channel on Sunday for the culmination of one of the year's surprise cable TV hits: a five part dramatisation of The Bible.

The series was co-produced by Mark Burnett, a former British Army paratrooper turned master of American reality TV shows such as Survivor and Celebrity Apprentice.

Diogo Morgado is a 33 year-old Portuguese TV and film actor who began his career as a model at the age of 14, and, coincidentally, is now 33-years-old … the age Christ was when he died. The actor makes his debut in the miniseries in March 17's "Hope" episode, which begins the New Testament portion of "The Bible," and will likely add to the series' standout ratings performance.

Don't miss it!

Brave, Skyfall and Les Miserables pick up Bafta awards

It was a big night for film fans on Sunday as the ceremony for the 2013 Bafta awards took place in London.

The latest James Bond movie, Skyfall, took the prize for Best British Film. It's the most successful film ever at the box office in the UK.

Disney/Pixar's Brave won in the Best Animation category, beating Paranorman and Frankenweenie.

There were four awards for hit musical Les Miserables too, including Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway.

The Best Film award went to Argo, which tells the story of a daring rescue attempt. Ben Affleck, who's also an award winning actor, was named best director.

Daniel Day-Lewis won the award for best actor for his role in Lincoln, about the former American President Abraham Lincoln.

Bafta for Bond

It's the first time a Bond film has won a Bafta since 1964. Skyfall also received the award for best original music.

"We all had high expectations for this film and this is really the icing on the cake," Skyfall's director Sam Mendes said.

From CBBC News

From CBBC