Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles returns today for a live and in-person edition, with panels of 31 of the hottest titles from the awards season presented in our annual all-day showcase that returns to the DGA Theater. Breakfast starts the day, followed by the first presentation at 8:56 a.m. PT.
For those unable to attend in person, the Contenders LA livestream will begin at 8:50 a.m.
Due to the pandemic, we were of course forced to hold our Signature Contenders Event virtually last year. It’s been very successful, and we’ve repeated this format in a number of ways over the past two Emmy seasons. But now, after our successful return to a personal format last month at our Contenders: London event, we’re finally getting back to the real stage in LA.
However, the Covid workarounds we developed have taught us so much. We can have the best of both worlds when we combine the personal experience with streaming a virtual presentation. Those who want to do some one-stop shopping for the Academy and key guild voters but can’t be in LA can still see it all.
While the last 19 months have certainly been a challenge for the industry, and the film business in particular, things are definitely looking up, judging by the quality and quantity of the content presented at today’s event. A group of banners with films of all stripes, accompanied by an outstanding selection of talents sitting on our question and answer panels, is the hallmark of our offer. From indie to animation, comedy to drama and large-scale epic studio films, we have it all.
Among the films screened at Contenders, some are from real life – always a ripe target for price voters. Join us as we explore the genesis of Venus and Serena Williams, how she was filtered through her father’s efforts (great played by Will Smith) to breed a pair of tennis legends in King Richard. We’ll also highlight Aaron Sorkin’s unique take on the captivating behind-the-scenes drama of iconic TV series I Love Lucy, in which Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem play Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in ways you’ve never seen before. And when we talk about seeing new and surprising sides of families, Lady Gaga, Jared Leto and Ridley Scott lead us into the house of Gucci, while Pablo Larraín and Kristen Stewart us a Princess Diana never before seen in the movie with the imaginary Biopic Spencer show. Then, of course, another real-life theme is the legendary Aretha Franklin, who Jennifer Hudson personally selected to play in Respect. Hudson will be here to share her experience.
Partly torn from reality, partly fictionalized, a group of coming-of-age films is close to the hearts of their filmmakers. At the top of the list is Kenneth Branagh’s own cinematic memoir Belfast, drawn straight from his own memories of his childhood in Northern Ireland at the start of The Troubles in 1969. He will tell us why now, 50 years later, it was finally time to tell this story. Then there’s George Clooney, who puts on his director’s hat to bring us another memoir, The Tender Bar, the story of Pulitzer Prize winner JR Moehringer’s formative years growing up in New York. Ben Affleck and the two young stars who share the role of JR will be here to tell us all about it. Also on display is the highly anticipated latest version of multi-Oscar nominee Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza, which focuses on producer Gary Goetzman’s early years in LA
We show close-ups of the latest works by Oscar-winning and nominated film legends such as Pedro Almodóvar, Jane Campion, Denis Villeneuve, Asghar Farhadi and Adam McKay. Plus we’ll be highlighting the directorial debuts of a few big names like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Maggie Gyllenhaal, and animation will prove they’re alive and well as we greet the filmmakers of Sing 2, Spirit Untamed, and The Boss Baby: Family Run.
Check out today’s schedule and panel line-up below and follow panel coverage on Deadline and our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels with the hashtag #DeadlineContenders.
Deadline Contenders Film Los Angeles is an official sponsor Aero.
Further sponsors are: Michter’s, Mezcal The Seven Mysteries, Eyepetizer, Final draft and modMD.
The partners include: Modern resale, Tidelli and Four Seasons Resort Maui in Wailea.
Contender Film: Los Angeles 2021 Schedule
8: 50-8: 55 a.m. – Livestream begins
AMAZON STUDIOS
8: 56-9: 06 a.m. – A hero
Asghar Farhadi (Writer / Director / Producer)
Rayan Farzad (translator)
9: 07-9: 17 a.m. – The tender bar
Ben Affleck (actor)
Tye Sheridan (actor)
Daniel Renieri (actor)
9: 18-9: 28 am – The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
Will Sharpe (Writer / Director)
Benedict Cumberbatch (EP / Actor)
Claire Foy (actress)
9: 29-9: 39 a.m. – Be the Ricardos
Aaron Sorkin (Writer / Director)
Nicole Kidman (actor)
Javier Bardem (actor)
JK Simmons (actor)
Nina Arianda (actress)
NETFLIX
9: 42-9: 52 am – The power of the dog
Jane Campion (Writer / Director / Producer)
Benedict Cumberbatch (actor)
Kirsten Dunst (actor)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (actor)
9: 53-10: 03 am – tick, tick … BOOM!
Andrew Garfield (actor)
Robin de Jesus (actor)
Alexandra Shipp (actor)
10: 04-10: 14 a.m. – The prodigal daughter
Maggie Gyllenhaal (Writer / Director / Producer)
Dakota Johnson (actor)
Peter Sarsgaard (actor)
10: 15-10: 25 a.m. – Don’t look up
Adam McKay (Writer / Director / Producer)
NEON & THEME STUDIOS
10:28-10: 38 a.m. – Spencer
Pablo Larraín (Director / Producer)
Kristen Stewart (actor)
NEON
10:39 am-10:49 am – The worst person in the world
Joachim Trier (co-author / director / EP)
Renate Reinsve (actress)
FOCUS FUNCTIONS
10: 53-11: 03 a.m. – Blue Bayou
Justin Chon (Writer / Director / Producer)
11: 04-11: 14 am – Belfast
Kenneth Branagh (Writer / Director / Producer)
ENLIGHTENMENT
11: 17-11: 27 a.m. – Sing 2
Garth Jennings (Writer / Director)
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
11: 30-11: 40 a.m. – Parallel mothers
Pedro Almodóvar (Writer / Director)
Penelope Cruz (actor)
11: 41-11: 51 a.m. – Jockey
Clint Bentley (Writer / Director / Producer)
Clifton Collins Jr. (EP / Actor)
Molly Parker (actor)
12: 00-1: 30 p.m. – LUNCH
Release by MGM / UNITED ARTISTS
1:36 p.m. – 1:46 p.m. – Gucci house
Ridley Scott (Director / Producer)
Lady Gaga (actor)
Jared Leto (actor)
1:47 p.m. – 1:57 p.m. – Licorice pizza
Florencia Martin (production designer)
Michael Baumann (cameraman)
Andy Jergensen (Editor)
1:58 pm-2: 8 pm – respect
Liesl Tommy (Director / EP)
Jennifer Hudson (EP / Actress)
Clint Ramos (costume designer)
Lawrence Davis (Head of Hair Department)
Stevie Martin (Head of Makeup)
WARNER BROS
2: 11-2: 21 p.m. – King Richard
Reinaldo Marcus Green (Director)
Zach Baylin (Author)
2: 22-2: 32 p.m. – dune
Denis Villeneuve (co-writer / director / producer)
Mary Parent (producer)
BLEECKER STREET
2: 35-2: 45 p.m. – Mass
Jason Isaacs (actor)
Fran Kranz (writer / director / producer)
Reed Birney (actor)
Ann Dowd (actor)
Martha Plimpton (actor)
2:46 p.m. – 2:56 p.m. – I’m your man
Dan Stevens (EP / Actor)
A24
2:59 p.m. – 3:09 p.m. – Red rocket
Sean Baker (Writer / Director)
Simon Rex (actor)
Bree Elrod (actor)
Suzanna son (actor)
3: 10-3: 20 p.m. – Come on, come on
Mike Mills (Writer / Director)
Woody Norman (actor)
APPLE ORIGINAL FILMS WITH A24
3: 23-3: 33 p.m. – The Tragedy of Macbeth
Stefan Dechant (Production Designer)
Mary Zophres (costume designer)
APPLE ORIGINAL FILMS
3: 34-3: 44 p.m. – CODA
Sian Heder (director)
Marlee Matlin (actor)
Emilia Jones (actor)
3: 45-3: 55 p.m. – swan song
Benjamin Cleary (Director)
Mahershala Ali (Producer / Actor)
Naomie Harris (Actor)
AURUM FILM
3:58 p.m. – 4:08 p.m. – Leave no traces behind
Jan P. Matuszyński (director)
Tomasz Ziętek (actor)
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
4: 11-4: 21 p.m. – The Boss Baby: Family business
Tom McGrath (Director / Story By / EP)
Jeff Hermann (producer)
4:22 pm – 4:32 pm – mind untamed
Elaine Bogan (Director)
Amie Doherty (composer)
COHEN MEDIA GROUP
4:35 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – The good boss
Fernando León de Aranoa (writer / director / co-producer)
Javier Bardem (actor)
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