Posts tagged with "Oscars"

HELENA CHRISTENSEN × EVA HERZIGOVA

WEAR BESPOKE SUSTAINABLE LOOKS FOR #ALULACREATES CHAMPIONING EMERGING SAUDI FEMALE DESIGNERS AT THE OSCARS 2023 VANITY FAIR PARTY

Following the launch of AlUla Creates, a platform designed to nurture creativity and empower future generations in film, the arts and fashion, ambassadors Helena Christensen and Eva Herzigova attended the Oscars Vanity Fair Party in bespoke sustainable looks designed by female Saudi designers, Arwa Al Ammari of ArAm, and Abeer Oraif, who alongside her sister Alia Oraif have demi couture label Atelier Hekayat. The designers worked alongside British-based designer Emilia Wickstead, who leant her experience and production support to bring the designers’ visions to life, creating looks ready for the red carpet.

The launch is part of a year-round programme that will allow exciting new female filmmakers and creatives to collaborate with leading industry professionals and access development funds to create and share their stories set against the majestic landscapes of AlUla with the world.

The first phase partners with The British Fashion Council (BFC), acclaimed Saudi film actor Mila Al Zahrani, Kloss Films founder Alec Maxwell and renowned fashion icons Helena Christensen and Eva Herzigova as ambassadors to champion the long-term mission of the platform.

For the AlUla Creates pilot activation, the concept behind the creative exchange started on an immersion trip where the designers became inspired by the AlUla history, landscapes, and night skies. At Emilia’s London atelier, the designs were brought to life using a range of pure silks and repurposed materials including reengineered crinoline and refashioned fabric from Abeer’s own Saudi atelier. As a raw material, silk is natural, renewable, biodegradable, and recyclable and here, its monomaterial application is aligned to circular design principles. Reutilising existing materials helps avoid virgin raw material production and diverts useable materials from waste streams, giving them another life.

Arwa Al Ammari said “AlUla is a land of extraordinary human and natural heritage. Getting inspired by this magical place to design a dress which tells part of our story, reflecting on heritage and showing it to the world at this prestigious event is a milestone in my career. Eva’s dress is inspired by the historical tombs of AlUla, the historic Incense Road and the curves and lines witnessed in the natural stone.”

The collaboration marks the advent of a long-term partnership between Eco-Age and the designers to deepen sustainability-focused practices within future product conception and overall business.

Abeer and Alia Oraif from Atelier Hekayat said “At Atelier Hekayat, we believe in art and stories. An art that comes from a combination of identities, moods, and cultural settings. Being part of the AlUla Creates program, and designing a dress for Helena Christensen has been a beautiful expression on this vision. We are happy to be involved in the program, and watch it bring support and opportunity to female founders in fashion and film in Saudi.”

CAPTIONS FOR VF PHOTOS

Helena Christensen wears a bespoke sustainably designed dress for #AlulaCreates by Saudi designer Atelier Hekayat, with production support Emilia Wickstead.

Eva Herzigova wears a bespoke sustainably designed dress for #AlulaCreates by Saudi female designer Arwa Al Ammari, and with production support by Emilia Wickstead.

ABOUT FILM ALULA

Film AlUla is The Royal Commission for AlUla’s film agency, established to promote and support international film and TV production in the County of AlUla, located in northwest Saudi Arabia. Its aim is to position AlUla as an international filming destination and develop the services, facilities, and infrastructure in the region to create a film-friendly ecosystem.

HELENA CHRISTENSEN AND EVA HERZIGOVA WEAR BESPOKE SUSTAINABLE LOOKS FOR #ALULACREATES CHAMPIONING EMERGING SAUDI FEMALE DESIGNERS AT THE OSCARS 2023 VANITY FAIR PARTY via 360 MAGAZINE.

VANESSA HUDGENS OWNS OSCARS

WEARING ROBERTO COIN ON THE CHAMPAGNE CARPET

EVENT: 95th Academy Awards

WHERE: Los Angeles

WHEN: Sunday, March 12

DETAILS: “Countdown to the Oscars” host Vanessa Hudgens dazzled wearing Roberto Coin jewelry and just about stole the show. The “High School Musical” alum was stunning wearing the Cento Collection: Fiore Couture Necklace ($69,560.00) Fiore Couture Ring ($15,200.00), and Stelle stud earrings ($59,600.00)

For more information on the Roberto Coin jewelry, please visit HERE.

ABOUT ROBERTO COIN

Roberto Coin has been an icon in the jewelry industry for more than 30 years. His designs include his signature Appassionata Collection, the new Pois Moi Collection and the Roberto Coin Cento Diamond Collection. His collection is available in Roberto Coin Boutiques and over 400 stores nationwide including guild jewelry and specialty stores.

Since 1977, Venetian jewelry designer Roberto Coin has devoted his life to a passion for innovative design, based on a deep knowledge of Italian art and craftsmanship tradition. Finding inspiration in the most unlikely of places, experimenting with light, texture, color, and pattern, Coin’s style is ever evolving. His diverse collection, designed to fit every woman’s uniqueness, is defined by a common thread—a thoughtful balance of elegance and creativity. Included in every piece of Roberto Coin jewelry is his signature ruby. The ruby symbolizes peace, prosperity, and happiness and is a special wish from the designer.

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

Elton John × Roblox

Elton John Presents: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

Step Into Elton John’s World on Roblox, Inspired by His Life, Legacy & Legendary Self-Expression

The Persistent Immersive Experience Includes Community-Created Digital Fashion and Music Celebration Timed to Artist’s Global Tour and Interactive Challenges

Today, Elton John unveils his own world, Elton John Presents: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, on Roblox, a global online platform connecting millions of people through shared experiences. Created by Elton John and Rocket Entertainment with Roblox creators and support from Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, the virtual experience is live now, offering fans a new way to enjoy his timeless music, express themselves through his iconic fashion co-created with the community, and experience Elton’s impact on popular culture in a new, creative, and unique way.

This unique experience will let fans follow the yellow brick road through an interactive world inspired by Elton’s life and legacy and discover it through the eyes of the Roblox community, learning what Elton’s unparalleled influence means to them. The experience includes Elton’s iconic digital fashion and photographs of memorable moments, interactive challenges set to his greatest hit songs, daily scavenger hunts, and trivia quizzes. Designed in collaboration with more than 20 Roblox community creators, the digital fashion collection on virtual display is inspired by Elton’s most celebrated outfits and eyewear, including free items made with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball and inspired by the outfit Elton wore at his legendary concert in 1975. Fans can try on complete outfits or mix-and-match individual items to recreate Elton’s look on their avatar and shop the full collection available to visitors globally.

Speaking of Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, Elton says: ‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be launching beyond the Yellow Brick Road on Roblox. I’ve seen the joy that Roblox has brought to my boys, and the possibility it creates by the ability to interact with fans in such an exciting and forward-looking way has been mind-blowing to me. I’ve always been myself and used my image, eyewear, and music to express myself, and Roblox really encourages that self-expression. Now my fans can do the same, and that’s really exciting. At every step of my career, I’ve always wanted to push forward and look to the future, and Beyond the Yellow Brick Road is the next step on that journey as I prepare to step away from live touring after 50 years on the road. It’s genuinely thrilling, and I can’t wait to see the response from my fans and the Roblox community.”

David Furnish, CEO of Rocket Entertainment, says: “Elton is a visionary creative with a life full of major music and fashion moments significant to the culture of then and now and lived his life like an avatar! Beyond the Yellow Brick Road is an extraordinary collection of some of these moments that we have had a lot of fun recreating with the Roblox community since Rocket Entertainment began this project. As Elton says farewell to touring at Dodger Stadium, we’re excited for the opportunities that spaces like Roblox offer to ensure Elton’s music and legacy may continue to bring joy to the world.”

Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Group, says: “In the decades we’ve worked together, my commitment to Elton has been to build the largest global audience for his creative genius, spanning his recorded music, songwriting, fashion, and performances. As Eltonwraps up his monumental final tour, we are extremely excited to help bring Beyond the Yellow Brick Road to life so that new generations of fans, now and for years to come, will continue to be entertained and inspired by his songs and music.”

The Roblox community is also invited to a special performance taking place within the Beyond the Yellow Brick Road experience on Roblox starting on November 17th, with additional performances re-airing hourly through November 20th. Reimagined for limitless creative expression on Roblox, this series of ten-minute virtual performances – made up of Elton’s best-loved songs – will offer fans of all ages anywhere in the world an entirely new way to feel part of his final ever U.S. shows. Forming part of his record-breaking and critically acclaimed Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, the special performances will coincide with Elton’s run of Dodger Stadium shows (November 17th – 20th), which will see Elton make history once again as he returns to the iconic L.A. venue for the first time since his legendary performance in 1975.

Virtual experience visitors are also able to earn and collect yellow bricks, the currency used in ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road,’ as they explore interactive challenges, allowing them the chance to gain VIP access to hear a dedicated message from Elton and have their avatar appear on stage with him at his final Dodger Stadium show on November 20th. After the Dodger Stadium concerts,‘Elton John: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ will continue to live on – with new experiences, music, fashion, and more – as an immersive timeless capsule of his craft in the metaverse.

‘Elton John Presents: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ is the latest new frontier that Elton John is embracing during a dazzling period of creativity and cultural relevance. Having topped the U.K. single charts last summer with ‘Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)’ with Dua Lipa, his latest smash hit single ‘Hold Me Closer’ has seen Elton stepping into the limelight with Britney Spears for her first studio recording since 2016. With a chart-topping memoir ‘Me’ and acclaimed musical fantasy ‘Rocketman’ in recent years, and the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour continuing to be lauded by fans and critics alike, his collaboration on Roblox continues to reinforce Elton’s ongoing relevance. As fans prepare to bid farewell to Elton John as a touring artist, ‘With Elton John Presents: Beyond The Yellow Brick Road’ they can continue to experience all aspects of Elton’s world in the forward-thinking and thoroughly modern manner we’ve come to expect from one of the greatest pop culture icons of the 20th and 21st century.

Join Elton Beyond the Yellow Brick Road on Roblox at roblox.com/eltonjohn.

ABOUT ELTON JOHN:

Elton’s career achievements to date are unsurpassed in their breadth and longevity. Elton is one of the top-selling solo artists of all time. In the UK and US charts alone he has 1 diamond, 32 platinum or multi-platinum, and 21 gold albums as well as over 70 Top 40 hits. He has sold more than 300 million records worldwide.

He holds the record for the biggest-selling single of all time, “Candle in the Wind 1997”, which sold over 33 million copies. Released in 2017 ‘Diamonds’ the Ultimate Greatest Hits album, became Elton’s 40th UK Top 40 album and has spent over 200 consecutive weeks in the top 75 of the UK album charts, over 110 of these in the top 20, and in August 2022 surpassed the threshold for 1 million combined chart unites in the UK. This release celebrated 50 years of his songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin. August 2018 saw Elton named as the most successful male solo artist in Billboard Hot 100 chart history. At present, he has logged 70 Billboard Hot 100 entries, including nine No. 1s and 28 Top 10s. ‘The Lockdown Sessions’, an album of collaborations recorded during the COVID-19 Pandemic, was released in October 2021 and went straight to number 1 in the UK album Charts, becoming Elton’s 8th UK number 1 album in the process. It’s lead single “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) with Dua Lipa” became a bona fide global hit, reaching number 1 in the UK and Australian singles charts. Its success meant that Elton became the first ever solo artist to score a UK Top 10 hit single in 6 consecutive decades. His most recent release, “Hold Me Closer,” featuring Britney Spears debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, providing Elton with his tenth Top 10 hit. The song also climbed to #1 in Australia and Canada, #3 in the UK, and most notable, #1 on iTunes in over 40 countries upon release. In America, Elton John holds the record for longest span between Billboard top 40 hits at 50 years.

Elton announced the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour at New York’s Gotham Hall in January 2018. Encompassing 5 continents, and over 350 dates, this 5-year-long tour started in September 2018 and marks his retirement from touring after more than 50 years on the road. In 2019 it was named Billboard’s Top Rock Tour and Pollstar’s Major Tour Of The Year. To date, Elton has delivered more than 4,000 performances in more than 80 countries since launching his first tour in 1970. 2019 also saw the release of ‘Rocketman’ and global bestselling autobiography, ‘ME’. An epic fantasy musical motion picture of Elton’s life, ‘Rocketman’ has been a commercial and critical hit, taking close to $200m at the box office. It has won an Oscar, two Golden Globe Awards and a Critics’ Choice Award and garnered BAFTA nominations. Its soundtrack was also nominated for a GRAMMY Award.

Among the many awards and honors bestowed upon him are six GRAMMYs, including a GRAMMY Legend award, a Tony and two Oscars, a Best British Male Artist BRIT Award, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Kennedy Center Honor, Legend of Live Award, 13 Ivor Novello Awards between 1973 and 2001 and a knighthood from HM Queen Elizabeth II for “services to music and charitable services”. Most recently, Elton was awarded the 2021 iHeartRadio “Golden Icon” Award in recognition of his incredible influence on music and pop culture. In February 2022, he topped the inaugural Pollstar Artist Power Index, a weekly rank of the world’s most popular artists based on streaming, touring, airplay, and social media metrics.

In 1992, Elton established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which today is one of the leading non-profit HIV/AIDS organizations and has raised over $515 million to date in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. In June 2019 President Emmanuel Macron presented Elton the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest award, for his lifetime contribution to the arts and the fight against HIV/AIDS. Elton was awarded the Companion of Honor in the 2021 New Year Honors list. The highest acknowledgement in the list, Elton became one of only 64 people to hold the honor. September 2019 saw The Royal Mail issue a set of 12 stamps as a tribute to Elton being one of the most popular and enduring music artists of all time. Elton was only the second individual music artist to be featured in a dedicated stamp issue. In July 2020 the Royal Mint released an Elton John commemorative coin, the second in their music legends series to celebrate ‘one of the most successful and enduring artists of all time’. Always a tireless champion of new artists, Elton has been a leading industry voice in lobbying the government for young artists visa-free touring rights in Europe post Brexit.

GHETTO GASTRO GETS SPICY

Following the release of its premium, “Sovereign Syrup Sorghum,” Ghetto Gastro, the Bronx- based culinary collective, has joined forces with its homies at flavor-favorite Fly By Jing on a better-for-you and good-on-everything syrup that will spice up every meal. The Spicy Sovereign Syrup, which will retail at $25, merges Fly By Jing’s Sichuan Chili Crisp with Ghetto Gastro’s original custom blend of New York maple syrup, apple cider syrup made from New York apples, and sorghum syrup.

Ghetto Gastro is a Bronx-based collective whose mission is to feed the people great food created with a thought from ancestral ingredients grown in the Global South, while Fly By Jing crafts thoughtful Chinese pantry staples for the modern kitchen. Collectively, these friends are pushing flavor forward, with their descendant roots constantly in mind.

The syrup, which is divine in taste, to say the least, is sweetened with dark maple syrup, harvested with sustainable and organic methods in collaboration with New York local forestry initiatives, giving the Spicy Sovereign Syrup its deep flavor and nutritional richness. Fly By Jing’s Sichuan Chili Crisp, crafted in Chengdu, China, is the first and only 100% all-natural Sichuan Chili Crisp on the market. The spicy, tingly, good-on-everything syrup makes for the perfect addition to Ghetto Gastro’s Sovereign Syrup to satisfy all the sweet-and-spicy flavors we know your taste buds long

For. Created with the intention of inspiring a free, direct supply chain, Ghetto Gastro and Fly By Jing work directly with producers to offer a premium product to the everyday consumer. Of the Spicy Sovereign Syrup, Ghetto Gastro says, “We chose the name Sovereign Syrup in respect to our ancestors and their reverence for the land. Sovereign also speaks to your choice. What you bring into your home and put in your body reflects what matters to you.” With the complete list of recipes & meal inspiration on their website, the possibilities of what you choose to put in
your body are endless.

“Jon and I have been friends for a minute, and so when I heard that Ghetto Gastro started up a CPG food arm to the business, I knew we had to create something fire together. The team at Ghetto Gastro brings the same detail-oriented, culture-forward thinking that we strive toward at FBJ, and then some. Every ingredient in our new Spicy Sovereign Syrup is thoughtfully sourced, better for you, and tastes out of this world. We can’t wait for you to try it!” – Jing Gao, Fly By Jing Ghetto Gastro last month announced the release of their first-ever book, Black Power Kitchen, on October 18th. It’s a cookbook, but so much more – sparking conversation with food about inclusion, race, access, and self-empowerment. This is also the 10th year of Ghetto Gastro, who, within that time, has released their appliance line with Target and Williams Sonogram, been asked by Wolfgang Puck to cook all of the food for the Oscar’s Governor’s Ball, and cooked
for everyone, from Martha Stewart to Diddy.

The ‘Spicy Sovereign Syrup’ is available to purchase (RP $25) now on Ghetto Gastro’s official
store here, and via Fly By Jing’s official store here. Pre-order’ Black Power Kitchen’ here.

Gen-Z Fashion

The Essence for Y2K Fashion

By Andrea Esteban

Let’s face it : Old-fashioned ‘90s are back again — and yes, that involves all of those Y2K fashion trends you’ve probably hidden in the back of your wardrobe. Today, I’ll share all you need to know about Y2K fashion trends, and how Y2K fashion icons can inspire you to dress like a Gen-Z nowadays.

Here are my top tips to what is fashionable at the moment:

Where did the Y2K fashion trend come from?

Y2K fashion boomed across the mid-late 1990s and early 2000s. It doesn’t only refer to fashion, but it also refers to the technology and computer bug that people thought would happen on New Year’s day in 2000.

Y2K culture was marked by luxurious consumerism. Gen-Z were always trying to look for the most expensive monograms and designer brands including on clothing, accessories or perfumes that reflected the idea of ‘being contemporary’. Brands like Channel, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Dior were the most coveted.

We can’t forget that Y2K Culture was also shaped by streetwear trends including: designers’ logos, bling, D-rings, exposed zippers, belts, straps in line with the idea of the up to date technology.

What is Y2K Fashion?

Aesthetics and trends typically worn between the late ‘90s and the year 2000. What are the first items that come to your mind when you think about those years? Of course you can’t help remembering the crop tops, the velour tracksuits, the camis, the sparkly shoes or the low-rise jeans, all in the shiny black tone and reflective metallic color palette.

Casual clothing and leisurewear were also big fashion trends of the early 2000s. Denim became a significant staple for Gen-Z, going beyond skirts to jeans, hats and jackets. If you want to design a casual Y2K style , keep in mind that the denim staple is worn with all kinds of clothes including hoodies, crop tops & off the shoulder tops, ribbed sweaters with trainers, platform sandals, sneakers or boots.

How Can you get the Y2K Look nowadays? Get inspired!

Many of Y2K fashion inspiration can be taken from the pop culture icons of our early childhood involving celebrities, films and even video clips. Bratz Dolls, Mean Girls, Uptown Girls and Clueless are great fashion examples of inspiration for the Y2K appearance since these main characters loved over-dressing, with eye-catching colors.

One of the essential features of Y2K fashion were accessories. Think of several of the typical staples from your wardrobe. Pieces like tiny sunglasses, mini-bags, bandanas or scrunchies clips are tendences now. Also, one key feature were rhinestones which are used as decorations for accessories like chokers, belts or hats.

Finally, early ’00s makeup tendencies walked by ‘Euphoria’ smokey eyes, highlighting, colored eyeliner, glittery eyeshadow, false eyelashes, glossy lips, skinny brows and matte foundations. There’s no disagreeing that our current looks have been deeply induced by ’00s beauty icons like Tyra Banks, Paris Hilton, Laura Harrier, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Halle Berry. For you to get some inspiration when doing your make-up, I have gathered together the 5 most powerful and influential makeup trends worn by celebrities of the early 2000s in events like MTV Awards, Grammys, Brit Awards or even at the Oscars.

MET GALA: Cynthia Erivo

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Cynthia Erivo at The Met Gala wearing Roberto Coin jewelry valued at $436,000 and Louis Vuitton Dress

As the Met Gala returns to the first Monday in May, “Fashions Biggest Night Out” certainly didn’t disappoint. The fearless fashion icon Cynthia Erivo was red hot in her 327-carat Fire Opal and 40-carat Diamond Choker ($140,000.00) from Roberto Coin. The necklace was created exclusively for Cynthia for the “Guilded Age” theme of the evening.

In addition, she was wearing the Diamond and Emerald Snake Bangle ($71,000.00), Dahlia Cento Diamond Bracelet ($130,000.00), Marquesa Diamond Bracelet ($12,800.00), Fiore Couture Cento Diamond Ring ($15,280.00), Pink Sapphire and Cento Diamond Band ($38,000.00), Rosette Cento Diamond Ring, ($8,920.00), Dolce 3-stone Cento Pear-shaped Diamond Ring ($14,740.00), Diamond Princess Tassel Ring ($5,250).

For more information on the Roberto Coin jewelry, please go HERE.

ABOUT ROBERTO COIN

Since 1977 Venetian jewelry designer, Roberto Coin, has devoted his life to a passion for innovative design, based on a deep knowledge of Italian art and craftsmanship tradition. Finding inspiration in the most unlikely of places, experimenting with light, texture, color and pattern, Coin’s style is ever evolving. His diverse collection, designed to fit every woman’s uniqueness, is defined by a common thread—a thoughtful balance of elegance and creativity. Included in every piece of Roberto Coin jewelry is his signature ruby. The ruby symbolizes peace, prosperity and happiness and is a special wish from the designer.

*Images courtesy of Getty × Katie Kinsella

GEORGE MICHAEL – FREEDOM UNCUT

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Sony Music Entertainment and Trafalgar Releasing announced the premiere of GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT, a deeply autobiographical feature documentary narrated by the late Grammy Award winner. GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT will be released as a global cinema event on Wednesday, June 22. Details of participating countries and cinemas will be listed HERE from April 27.

Throughout the film, Michael reveals openly and honestly the two distinct sides of his life: his very public music career and his private personal life that cameras never truly saw. Michael was heavily involved in and dedicated to the making of this documentary before his tragic passing in 2016, making GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT an incredibly special posthumous release and a poignant and moving tribute to his legacy.

The film delves into the turbulent period after Faith leading up to, during and after the making of his “Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1” album in 1990. At this pivotal period of his life, Michael is able to fight for his artistic freedom and lead the way for others. He meets his first real love, Anselmo Feleppa and navigates both the heartbreak of Anselmo’s early tragic passing from an AIDS related illness and the devastating loss of his mother. GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT is also a brilliant reminder of Michael’s outstanding musical genius during the Wham! years and throughout his solo career. The film features timeless duets with George’s favourite artists and explores how he influenced the cultural landscape of his generation as one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time.

Interwoven with exclusive, personal archival footage, this year’s theatrical release includes never-seen-before footage from one of the most iconic videos in music history, Freedom! ’90, directed by Oscar nominated David Fincher. The music video has been recently remastered in 4K and will screen in full ahead of the main feature in cinemas worldwide.

Produced by Big Geoff Overseas Limited in conjunction with Sony Music Entertainment and distributed theatrically worldwide by Trafalgar Releasing.

David Austin says, “The film is George’s final work. Narrated by George himself, it is the complete story.”

“George Michael was an inspiring artist whose story deserves to be shared on the big screen globally.” Tom Mackay, President, Premium Content, Sony Music Entertainment says, “In honor of George’s birthday this June, we are thrilled to be working with David Austin and our partners at Trafalgar Releasing to bring fans unprecedented access to his extraordinary life both on and off stage.”

Marc Allenby, CEO – Trafalgar Releasing says, “We are proud to be bringing George Michael’s final work to the big screen in this global cinema event. As an artist whose music continues to resonate across generations, this event will be a fitting tribute to George’s life and career, giving fans the opportunity to celebrate communally in cinemas worldwide.”

94th Oscars

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The 94th Academy Awards were held on Sunday, May 27, at the Dolby Theatre right in the heart of Hollywood. The Oscars ceremony made for a night of unforgettable moments, including the slap that broke the internet.

The night began with words from Serena and Venus Williams before Beyonce’s performance of “Be Alive” from Best Picture nominee “King Richard.” The film stars Will Smith while following the story of the tennis sister icons childhood and rise to widespread athletic acclaim.

To reference the story even further, Beyonce’s pre-recorded performance took place at the former Lueders Park tennis courts in Compton. Sporting lime-green tennis-inspired attire, Beyonce and her dancers captivated the audience and started the show off flawlessly.

This year’s Academy Awards saw the return of a host for the first time since the 2018 showing, and three at that. Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes shared banter on the stage and separately throughout, successfully beginning with a bit directed towards Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Further controversy surrounding the night stemmed from the pre-recorded award announcement of eight categories and the New York Times stated this included the short films, production design, score, editing, makeup and hairstyling and sound. Conducted to seemingly shorten the duration of the show, this didn’t help much, as the show ended up extending to a long three hours and 40 minutes of showtime. Not to mention the pre-announced awards were aired as if they were live.

Amidst the contentious night of awards, we saw light as Ariana Debose became the first Afro Latina and openly queer women of color to win an Academy Award. While starring as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” we also saw DeBose become the second Latina to win an Academy Award following Rita Moreno for the same role dating back to 1962.

DeBose commended the trailblazing of Moreno during her acceptance speech while saying, “Now you see why that Anita says ‘I want to be in America,’ because even in this weary world that we live in, dreams do come true, […] I’m so grateful your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me and I love you so much.”

DeBose rejoiced this moment in history, stating, “To anybody who has ever questioned your identity — ever, ever, ever — or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us.”

The most shocking night of the event that has had the entire world talking came when Will Smith punched Chris Rock on-stage after an insensitive comment about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair.

While presenting the Best Documentary award, Rock joked about Pinkett Smith, stating, “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” speaking about her shaved hair.

Back in 2018, Pinkett Smith revealed to the world that she had alopecia, which causes hair loss. It appeared Smith was laughing along at first, but then he got up and slapped Rock. After returning to his seat the audio cut out in the United States but was broadcasted internationally where audiences heard Smith then yell, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth!”

The conflict left the in-person audience stunned, and Rock reacted by saying, “Will Smith just smacked the s*** out of me.”

Later on, Smith was awarded for his performance in “Little Richard” with the Best Actor award. He apologized for the altercation during his acceptance speech while referencing his role as the Williams sisters’ father in the film while stating, “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. […] I’m being called on in my life to love people. And to protect people. And to be a river to my people.”

He continued by thanking his fellow nominee Denzel Washington who came to his side after the dispute occurred, recalling his words when stating, “He said [to me], ‘At your highest moment, that’s when the devil comes for you.’”

Smith continued to apologize and stated, “I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to my fellow nominees, […] This is a beautiful moment. I’m not crying for winning an award. It’s not about winning an award for me. It’s about being able to shine a light on all the people. […] I hope the Academy invites me back.”

The night commenced when “CODA” historically won Best Picture. The film celebrates both Deaf culture and actors while becoming the first movie from a streaming service to be awarded an Academy Award.

Apple TV+’s “CODA” triumphed over Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog” for the esteemed award, though we still saw Netflix’s Jane Campion take home the Best Director award for the film. “CODA,” too, saw their very own Troy Kostur take home Best Supporting Actor as Frank Rossi and director Sian Heder win Best Adapted Screenplay.

Check out the full list of 2022 Oscar winners below.

Best Supporting Actress

Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)

Best Costume Design

“Cruella”

Best Sound

“Dune”

Best Original Score

“Dune”

Best Adapted Screenplay

“CODA” (Sian Heder)

Best Original Screenplay

“Belfast” (Kenneth Branagh)

Best Animated Short

“The Windshield Wiper”

Best Live Action Short

“The Long Goodbye”

Best Supporting Actor

Troy Kotsur (“CODA”)

Best Film Editing

“Dune”

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”

Best Animated Feature

“Encanto”

Best Documentary Feature

“Summer of Soul”

Best Documentary Short

“The Queen of Basketball”

Best Original Song

“No Time to Die” (“No Time to Die”)

Best Cinematography

“Dune”

Best International Feature

“Drive My Car”

Best Production Design

“Dune”

Best Visual Effects

“Dune”

Best Actress

Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”)

Best Actor

Will Smith (“King Richard”)

Best Director

Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”)

Best Picture

“CODA”

Tadeusz Lysiak Interview

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The 94th Oscar nominations have been announced, and with the awards happening on March 27. 360 was able to speak with the director of one of the nominated films, Tadeusz Lysiak. “The Dress” is hoping to garner best short film at the event. Topics include the director’s start with film making, the film itself, and his plans for the future.

1. How did you get into filmmaking?

It all happened after I watched Inglourious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino. I was probably 16 years old back then and I remember going out of the theater and having coffee with my family and telling them: I’m gonna be a filmmaker one day. They said that was a great idea and they gave me a lot of advice: they suggested that it’d probably be better if I wouldn’t go to film school just after finishing high school. They reasoned that, “if you’d like to tell stories about life, you’d have to experience life a little at first.” So that’s why I decided to study Cultural Studies at the University of Warsaw. And only after finishing… [was when I] applied to Warsaw Film School. And it was the best choice of my life, they taught me everything I know. Warsaw Film School is such a cool place!

2. A lot of your work covers sensitive topics. Why is that?

In WFS they always teach us to ask ourselves what bothers us with the world, what there is to change or repair, and to never tell stories that are not important to us personally. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m deeply interested in sensitive, social, or psychological topics, and that’s why my films are focused on them.

3. Why did you decide to create a film about disability and intimacy?

Because it is something that is not often talked about! I find it deeply disturbing that there are still some prejudices in that territory, and some really bad things are still happening to women with disabilities all around the world. University of Michigan says that 40% of women with any sort of disability are being sexually or physically assaulted during their lifetime. This is absolutely terrifying.

4. How did you feel when you found out you received an Oscar nomination?

This is such a surreal feeling, especially because “The Dress” is a student project made just to pass an exam in Warsaw Film School. We were all hoping to get a good grade and that’s it. And now we are nominated for an Oscar. This is a story for yet another movie.

5. How long did the filming process take?

I think you can sum all of it up in roughly one year. At first, it was a couple of months of research and writing the script, then further development, preproduction, and finally 6 days of shooting and three months of postproduction. It was a hard time since we didn’t have a big budget and too many resources.

6. What was your best moment on set?

I must say that the best moment was the last shot. It was 5 AM, we were all so tired and exhausted and I remember that as soon as we finished rolling I started crying, and we all cried so much, and then we hug[ged] each other and drank champagne and it was such a great moment of accomplishment and relief!

7. Who were your favorite people to work with on set?

I just loved everybody. Since it was a student project, most of the crew were my close friends. We were having a lot of fun, but also we worked so hard, driven by our passion to tell this story. I have to thank Konrad Bloch, my cinematographer, who is such a sensitive guy and a true artist. I think of him as an absolute co-author, …as well as Anna Dzieduszycka. It was a huge group effort.

8. Who are your influences?

I think I have many, but the most important ones are certainly: Stanley Kubrick, David Fincher, Roman Polański, Krzysztof Kieślowski, and Michael Haneke. I believe that all of them did in their films what I would like to do: they looked into people’s minds, they looked at what is hidden, what is repressed.

9. What would you like to accomplish career-wise?

Ultimately, I would like to make films in the US, in English— for the simple reason that I want as many people as possible to watch them. I feel like I need to tell different stories and share them with others. This is a hunger that I cannot satisfy. My focus is now on working on my feature-length debut, which will be a psychological thriller.

10. What should we expect from you in the future?

My full-length debut is at a fairly advanced stage of development, we are working on the script. The working title is “Obsession.” I have not yet decided whether I will want to do it in Poland or in the States. It’s a universal story, it would work anywhere. The film will tell the story of a young couple whose daughter one day disappears without a trace and both of them begin to fall into madness because of it.

11. Describe “The Dress” in one word.

Desire.

12. What do you want people to take away from “The Dress?”

I would like them to see that there is still a lot of evil in the world. That we still have a lot to fix. And that we should treat eachother with respect and dignity. This is especially important nowadays.

The Dress

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The short film, “The Dress,” which was directed by Tadeusz Lysiak, a student of the Warsaw Film School, has been nominated for the 94th Academy Awards® in the Best Live Action Short Film category. “The Dress” is a poignant story about the desire for love and intimacy, whose short-statured protagonist Anna struggles with social rejection because of her appearance. This is the second Oscar® nomination for its producer, the Warsaw Film School, an educational institution located in the heart of Europe.

Tadeusz Lysiak stated, “This is so surreal, I can’t believe this! I am so grateful to the entire film crew, my producers—Warsaw Film School and all the coproducers and good people that supported us. This is just out of this world. This film is a huge team effort, and it was made with student passion and [a] mission to change the world for the better. Thank you all for supporting us!”

Anna Dzieduszycka (lead actress) stated, “I want to say that I am very proud of us. I never imagined something like this, but now I know that nothing is impossible and it’s a wonderful feeling! Believe in yourself, respect and love each other.”

Working at a roadside motel, Julia doesn’t want to suppress her desire, sexuality, and longing for physical intimacy any longer. When a handsome truck driver comes into her life, her unrealized fantasies begin to come true. But “The Dress” is not just the story of a woman meeting a man. Julia, physically different from the society around her, experiences rejection and bullying. “The Dress” is a universal story about longing that affects everyone, regardless of the barriers and differences that divide us.

The movie was written and directed by Tadeusz Łysiak, a student at the Warsaw Film School. The production has screened at nearly 40 film festivals around the world and has won 18 awards. Awarded at the prestigious Atlanta Film Festival allowed “The Dress” to compete for an Academy Award® nomination.

The main actress Anna Dzieduszycka hopes that her role will be one step towards changing the perception of individuals like her on-screen: “I wish people stop using the word “otherness”, become more open-minded, and embrace diversity of viewpoints. […] Looks don’t matter. We all have magic inside us.” said Dzieduszycka. Her acting has been recognized at many festivals in Poland and abroad. Anna’s awards include the Grand Prize for Best Actress at Flicker’s Rhode Island International Film Festival.

The Oscar-nominated title was created by a team composed mainly of students and graduates of the Warsaw Film School. The director, Tadeusz Łysiak, participated in the prestigious program FUTURE FRAMES—Generation NEXT of European Cinema within Eastern Promises at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. He is also a winner of the “Discovery Eye” award for Young, Talented Filmmaker at the Polish Film Festival in Chicago. Tadeusz Łysiak’s previous award-winning film “Techno” has had over a million views on YouTube.

The cinematographer, Konrad Bloch, is a graduate of Warsaw Film School. He was recognized for his work as a cameraman on the set of “The Dress,” among others, at the 45th Gdynia Film Festival—the award for Best Cinematography—the Bronze Tadpole at the Energa CAMERIMAGE Festival and the Best Cinematography award at the 38th Sulmona Film Festival.

The film is produced by the co-founder and Chancellor of the Warsaw Film School, director and screenwriter Maciej Ślesicki. He is the producer of many student films, including “Our Curse,” which was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Documentary (Short Subject) in 2015. “The Dress” was also co-produced by DOBRO, MIŁO, and GŁOŚNO. The project was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute. “The Dress” is the only production this year from Poland that is up in the running for an Academy Award®.

The 94th Academy Awards® ceremony will take place on March 27th at the Dolby Theatre.