“Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family.” – IMDb
Seeing and hearing Judy Garland sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” puts MGM’s Meet Me in St. Louis on my list of holiday films for 2024. This classic film was set, as the title indicates, in St. Louis, Missouri. The film takes place in and around 1904 when St. Louis was the fourth largest city in the United States behind Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, 1904 was a very special time in St. Louis. The 1904 World’s Fair was held in St. Louis, as were the 1904 Olympic Games.
Made and produced in 1944 during the Golden Age of Hollywood and at the heyday of the Studio System, this period film’s production values are excellent as our the costuming. and casting. In addition to Judy Garland (Esther), the film cast boasted, Margaret O’Brien (as show-stopper, Tuttie), Mary Astor (Mrs. Smith), Lucille Bremmer (Rose) and Leon Ames (Mr. Smith) Last but not least, the film was directed by Vicente Minnelli, and has some remarkable tunes like “Skip to my Lou,” “The Trolley Song,” “Under the Bamboo Tree,” “Over the Bannister,” “Meet me in E. St Louis,” and “Say Goodnight.” to name several.
The film closes at the (this post’s featured photo) Grand Basin in Forest Park.I enjoyed the colorful ending for several reasons including the genesis of out door electricity and the farris wheel on display., However, in reality, the Grand Basin at the 1904 World’s Fair looked more like the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, and even more like Lido’s vaparetta docks, only on a grander scale.
The Jewel Box in Forest Park (Photo by LarryGleeson/HollywoodGlee)
Honorees to be Celebrated at Private Luncheon on January 10, 2025
OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, December 5, 2024 – The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the AFI AWARDS 2024 honorees. The recipients include 10 outstanding motion pictures and 10 outstanding television programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of this year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image. An additional honoree was selected for an AFI Special Award, designated for works of excellence that fall outside of AFI AWARDS’ eligibility criteria.
AFI MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR
ANORA
THE BRUTALIST
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
CONCLAVE
DUNE: PART TWO
EMILIA PÉREZ
NICKEL BOYS
A REAL PAIN
SING SING
WICKED
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
THE BEAR
HACKS
A MAN ON THE INSIDE
MR. & MRS. SMITH
NOBODY WANTS THIS
THE PENGUIN
SHŌGUN
SHRINKING
TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY
AFI SPECIAL AWARD
BABY REINDEER
“AFI AWARDS is never about competition, but community,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “We look forward to bringing these artists together as one and celebrating their collective power to drive culture forward.”
Honorees will gather on Friday, January 10, 2025, for recognition at the annual AFI AWARDS private luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills — an event favored by the entertainment community for its informal intimacy and its inclusive acknowledgement of excellence.
FIJI Water is returning as the Official Water Sponsor for the event.
AFI AWARDS celebrates film and television arts’ collaborative nature and is the only national program that honors creative teams as a whole, recognizing those in front of and behind the camera. All of the honored works advance the art of the moving image, inspire audiences and artists alike and enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form. When placed in a historical context, these stories provide a complex and rich visual record of our modern world.
AFI AWARDS selections are made through a jury process where AFI Trustees, artists, critics and scholars determine the year’s most outstanding achievements and provide artistic and cultural context for the selection of each honoree.
This year’s juries — one for motion pictures and one for television — included artists Sterlin Harjo, Gale Anne Hurd, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Jane Seymour; scholars Mark Harris, Leonard Maltin and more from Syracuse University, the University of Southern California and the University of California, Santa Cruz; members of the AFI Board of Trustees; critics Ann Hornaday, Mary McNamara, Janet Maslin, Peter Travers and others from The New Yorker, NPR, TV Guide and more. The juries were chaired by AFI Board of Trustees member Jeanine Basinger (Chair Emerita and Founder of the Film Studies Department, Wesleyan University) and AFI Board of Trustees Vice Chair Richard Frank (former Chairman of Walt Disney Television, President of Walt Disney Studios, President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences).
The 2024 recipients join a distinguished group of previous AFI AWARDS honorees whose works define the art form and contribute to our rich cultural legacy. View past AFI AWARDS honorees.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked as one of the top film schools in America. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm,TikTok/@AmericanFilmInstitute and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About FIJI Water
FIJI Water is the No. 1 premium imported water bottle brand in the U.S. and will keep luncheon honorees and attendees hydrated with Earth’s Finest, iconic 500mL bottles made from 100% recycled material (rPET). This, along with the 330mL, is part of the brand’s effort to shift the entire portfolio to recycled plastic bottles.
INDEPENDENT FILM & TELEVISION ALLIANCE® ANNOUNCES BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2024-2025
Directors from Global Independent Companies Arclight, AGC Studios, FilmNation,
Film Seekers, Resurgence Media, Odin’s Eye & Protagonist Pictures Elected
Los Angeles, CA – December 4, 2024 – The Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®) is pleased to announce the results of its annual elections for the 2024-2025 Board of Directors. The newly composed Board reflects IFTA’s ongoing commitment to leadership that champions the growth and vitality of the independent film and television industry worldwide.
The following eight executives will join IFTA’s 15-Member Board:
Brian Beckmann (Arclight Films), Caroline Couret-Delègue (Film Seekers Limited), Michael Dwyer (Resurgence Media Group), Michael Favelle (Odin’s Eye Entertainment), Diane Ferrandez (AGC Studios), George Hamilton (Protagonist Pictures), Alice Laffillé (FilmNation Entertainment) and Michael Ryan (Independent). This marks the first term on the IFTA Board for Dwyer, Favelle, and Laffille.
They will join Chairperson Clay Epstein (Film Mode Entertainment), who was first elected in 2021 and is now serving his second term, alongside Board members continuing into the second year of their terms: Paul Bales (The Asylum), Scott Bedno (Myriad Pictures), Jason Buckley (Lakeshore Entertainment / UMG), Lisa Gutberlet (Blue Fox Entertainment), Chloé Marquet (STUDIOCANAL), and Nat McCormick (The Exchange).
Epstein commented, “I welcome this exceptional group to the IFTA Board. It’s an honor to work alongside seasoned and passionate colleagues who have shaped our work in the past, while also embracing the fresh perspectives brought by our newly elected members. Our industry faces challenging times, and the combined strength, experience, and creativity of this Board will be instrumental to our work supporting our Members and championing Independents worldwide.”
About the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®)
IFTA is the global trade association for independent film and television production, finance, distribution, and sales companies. The organization represents the independent sector before governments and international bodies and provides significant entertainment industry services to its member companies in 22 countries consisting of independent production and distribution companies, sales agents, and financial institutions engaged in production finance. Each November, IFTA produces the American Film Market® (AFM®), which serves as the annual fundraiser for the association. The only independently produced international sales market, hundreds of finance, production, sales and distribution companies and thousands of professionals from every segment of the industry, convene at AFM for six days of deal-making, networking, marketplace discussions and world-class conferences. IFTA also develops and publishes the IFTA® Model Agreements which articulate the industry-wide standards and key definitions for licensing international rights in motion pictures and television programming and are reviewed and revised regularly to keep pace with the evolving worldwide film and television industry. For more information on IFTA, visit www.IFTA-online.org.
“An eight-year-old troublemaker, mistakenly left home alone, must defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas Eve.” -IMDb
Macaulay Culkin. as Kevin McCallister
One of the most zany and entertaining Christmas films, Home Alone, was penned by the late John Hughes (Planes, Trains & Automobiles) Hughes based his screenplay while getting ready for a personal trip to Europe and imagined what inadvertently leaving his oen ten-year-old son behind might look like. Enter Macaulay Culkin. as Kevin McCallister.
It’s Christmas time in an upper-middle class Chicago neighborhood and bumbling crooks, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) are casing it for easy-pickings. The McAllister home becomes the pair’s next target. Unbeknownst to Harry and Marv, a formidable foe in the form of ten-year-old Kevin.It doesn’t take Kevin long to vanquish these haphazard thieves.
What at first seemed like a vacation living large, kid style, in his family’s empty home, Kevin soon realizes what had made his holidays so special was a sense of family togetherness and shared family tradition. Frankly, this is the Home Alone’s thematic appeal.
AT 40TH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2025
[December 3, 2024] SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honored to announce that cinema icon Colman Domingo will receive the Montecito Award at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Domingo will receive the prestigious award on Friday, February 14. The evening will highlight his powerhouse performance in Greg Kwedar’s SING SING where Domingo’s portrayal of Divine G brings an incredible mix of vulnerability, charisma, and resilience to the big screen. This recognition comes on the heels of Domingo’s win at last night’s Gotham Awards, where he took home the honor for Outstanding Lead Performance.
“Colman is such a committed performer and of the most extraordinary talents in the small screen, in theatre and in film, and he makes it all seem effortless. His work in SING SING is unforgettable” remarked SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling.
SBIFF Director Roger Durling on the red carpet at the Opening Night Film ‘Diving Deep:The Life And Times Of Mike deGruy’ during 34th Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the historic Arlington Theatre, January 31, 2019 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)
Colman Domingo has been nominated for an Oscar, BAFTA, Tony® Award, Critics Choice Awards, Independent Spirit, Gotham Awards, Lawrence Olivier, Drama Desk, Drama League and NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award. He has won an Emmy, Astra, AAFCA ,NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award .
In 2023, Domingo starred as Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin in Netflix and Higher Ground’s film “Rustin” for which he received an Academy Award Nomination, Golden Globes, BAFTA and SAG nomination. He can also be seen as “Mister” in the Warner Bros production of “The Color Purple”, which received a SAG Ensemble nomination. Domingo executive produced and stars in Greg Kwedar’s film “Sing Sing” which was purchased for distribution by A24 and had it’s theatrical release in summer 2024. He also executive produced “It’s What’s Inside”, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was released on NETFLIX in October 2024.
Domingo Colman as Bayard Rustin
Domingo is well known for his Emmy Award-winning role as “Ali” in HBO’s “Euphoria” as well as his roles in “Zola”, “If Beale Street Could Talk”, ‘Selma’, “Candyman”, and many more.
He can currently be seen in Netflix limited series “The Madness” created by Clement Virgo. He also recently wrapped production on ‘Michael’ playing Joe Jackson, directed by Antoine Fuqua. Lionsgate will release the film October 3rd, 2025. Additionally, Domingo will voice Norman Osborn in the upcoming Disney+ animated series “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.” Domingo is currently in production on NETFLIX’s “The Four Seasons” alongside Tina Fey and Steve Carrell.
The Montecito Award is named after one of the most beautiful and stylish areas in Santa Barbara. Past recipients include Jeffrey Wright, Angela Bassett, Penélope Cruz, Amanda Seyfried, Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, and Javier Bardem.
Montecito Award honoree Angela Bassett outside the Arlington Theatre Thursday night at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. (Fritz Olenberger photo via Noozhawk)
The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place LIVE February 4 – February 15, 2025. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held at SBIFF’s Riviera Theatre and its new Film Center, plus the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes for the 2025 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.
Last year, the festival had a program of 200+ films from over 48 countries with honorary awards feted on Robert Downey Jr., Bradley Cooper, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Giamatti, America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew Scott, Martin Scorsese, Justine Triet, Billie Eilish, and Ludwig Göransson.
A-list and industry guests will once again ascend to Santa Barbara, making it a must-stop location on the awards circuit, and delivering a record number of films with many World and U.S. premieres. The film lineup and schedule will be announced January 2025.
About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 39 years, SBIFF has become one of the top 10 film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community throughout many free educational programs and events. SBIFF’s programs support over 18,000 kids, students and families in our local community by introducing film as an art form to young children with programs like AppleBox and Mike’s FieldTrip to the Movies; teaching film analysis to highschool and college students with programs like Rosebud and the Film Studies Program; and teaching the craft of screenwriting and filmmaking with Film Camp and 10-10-10 Mentorship programs. Most importantly SBIFF’s programs are always directed towards the under-represented and under-served communities within Santa Barbara County.
More recently, SBIFF secured a long-term lease for the iconic multi-plex at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. This landmark acquisition paves the way for the creation of a state-of-the-art Film Center — a vibrant, year-round destination that will serve as a central hub for cinema enthusiasts and the heart of SBIFF’s renowned Film Festival. Building on the success of the Riviera Theatre revitalization in 2016 and the opening of its own Education Center in 2019 in the downtown area, SBIFF continues to strengthen its commitment to the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara.
“An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.” – IMDb
It’s a Wonderful Life from Frank Capra is a bona fide (Latin for “good faith”) holiday classic. But it wasn’t always so. The film opened to mixed reviews at the Globe Theatre in New York city, on December 20th, 1946. Time Magazine, however, referred to the film as kind of “a wonderful film.”
When the film was released WWII had just ended and several universal truths came shining through – hope, redemption, and the loving hand of a sovereign God at work in creating a wonderful life for George Bailey.
It was also the beginning of the Red Scare. Some critics considered the film as subversive due to its negative depiction of a banker, Mr. Potter.
George shows Burt the Cop ZuZu’s petals.
Over the decades since, however, Capra’s film has grown in popularity and is one of the most beloved Christmas films of all-time.
“A man is determined to win the neighborhood’s annual Christmas decorating contest. He makes a pact with an elf to help him win–and the elf casts a spell that brings the 12 days of Christmas to life, which brings unexpected chaos to town.” – IMDb
Reginald Hudlin’s 2023 festive comedy, Candy Cane Lane, stars Eddie Murphy as a father intent on winning his neighborhood’s annual Christmas decoration contest. Murphy’s energy is complemented and paralleled by Tracee Ellis Ross, who plays Murphy’s sidekick wife. Kelly Younger is credited as the writer and delivers some deft dialogue. With Hudlin’s direction the film veers into dark territory reminiscent of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Jillian Bell as wicked elf, Pepper, turns in another raucous performance (22 Jump Street). Genneya Walton, Thaddeus J. Mixson, and Madison Thomas, deliver tour-de-force performances as the Carver children – as they make the world go ’round.
I imagine Candy Cane Lanes dot the landscape throughout the United States at this time of the year. I fondly recall Edna Drive where cars lined up out onto US Highway 159, to drive through the Candy Cane Lane of the Metro-East of the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan area.
Film goers imagine the story originated form residents of Southern California flocking to East Acacia Avenue in El Segundo, referred to as Candy Cane Lane during the holiday season. Calling on a tradition that dates back to 1949, residents go all out in creating a festive buzz with abundant and exorbitant holiday decorations.
Candy Cane Lane from Amazon Studios
This Candy Cane Lane is an Amazon Prime production and has something for everyone this holiday season.
