Overall, directors, producers and investors make films for the money. Admittedly, there are many excellent documentaries that do not make the same millions of dollars that other films do, but as a general rule, filmmaking does need to be profitable. But, whether or not a penny is ever earned, a film can achieve critical acclaim, and can actually win a noteworthy and well-respected award. Further, actors and actresses can be awarded coveted titles for parts they played. As well, others associated with the films, such as music arrangers, costume designers, and writers may be recognized for their talents. Consequently, the following presents an overview of the most prestigious US film awards.
One of the most well-known and oldest awards, the Oscar, is bestowed upon actors, actresses, writers, directors and producers. It is the statuette given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the annual Academy Awards event. Originally a dinner banquet when it began in 1929, the recipients knew three months in advance that they would receive their awards. The following year, it was decided to keep the winners names a secret in an effort to create more excitement. The Academy, did however, provide a list to the newspapers to be published late at night on the day of the Awards ceremony. In 1940, though, one large newspaper broke tradition releasing the names in an earlier edition, so everyone knew the winners before the ceremony even started. As a result, the 1941 ceremony introduced the sealed-envelope method to keep the suspense up until the very last minute. This is still the same way the Oscars are distributed, today.
The first Academy Award ceremony only had fifteen Oscars including Best Actor. It continued as a dinner banquet until 1942 when it moved to a theater venue so that more people could attend. Since 1953, the awards have been televised and in 2011, there were twenty-four categories, some of which included Actress in a Supporting Role, Costume Design, Film Editing, and Directing. Clearly, the awards are not just reserved for actors and directors, but can be bestowed upon an individual or department for excellence in any part of the making of a movie.
Newspaper film critics have played an important role in the success or failure of movies. As a result, in 1966, the National Society of Film Critics was created to discuss and critique films of the time. Its sixty-one members represent a national panel of critics from print media such as magazines and newspapers. The members meet every January to vote on those films that met the highest achievements for the previous year. Some of the past awards have been: 1966 Best Actor–Michael Caine (Alfie); 1967 Supporting Actor–Gene Hackman (Bonnie and Clyde); 1975 Screenplay–Robert Towne and Warren Beatty (Shampoo); and 1993 Cinematography–Janusz Kaminski (Schindler's List).
Hosting the most prestigious film festival in the US called the New York Film Festival, the Film Society of Lincoln Center also bestows its distinctive accolades on actors and actresses at the Annual Chaplin Award Gala. Already thirty-eight years old by 2011, some of the past recipients of the award were Sidney Poitier, Michael Douglas, Alfred Hitchcock, Laurence Olivier, James Stewart, Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, and Tom Hanks. Charlie Chaplin was the first actor to be honored at the official gala in 1972. Later, the honor was renamed after Chaplin because of his incredible talents and many contributions to early film.
Another award coveted by those in the film industry is the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. The award began in 1973 and was originally bestowed upon someone who made a lifetime contribution to television and motion pictures. Later, the requirements were changed slightly to allow younger persons, still active in film, to win, as long as their accomplishments met other criteria. Recipients have included John Ford (the first), Steven Spielberg, Barbara Stanwyck, Barbra Streisand, James Cagney, Fred Astaire, and Jack Lemmon.
The American Cinematheque Award is an annual award that began in 1986 and was originally called the Moving Picture Ball. Located in Hollywood, the non-profit organization was registered in 1981 to bring attention to the "moving picture" or films made for the "big screen". Notable recipients have been Ron Howard, Eddie Murphy, Bette Midler, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, and John Travolta.
In 1967, the US International Film and Video Festival was formed and presents three awards called the Gold Camera, the Silver Screen and the Certificate of Creative Excellence in various categories such as Best of Festival, Lifetime Achievement Award, and One World.
Seventeen years old in 2011, the Los Angeles Film Festival awards several titles for up and coming films, documentaries and shorts. Some of the awards include Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Short Film, Best Music Video, and Best Animated or Experimental Short Film. The organization strives to bring attention to films and videos that have not yet been commercially released. Many now famous movies, such as The Devil Wears Prada, Fahrenheit 9/11, and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse premiered at this festival.
The Hollywood Film Festival is rather young compared to the Academy Awards but, it has actually become so prestigious to win one of these awards that many feel the organization is the advance preview of the Oscars. Founded in 1997, its trophies are called the Hollywood Awards. They are given in the categories of Film, Movie, Star, Discovery and Breakthrough.
Held annually in Utah, the Sundance Festival is considered to be the largest independent film, theater and music festival in the US. A program of the Sundance Institute, which was created in 1981 by Robert Redford, the festival chooses two hundred films from thousands of entries. Some of the competitions include Animation Spotlight, Shorts Programs, US Documentary, and US Dramatic.
A newcomer to the field, the Annual Syracuse International Film Festival, having closed the eighth session in October 2011, presents fifteen awards in thirteen various categories including the Sophia Life-Long Achievement Award, Best Documentary, Best Screenplay, Best Short Fiction, and Best Acting. Other equally important awards come from the Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards which highlights African-American, Asian-American, Latino, and women filmmakers; the American Indian Film Festival which showcases works from USA American Indian and Canada First Nation communities; and the New York Festivals which grants awards for the World's Best Television and Films.
Lastly, two prestigious awards that do not necessarily fit into the film category, but are important, nonetheless, are the Tony Awards given by the American Theatre Wing, and the Emmys founded by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation. While neither focus on film, the awards are still significant components of an individual's film career.
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